Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Prospects Help Denver Win Ninth NCAA Title

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2022

Bob Duff

Carter Mazur, Detroit Red Wings prospect

Red Wings prospects Carter Mazur and Shai Buium figured in the scoring as Denver won the NCAA title. (Photo courtesy Denver Pioneers)

Detroit Red Wings draft picks Shai Buium and Carter Mazur figured in the scoring of three of their goals as the Denver Pioneers were staging a furious third-period rally to claim a 5-1 verdict over Minnesota State in the NCAA Frozen Four final.

Turned this game on its head after this one ⚡️⚡️⚡️#FrozenFour #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/aTzLcgCbRL

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) April 10, 2022

Freshman Shai Buium, selected 36th overall by Detroit in the 2021 NHL entry draft, counted the primary assist on the game-winning goal. He fed his defense partner Mike Benning for a one-timer that gave Denver the lead for good at 2-1.

Mazur (70th overall, 2021 NHL entry draft) drew the primary assist on the insurance goal for the Pioneers. Scooting away on a two-on-one break, he finished the play off by saucering a perfect pass to goal scorer Massimo Rizzo. That goal made it 3-1 Denver.

PLAY. OF. THE. GAME.#FrozenFour #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/u14KnOfc9R

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) April 10, 2022

Mazur also assisted on Cameron Wright’s empty-net goal that completed the scoring as the Pioneers rallied from a 1-0 deficit with five unanswered third-period goals.

First Red Wings Picks Since Abdelkader

Buium finished the game plus-3. Mazur was plus-2 with a a pair of shots on goal as well.

Along with teammate Antti Tuomisto (35th overall, 2019 NHL entry draft), they are the first Red Wings draftees to win the NCAA title since Justin Abdelkader did so with Michigan State in 2007. Abdelkader also ended up enjoying a strong championship game. He assisted on the game-tying goal and scored with the winner. The Spartans also rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 3-1 verdict over Boston College.

It’s the ninth NCAA title for the Pioneers and there’s also been distinct Red Wings contribution to some of Denver’s previous NCAA crowns. Forward John MacMillan was a key scorer for the Pioneers when they won national titles in 1958 and 1960. He played for the Red Wings from 1964-65 and skated with the Detroit team that reached Game 7 of the 1963-64 Stanley Cup final before succumbing to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Forward Tom Miller, a Red Wings player from 1970-71, played on Denver’s back-to-back championship squads in 1968 and 1969.