Johnny Hicks Never Lost: Denver's Freshman Goalie Backstops a National Title Run

The Denver Pioneers captured their NCAA-best 11th national championship in 2026, and the story of the season belonged to an unlikely source: freshman goaltender Johnny Hicks, who did not lose a single college hockey game all year.

An Undefeated Debut Season

Hicks took over the starting job on January 24 and simply never lost from there, finishing his freshman campaign 16-0-1. Along the way he set a new NCAA single-season save percentage record at .957, an extraordinary mark for a first-year goaltender thrust into a starting role mid-season.

Delivering on the Biggest Stage

Hicks saved his best for the Frozen Four, turning aside 78 shots across the championship weekend in Las Vegas to help Denver hold off the field and lift the trophy. It capped a run where the Pioneers extended their standing as the winningest program in college hockey history.

What It Means Going Forward

A freshman goaltender carrying a program to a national title is rare, and Hicks' emergence gives Denver a foundation to build around for years to come — while adding another chapter to one of the sport's most storied programs.