Men's Ice Hockey | February 09, 2017

THIS WEEK
Western Michigan heads back out on the road for a National Collegiate Hockey Conference series at Omaha on Friday and Saturday at 8:07 p.m. ET. The games can be seen live on NCHC.tv and heard on the Bronco Radio Network. Audio for Saturday' will be on 590 AM WKZO in the Kalamazoo area and streamed online at wkzo.com.

LAST WEEK
Western Michigan wrapped up the non-conference season against Arizona State, beating the Sun Devils on Friday and tying them on Saturday. In Friday's game the Broncos scored two goals in the third period to finish off ASU, 4-2. Freshman Wade Alison had a career-high three assists, including setting up Corey Schueneman's game-winning goal.

On Saturday Allison netted the game-tying goal with 55 seconds left in regulation to force the tie.

AT A GLANCE: OMAHA MAVERICKS // 14-11-5, 7-9-2-0 (NCHC, 5th)

THE SERIES: Omaha leads the all-time series at 20-12-6, also holding an 11-5-2 edge in Omaha. WMU is 0-2-0 all-time at Baxter Arena.

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS: Omaha returns home to face the Broncos after a brutal two weeks on the road. The Mavericks were on a four-game unbeaten streak until their road trip started at No. 3 Denver. The Pioneers swept UNO 5-3 and 5-0. Omaha then went to No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth and tied the Bulldogs to open the series, but fell in the second game 5-0.

Omaha's offense ranks 13th in the nation at 3.20 goals per game and in conference play ranks second at 2.94 goals per game. Senior forward Austin Ortega leads the team and the NCHC in overall points with 37. Ortega is tops on the team in goals with 17 and assists with 20. Junior forward Tyler Vesel is second on the team with 29 points on 12 goals and 17 assists. The Mavericks generate a lot of offense through their defenseman, with junior blue-liner Luc Snuggerud third on the team in points with 25. His nine goals are tied for fourth-most on the team and tops amongst defenseman. Ian Brady also has 20 points, second-most on the d-core, on three goals and 17 assists. In total, UNO has six players with at least 20 points.

Defensively the Mavericks rank 46th in goals allowed per game at 3.23. In conference play they rank last defensively and give up 3.67 goals per game. Sophomore Evan Weninger has seen most of the action between the pipes, appearing and starting in 21 games. Weninger has a record of 9-7-4 with a 2.95 goals against average, a .910 save percentage and has two shutouts on the season. Kris Oldham has made nine starts so far on the season. The Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick has a 5-3-1 record, a 3.38 goals against average and a .895 save percentage.

UNO's power play ranks amongst the best in the nation, sitting fifth at 24.5 percent (36-for-147). In conference play they are at the top of the NCHC at 26.8 percent (22-for-82). Vesel leads the team in power play tallies with seven. Snuggerud and David Pope each have five, while Ortega and Justin Parizek each have four on the season. The penalty kill ranks 52nd in the nation at 76.8 percent (109-for-142).

THERE CAN BE ONLY  ONE
With the win and tie against Arizona State, Western Michigan finished the regular season with a non-conference record of 7-0-3. The Broncos finished the season as the lone Division I program undefeated in non-conference play.

YOUNG GUNS
Western Michigan's line of Colt Conrad, Hugh McGing and Wade Allison have combined for 23 goals, 27 assists and 50 points. Conrad and Allison are both 19, while McGing is only 18-years old. In the past three games alone the trio has combined for 14 points on five goals and nine assists. Conrad is the lone sophomore of the group and has already tied his previous season-best point total. The St. Alphones, Manitoba, native has 16 points on a career-high nine goals and seven assists.

NORTH OF FORTY
In Saturday's 2-2 tie the Broncos recorded a season-high 52 shots on goal against Arizona State. It was the sixth time this season that WMU had recorded at least 40 shots. Last season Western Michigan failed to reach 40 in any game with a season-high of 38.

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan hosts North Dakota next Friday and Saturday. Saturday is WMU's annual Ice Duchenne game to raise money and awareness for Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. Both games are set for 7 p.m. starts, with Friday's game being broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.