Double OT win sends Kamloops’ Hicks and Milburn to NCAA Men’s Hockey National Championship

LAS VEGAS — Kamloops natives Johnny Hicks and Brady Milburn are off to the NCAA Men’s Hockey National Championship after a thrilling 4-3 double overtime victory over the Michigan Wolverines Thursday (April 9).

The duo and their University of Denver Pioneers teammates will face the Wisconsin Badgers in Saturday’s title game on Saturday.

Hicks made 49 stops in the victory as the Wolverines outshot the Pioneers 52-26. The 20-year-old netminder played for the Merritt Centennials of the BCHL, before joining the Brooks Bandits. He would finish his junior eligibility with the WHL’s Victoria Royals before joining the University of Denver.

In his first season with the Pioneers Hicks posted a 14-0-1 record, with a sterling 1.12 goals against average and .958 save percentage.

Milburn started with the Thompson Blazers and played AAA at both the U15 and U18 level before graduating into the BCHL where he joined the Chilliwack Chiefs. Also in his first NCAA season, Milburn, a centre, posted one goal and five assists in 40 games.