Nearly two months have passed, but Zeev Buium has yet to come down from that intoxicating, Rocky Mountain High.
“It's the best feeling in the world,” Buium, a top prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft, said of winning the NCAA title with the underdog Denver Pioneers. “The group of guys that we had this year and the culture that's built here the last 30, 40 years? Outstanding. And to see all the alumni there and do it together, it was an awesome experience and I couldn't be more grateful.
“Not everyone believed in us. Denver kind of gets written off every year. It seems everyone always the BC/BU matchup, but the biggest thing is that we had that belief in our group. And when the culture kicks in, you can do something special. The way we prepared for games and accepted the challenge, certainly didn't write ourselves off. We didn't care what anyone else thought – we were there for each other, and no one else.”
Buium picked up an assist as the No. 3 seed Denver upset the 34-6-1 Boston College Eagles, who entered the championship game having outscored their opponents 29-8 in the bracket.
The Pioneers, though, have a rich history of excellence – and after suffocating the Eagles 2-0 in the title match, added their 10th national championship to the fully stocked trophy case at Magness Arena.
That’s more than any other program in college hockey history.
For Buium – a star blueliner ranked fourth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting – it’s been the perfect place to hone his craft and the set the table for what should be a prolific NHL career soon.