CCHA Story and CCHA/B1G Scores and More
DULUTH, Minn. – Western Michigan completed a sweep of Minnesota Duluth with a 4-1 win on Saturday night at AMSOIL Arena. The Broncos improved to 8-1-1 overall and 5-0-1 in NCHC play.
Captain Tim Washe netted two goals, while Owen Michaels and Liam Valente added tallies of their own. Grant Slukynsky had another two-assist game. In net, Hampton Slukynsky made 32 saves and picked up his third win of the season.
FIRST PERIOD
Western Michigan controlled much of the first period, outshooting Duluth 16-6. Brian Kramer got the first look on UMD goaltender Adam Gajan just over 30 seconds into the game. After Hampton Slukynsky saved a couple of UMD shots, Joona Vaisanen tested his luck on Gajan. He was up to the challenge, stopping to the shot to keep the game tied 0-0.
Just over seven minutes into the period, WMU had a flurry of shots on net, getting two from Valente and one from Robby Drazner and Grant Slukynsky. WMU kept up the offensive pressure as the game moved through the midway portion of the opening 20 minutes. Around the 11-minute mark, Ty Henricks was tripped up on his way to the net. That gave WMU the game’s first power play.
On the man advantage, the Broncos would get five shots, including two from both Matteo Costantini and Washe. However, nothing would come of the opportunity, and the Bulldogs would get back to full strength.
As the period ticked down, Western Michigan was called for a goalie interference penalty. Duluth started the second frame on the power play.
SECOND PERIOD
The Broncos allowed just one shot on the Bulldogs’ man advantage and got back to full strength with ease. The Brown and Gold were then awarded a power play of their own. Samuel Sjolund had a great look on net, but Gajan kept the game tied.
Not too long after that, WMU got another power play. The Broncos get a couple shots on net before picking up a penalty of their own. The two teams played 4-on-4 for about a minute and then UMD was up a man. WMU killed off the remaining time and got back to full strength.
After some back-and-forth play in the middle portion of the period, UMD got on the board. WMU challenged the play for goaltender interference, but the goal was upheld. However, a few minutes later, UMD was given a major penalty. The Broncos went to the power play for five minutes.
After peppering shots at Gajan for about three minutes, WMU finally broke through. Michaels took a nice pass from Washe and backhanded it into the net to tie the game at 1-1. Just over a minute later, Washe tipped home a pass from Kramer to put the Broncos in front 2-1 with under two minutes to play in the period.
WMU took that one-goal lead into the last 20 minutes of play.- More story after game results
THIRD PERIOD
WMU was given an interference penalty early in the third frame. The Bronco defense wouldn’t allow a shot and got back to full strength. After getting back to even strength, the Brown and Gold went back on the attack.
Thanks to a nice crossing pass from Ethan Wolthers, Washe was able to net his second goal of the night and third of the weekend to make it a 3-1 game just under six minutes into the third period. As the period neared the 10-minute mark, both teams were sent off with penalties.
A Zach Nehring tip missed just wide of the net and both teams eventually returned to even strength. Trying to extend the lead, Alex Bump fired a shot on Gajan that he was just able to save. However, the Broncos would break through soon after that, as Valente ripped a shot by Gajan off of the faceoff to make it a 4-1 game with under five minutes to play.
Western Michigan would go on to close out another three-goal victory.
UP NEXT
The Broncos will be back in Michigan for a home-and-home series with the University of Michigan on Nov. 29-30. The series opener will be on Friday at Lawson Arena.