Men's Ice Hockey | September 29, 2016
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team opens the 2016-17 season with its annual "Border Battle" game against the University of Toronto on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Broncos are 3-0-1 all-time against the Varsity Blues. The two teams most recently met back in 2014, finishing in a 2-2 tie with a 1-0 WMU shootout win.
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HISTORIC LEADERSHIP
For the third time in his career senior forward Sheldon Dries will wear the "C" to captain the Bronco Hockey team. Dries joins Dana Lattery (2002-04) as the only two players in program history to captain the team for three seasons.
WELCOME COACH KRYGIER
Head coach Andy Murray made one change to his staff over the off-season, replacing former associate head coach Ben Barr with Todd Krygier. Krygier was named assistant coach after spending three seasons as the head coach for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League. Kygier is no stranger to a few of the Broncos, with Matheson Iacopelli, Griffen Molino and Corey Schueneman all playing for him during their USHL careers.
The Northville, Mass., native, is one of the best players to come out of the University of Connecticut, playing for the Huskies from 1984-88 and finishing his career with 200 points on 99 goals and 101 assists. He was drafted in the 1998 NHL Supplemental Draft by the Hartford Whalers. Krygier played 10 season in the NHL, most notably with the Washington Capitals. In 1998 he helped the Capitals to a Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings.
THE SECOND-HIGHEST
Over the summer freshman Wade Allison was selected 52nd overall in the second round the 2016 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. It's the second-highest draft position by any player that went on to wear the Brown & Gold. Mike Posma still holds the honor of the highest draft selection, being taken 31st overall in the second round by the St. Louis Blues in 1986.
THE END OF THE NEW ERA
This year's senior class of Sheldon Dries, Chris Dienes, Taylor Fleming, Kyle Novak, Mike McKee, Aaron Hadley and Michael Rebry becomes the first class in program history to play four seasons in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and not a season in the Central Collegiate Hockey Conference.
RETURNING FIREPOWER
The Broncos return most of their firepower from last season, including four of their top-five scorers in Griffen Molino (11-14-25), Sheldon Dries (11-7-18), Frederik Tiffels (7-10-17) and Colt Conrad (8-8-16). WMU only loses 10 of the 80 goals it scored last season with its departed senior class.
TRUE FRESHMEN
Last season Colt Conrad came in for his freshman season as an 18-year old. Prior to that Chase Balisy was the last 18-year old freshman to suit up for the Broncos back in 2010. This season two 18-year olds will wear the Brown & Gold in Wade Allison and Hugh McGing.
THE ROAD TRIPS LESS TRAVELED
This season the Broncos only have two true non-conference road games, and both are within driving distance. The first is a trip to old rival Ferris State to open the regular season on Oct. 6. The second trip is to Bowling Green on Oct. 14. WMU's only other non-conference games away from home are the two games in the Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit at Joe Louis Arena against Michigan State on Dec. 29 and against Michigan or Michigan Tech on Dec. 30.
WMU has 18 home games this season, with six of those coming in non-conference play.
