Men's Ice Hockey | March 16, 2017

THIS WEEK
Western Michigan defeated Omaha in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Quarterfinals in three games, 1-2 (OT), 5-2, 2-1 (OT). Friday's game can be seen live on CBS Sports Network, as can the championship game on Saturday. All of WMU's games can be heard live on the Bronco Radio Network. 

LAST WEEK
WMU dropped the first game 2-1 in overtime. The Broncos went up 1-0 early in the first period on a goal by Paul Stoykewych. Jake Randolph tied it up at 1-1 in the second period. After neither team scored in the third period, Justin Parizek scored off the faceoff at 4:17 in overtime to hand UNO the win. 

Game two of the series was another tight one until the third period. After going down 1-0 just 48 seconds into the game. Colt Conrad and Hugh McGing scored midway through the first period to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead heading into the second. Austin Ortega scored just 13 seconds into the second period to even things up at 2-2 heading into the third. Wade Allison scored 52 seconds in and then McGing and Michael Rebry added goals to put it away and give Western Michigan the 5-2 win. 

On Sunday's series finale, Rebry netted a goal just 34 seconds into overtime to send WMU on the NCHC Semifinals at the Frozen Faceoff in Minneapolis. Rebry cut in from the left circle, skating into the slot and firing a back-hander between UNO goalie Evan Weninger's legs and into the net. Omaha took the initial lead on a power play goal by Tyler Vesel at 6:31 in the first period. Griffen Molino tied it up with just 29 seconds left in the first on a short-handed goal to tie it up at 1-1.

AT A GLANCE: MINNESOTA-DULUTH //  23-6-7
• ON THE LAST EPISODE: The Broncos and the Bulldogs met two weeks ago in Kalamazoo, splitting the series 1-1. WMU won the Friday game thanks to a hat trick by Sheldon Dries and a four-assist game from Griffen Molino.
UMD got the better of Western Michigan the following night, winning 6-3. 

• THE SERIES: This will be the fifth time the two teams have played this season. The season series was split 2-2-0 with each series ending at 1-1-0 in Kalamazoo and Duluth. UMD holds the all-time series at 12-7-1 but just 8-7-1 since the beginning of the NCHC in 2013. This will be the first ever matchup between the teams on neutral ice. 

• AGAINST THE BULLDOGS: Sheldon Dries leads all Broncos with 11 points in 16 career games against UMD. The senior captain has five goals and six assists, with five of the points coming this season. Griffen Molino averages just above a point per game with seven points in six games on one goal and six assists. Matheson Iacopelli also over a point per game after totaling six points in two goals and four assists in his four games against the Bulldogs in his career. 
 
• HOW THEY GOT HERE: Minnesota-Duluth wrapped up the regular season in second place in the NCHC and earned the second seed in the NCHC Tournament. 

UMD hosted Miami last weekend in the NCHC quarterfinals, sweeping the RedHawks after two tight contests. The Bulldogs needed overtime to beat MU in the series opener, 5-4. The following night, Minnesota-Duluth scored the final three goals in the third period to erase a Miami lead and win 5-3.

THE METRO DETROIT LINE
WMU's most productive line of Griffen Molino, Sheldon Dries and Matheson Iacopelli all hail from Metro Detroit. Molino is from Trenton, Dries is from Macomb and Iacopelli from Brownstown Township. The trio have combined for 92 points on 49 goals and 43 assists. The group has been responsible for 16 of the team's 38 power play goals this season and have scored a combined seven game-winning goals. 

POSTSEASON NOTES
• Western Michigan enters the weekend with 126 goals scored this season. It's the biggest offensive output under head coach Andy Murray and the most goals scored in a season since the 2000-01 team scored 149. 

• WMU's 22 wins are the most in a season since the 1995-96 team won 27. 

• The Broncos are 2-0-0 at neutral site games this season, beating Michigan Tech and Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit to win the Great Lakes Invitational.

• Sophomore Colt Conrad is the team's top scorer in the postseason with five points on four assists and one goal. 

• Heading into the playoffs, senior forward Michael Rebry had just two goals this season. He now has four after scoring in each of WMU's wins over Omaha.