Denver vs. Western Michigan for a spot in the NCAA championship game? Sign them up. Sign us all up.

The Frozen Four begins in St. Louis on April 10. Denver gets Western Michigan in the first semifinal, while the nightcap is between Penn State and Boston University.

Western Michigan’s (32-7-1) spectacular season includes the program’s first No. 1 ranking (on Monday), a program-record win total and the NCHC Coach of the Year in Pat Ferschweiler. It also includes a 2-1 edge vs. DU (31-11-1) — a season series that required two overtime games and a 3-2 thriller in favor of the Broncos. It couldn’t have been tighter, but they tried.

“There’s a lot of accolades you can give Denver,” Ferschweiler said. “But we’ve played them tight and played them well three times.”

It was clear from the tone of a conference call with the four coaches that Denver is still the program to beat. The Pioneers are the defending national champs gunning for title No. 11.

Even so, DU coach David Carle said Tuesday, “I think we’ve faced a lot of different bumps in the road. We’ve found a way to really turn on our urgency and peak at the right time.”

The Broncos won their first NCHC Frozen Faceoff title and lead college hockey in total wins.

“Western’s won every championship and trophy that’s been available to them,” Carle said.

Denver enters the semifinal as the top-scoring team in hockey at four goals per game. And No. 2? That’s Western Michigan at 3.95 per game.

All three matchups between Denver and Western Michigan were one-goal games.

“So there has to be a belief from our players in those results for sure,” Ferschweiler said.

The Broncos are in the Frozen Four for the first time. The Pioneers will make their 20th trip — this time against an NCHC opponent that knows them well.

“We have a lot of respect for them as a team. They’re an exceptional group,” Carle said of the Broncos. “Their record speaks for itself. ... They don’t beat themselves. We have to be be at our absolute best to beat them (next) Thursday afternoon.”