Wisconsin vs. Denver Game Thread: Chance to make history

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 09: Quinn Finley #19 and forward Ryan Botterill #21 of the Wisconsin Badgers celebrate Botterill's goal against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in the first period of a semifinal game of the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey championship at T-Mobile Arena on April 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Wisconsin Badgers are facing off against the Denver Pioneers on Saturday with a chance to get their seventh National Championship. The game starts at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Wisconsin has done great so far since making the postseason, beating Dartmouth, Michigan State, and North Dakota en route to the championship game. Now, they’ll take on a Denver team that made the Frozen Four for a third consecutive season and is looking for its third championship in six years.

Denver got to the Frozen Four by beating Cornell 5-0 and upsetting Western Michigan 6-2. There, they upset Michigan 4-3 in double overtime on Thursday to reach the championship game, setting up for what should be a great game.

It’s been quite the year for the Badgers, who were teetering on the brink of disaster before some key wins at the end of the year punched their ticket to the postseason.

Now, if they win, they’ve got the chance to be the first school since 2006 to win both the men’s and women’s championships in the same year.

Ahead of the game, we’ve got you covered with all the pregame coverage.

Click here for our keys to the game and prediction.

Click here for our preview of the game.

Join us as our game thread is officially open!