Owen Michaels tallied two goals, while Iiro Hakkarainen, Liam Valente, Wyatt Schingoethe, Alex Bump, Samuel Sjolund and Zach Nehring each had one. Cameron Rowe made 18 saves in net to earn his 12th win of the season.
FIRST PERIOD
Michaels and Nehring got looks on net in the opening minute to set the tone for the night. A little bit later, WMU’s offense broke through with a goal from Hakkarianen. Tim Washe made a nice pass to the freshman who buried the puck into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Not too long after that, Michaels made it a 2-0 game, scoring off of a rebound from a Matteo Costantini shot. The goal was Michaels’ 11th of the season. Not even two minutes later, Miami committed the first penalty of the game. The RedHawks were sent off for tripping.
About 20 seconds into the man advantage, Bump found Valente in the right circle for a one-timer. He ripped a shot into the back of the net to make it a 3-0 game. Valente now has a goal in each of his last five games. To close the period, WMU killed off a penalty to head into the first intermission with a 3-0 advantage.
SECOND PERIOD
Miami got on the board early in the second frame, but WMU was able to bounce right back with a goal of its own. Washe made a nice move behind the net and found Schingoethe streaking toward the net. He beat the goaltender for his first goal of the season.
Not even a minute later, Miami was given a penalty for tripping. The Broncos made the RedHawks pay once again, as Bump rifled a shot into the back of the net to make it a 5-1 game. Following that goal, MU was sent off again. This time for cross checking.
WMU would get three shots on the man advantage, but Miami would work its way back to full strength. In the back half of he second period, Western Michigan would be given a cross checking penalty. Rowe made two saves to help the Broncos get back to even strength.
The Broncos carried a four-goal lead into the final 20 minutes.
THIRD PERIOD
Miami struck quickly again in the third frame, getting a goal 15 seconds in. However, WMU was able to rebound, as Michaels netted his second goal of the game just a few minutes later. That pushed the score to 6-2 in favor of the home team.
About eight minutes in, Miami was given another penalty. Western Michigan was able to get three shots on net, but the RedHawks worked back to full strength. Right after the man advantage, Miami made it a 6-3 game.
The Broncos’ offense continued to produce late into the game, with Sjolund tallying his first goal of the season with under four minutes to play. A shot redirected to his stick and he finished in the top corner of the goal.
Not even a minute later, Nehring used a pass from Cole Crusberg-Roseen to make it five-goal WMU lead. The Brown and Gold would get a few more looks down the stretch, but the game would end in an 8-3 victory for Western Michigan.
UP NEXT
WMU will look to sweep the RedHawks in tomorrow night’s series finale. Puck drop is set for 6 PM at Lawson Arena.
