Owen Michaels scored two third-period goals to seal Western Michigan’s first Frozen Four championship in a 6-2 victory over Boston University on Saturday night.

Iiro Hakkarainen and Wyatt Schingoethe had a goal and assist each, with Ty Henricks and Cole Crusberg-Roseen also scoring to cap the Broncos’ first Frozen Four appearance in the program’s 52-year history. Hampton Slukynsky stopped 24 shots and top-seeded Western Michigan (34-7-1) closed its winningest season with 10 straight victories.

The Broncos reached the final with Michaels scoring his second goal 26 seconds into double-overtime in 3-2 victory over defending champion Denver in the semifinals Thursday night.

In defeating the five-time champion Terriers, the Broncos become the fourth program to win the title in its championship game debut, joining Denver in 1958, Cornell (1967) and Lake Superior State (1988). Western Michigan also made it three-for-three for Michigan-based teams winning the tournament when played in St. Louis, after Michigan State won in 2007 and Michigan Tech in 1975.

The win didn’t come easily. The Terriers appeared to cut the lead to 4-3 with 8:04 remaining when Matt Copponi jammed in a rebound through Slukynsky’s legs. Though replays clearly showed the puck going over the line, the goal was disallowed because the whistle had blown.

Cole Eiserman and Shane Lachance scored for Boston (24-14-2). Mikhail Yegorov stopped 22 shots in a matchup up freshman goalies.

The Terriers were making their third consecutive Frozen Four appearance but have not broken through for a championship since 2009. They have made 25 total appearances, the third-most of any NCAA school, with five titles.

College football

Vols ‘moving on’ without QB >> Tennessee is moving forward without Nico Iamaleava, and coach Josh Heupel said nobody — including himself — was bigger than the program while calling the loss of their projected starting quarterback an “unfortunate” situation.

Asked about the timing just before Saturday’s spring game, which Iamaleava sat out reportedly seeking an increase in NIL compensation, Heupel said there’s never an easy time to lose a player.

“At the end of the day, we got a lot of great work for the two guys that are,” Heupel said. “We’ve got a chance to move forward as a program. It’s unfortunate in the landscape of college football that it happens at this point.”

Asked when Heupel knew the Vols would not have Iamaleava moving forward, the coach said Friday morning when the quarterback was a “no show” with no communication with Heupel. The Tennessee coach refused to get into details about any discussions with Iamaleava and his representatives.

“He’s moving on, we’re moving on, too,” Heupel said. “We’ll be ready to roll when we get to next fall.”

Iamaleava helped Tennessee go 10-3 last season and earn a berth in the newly expanded College Football Playoff. According to reports, he was looking for a big hike in his NIL compensation after getting his first start at the 2024 Orange Bowl.

SEC rules prohibit players from transferring inside the league during the spring portal window, limiting options for both UT and Iamaleava.

College basketball

60K celebrate Gators’ title >> Florida coach Todd Golden already has a spot picked out for the Final Four net he cut down in San Antonio.

On Saturday, though, it felt right at home around his neck.

Golden and the Gators were revered in another national championship celebration, this one in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Florida Field during an extended halftime of the annual football spring game. The hoops team has one more get-together on tap: at the White House, presumably this summer.

“It’s just absurd,” the former University of San Francisco coach said. “Today was awesome.”

Golden wore the remnants of one of the nets from the Alamodome; center Micah Handlogten wore the other. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard carried trophies into the Swamp.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.”

Golden might not be going anywhere anytime soon. The coach said he is close to a contract extension.

NHL

Jets 5, Blackhawks 4 >> Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti scored in the shootout, and the Winnipeg Jets clinched the franchise’s first Central Division title and the No. 1 seed for the Western Conference playoffs with a wild win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.

Josh Morrissey had two third-period goals for the Jets, who won for the fourth time in five games despite trailing 2-0 after one.

Connor had a goal and an assist in regulation, and Nino Niederreiter also scored.

Winnipeg forward Nikolaj Ehlers departed after he backed into an official in the second period. Ehlers, who has 24 goals and 39 assists in 69 games, had to be helped off the ice after he got hurt with 5:34 left.

Hurricanes 7, Rangers 3 >> Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists and the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the New York Rangers from playoff contention on Saturday.

Kings 5, Avalanche 4 >> Kevin Fiala scored two goals for the second straight game, and Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere had a goal and two assists apiece in the Kings’ victory over the Colorado Avalanche, likely sending Los Angeles into the No. 2 seed and a fourth consecutive first-round meeting with the Oilers.