PROSPECTS: Thompson Advances to NCAA Championship Game

And then there were two.

The 2024 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship Game is set, as Blackhawks prospect Aidan Thompson and Denver will square off against Boston College on Saturday evening for the collegiate title. 

Denver dispatched of Boston University on Thursday night in the Frozen Four, 2-1, with Thompson logging two shots on goal in the win. 

Thursday night also saw the end of the seasons for Chicago draft picks Ryan Green (BU) and Frank Nazar (Michigan), as the Wolverines fell to top-seeded Boston College, 4-0. 

NCAA Championship Game

Saturday, April 13 - 5 p.m. (ESPN)

• Aidan Thompson (Denver) vs. Boston College

^{Take a deeper look at the young Blackhawks prospect core in the latest episode of Every Shift: Paths of Progress}

Prospects in the NCAA Tournament

Aidan Thompson - Denver

Denver has posted a trio of 2-1 wins in their path to the title game, the lowest-scoring games in the tournament thus far. Thompson was held off the scoresheet in the opening game against Massechusets before putting two shots on goal and earning a +1 rating in a second-round win over Cornell. He added two shots on goal in the Frozen Four round as the Pioneers advanced to the championship game. 

Thompson finished his sophomore campaign with 30 points (11G, 19A) in 40 regular-season games for Denver en route to their NCHC Championship this season.

Ryan Greene - Boston University

Ryan Greene got the tournament started off on the right foot for Boston University, scoring an early goal to give BU a 2-0 lead over RIT in their opening game, a lead the Terriers never relinquished en route to a 6-3 victory. The forward posted four shots on goal in BU's come-from-behind victory over Minnesota, falling behing 2-0 before scoring six of the next seven goals over the final 42 minutes of play, securing another 6-3 win to advance to the Frozen Four for the second straight season.

Greene scored 35 points (11G, 24A) in 37 regular-season games in his sophomore year for Boston University, who fell to Boston College in the Hockey East Championship.

Frank Nazar - Michigan

Michigan, the third-ranked seed in the Maryland Heights Regional, advanced to their 28th all-time Frozen Four by getting past North Dakota and top-seeded Michigan State in the second round.

Nazar scored the opening goal of the tournament for the Wolverines in the first round, tying the game against North Dakota 1-1 in the second period, and a dominant three-goal third period from Michigan proved the difference. In the second round, Nazar made perhaps the assist of the tournament to setup Gavin Brindley for the 4-2 insurance goal en route to a 5-2 win to advance.

The Frozen Four bid was be a positive finish to the season for Nazar, who had a strong sophomore campaign for Michigan after missing most of last season due to injury. The No. 13 overall pick in 2022 led all Blackhawks collegiate prospects with 39 points (16G, 23A) in 38 regular-seaosn games and was tied for fourth in goals for Michigan this year.

Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel - Minnesota

Minnesota was denied a third straight Frozen Four appearance, falling to Boston University in a 6-3 second-round defeat after an opening-round 3-2 win over Omaha.

In Minnesota's win, Rinzel posted +2 rating with three shots on goal in a comeback win for the Golden Gophers, tying the game 2-2 midway through the third period before finding the game-winner with just under five minutes to play. Rinzel also posted a secondary assist on Minnesota's opening goal against BU as the Gophers jumped out to a 2-0 lead before falling in the Sioux Falls Regional final. Moore put a combined three shots on goal in the two games, and finished the tournament with a -3 rating for the weekend. 

Moore, a Blackhawks 2023 first-round selection (No. 19 overall) posted 33 regular-season points (9G, 24A) in his freshman campaign. The forward finished third on Minnesota’s team in points and second in assists, just one behind Rinzel. Rinzel, a 2022 first-round pick for Chicago (No. 25 overall), led Minnesota in assists (25) and led all blueliners with 27 points (2G, 25A) in 37 games.