Denver enters the Frozen Four at Boston this week with a goaltender on a roll. But that really shouldn’t come as a surprise because during the past two decades that has been a hallmark of the most successful Pioneers teams.

Here is a closer look at their Frozen Four teams since 2004 and how they compare to this year’s team.

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Scouting Thursday’s Denver-Michigan matchup

Magnus on a Mission

2021-22

Magnus Chrona has enjoyed a strong bounce back season, aided in part by one of DU’s strongest offenses in this century (4.3 goals per game). Chrona is 26-8-1 with a 2.16 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. His six shutouts doubled his total from his first two seasons combined.

End result: At Frozen Four vs. Michigan

2018-19

Freshman Filip Larsson took over the goaltending duties in the playoffs after sharing the net with sophomore Devin Cooley during the regular season. The timing was excellent. Larsson posted three of his four shutouts in the postseason and allowed just seven goals in six games. Unfortunately, four of those came against UMass in a national semifinal. Larsson was 14-6-2 with .932 and 1.94 numbers, while Cooley went 11-6-2 with .934 and 1.85. Denver needed elite goaltending because its offense only generated 2.8 goals per game.

End result: Lost in national semifinal to UMass

2016-17

Senior Tanner Jaillet won the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA’s top goaltender, and he backstopped DU to its eighth national championship. Jaillet was lights out much of the season, going 28-5-4 with .930 and 1.80 numbers. When senior Evan Cowley was called on, he had .955 and 1.13 numbers. It was a wealth of riches in net on a team that scored 3.5 goals per game.

End result: Defeated Minnesota Duluth for the national championship

2015-16

The crease was more of a timeshare between juniors Jaillet (17-5-5, .922, 2.28) and Cowley (8-5-1, .929, 2.07), but Jaillet carried the mail in the playoffs. Denver’s offense generated 3.3 goals per game.

End result: Lost national semifinal to North Dakota

2004-05

Freshman Peter Mannino and sophomore Glenn Fisher alternated starts until the Regional final and the Frozen Four, where Mannino stood on his head in making a combined 85 saves in wins over Colorado College and North Dakota. Manino had two 1-0 shutouts in the WCHA playoffs, over Michigan Tech and CC, as part of his 18-4-1, .927, 2.19 campaign. Fisher was strong as well, going 14-5-1. Both enjoyed strong offensive support (4.04 goals per game).

End result: Defeated North Dakota for the national championship

2003-04

Senior Adam Berkhoel was good during the regular season and unreal down the stretch, posting 1-0 shutouts in the Regional final and again for the NCAA title against Maine. He allowed just five goals in four NCAA games, and three of those came in a 5-3 victory over Minnesota Duluth in the national semifinal at … Boston. DU scored four times in the third period to come back in that win. Berkhoel went 24-11-4 with .918, 2.45 numbers, and he was backed by an offense that scored 3.4 goals per game.

End result: Defeated Maine for the national championship

Final analysis

The closest comparison in terms of goaltending is probably the 2003-04 team. Chrona and Berkhoel have similar numbers, both were upperclassmen and both played nearly every game. However, this season’s DU team has a much stronger offense, similar to the 2004-05 squad.

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