CHICAGO — University of Denver goalie Tanner Jaillet on Friday followed coach Jim Montgomery and defenseman Will Butcher as national award winners. Jaillet, a junior, was named 2017 Mike Richter Award winner as NCAA Division I goaltender of the year at the Chicago Hilton. He was among five finalists.
Montgomery was named Spencer Penrose Award winner as national coach of the year last week, and Butcher won the Hobey Baker Award winner as player of the year earlier Friday.
In addition to those awards, Butcher and freshman forward Henrik Borgstrom were named first-team All-Americans on Friday, with Jaillet named to the second team.
Confidence. Borgstrom, 19, likes to celebrate goals and speak his mind. After Thursday’s convincing 6-1 win over Notre Dame, the Finn told reporters: “We’re the best team in the country. We are, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. I think we are. We didn’t play any different than we have, and it just shows everyone how good we are.”
Borgstrom, who is in his first year living in North America, loves DU and the college life. He is not in a hurry to turn pro, although the 2016 first-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers might be tempted during the offseason. According to DU coach Jim Montgomery, all signs point to Borgstrom returning for his sophomore year.
Individually. Montgomery, who led Maine to the 1993 national championship as a senior center and team captain, is vying to become the fourth person to win the title as a player and head coach. The three who have done it: Mike Eaves (Wisconsin 1977, Wisconsin 2006), George Gwozdecky (Wisconsin 1977, Denver 2004, 2005), and Al Renfrew (Michigan 1948, Michigan 1964).
Footnotes. DU and UMD were seeded Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the 16-team NCAA Tournament, and are the first top-two seeds to play in the championship game in 15 years of the 16-team draw. … Denver is attempting to become the fourth No. 1 seed to win the championship in the 16-team format (Wisconsin 2006, Boston University 2009, Boston College 2012). … Denver is just the second team to score five goals in each of its first three NCAA Tournament games. Boston College advanced to the 2006 title game with victories of 5-0, 5-0, and 6-5, but lost the title to Wisconsin, 2-1. … DU is playing in its 11th national championship game, and that includes 1973, a season it later vacated. On Thursday DU played in the 250th Frozen Four contest, including third-place games from 1949-1989.