OXFORD, Ohio – The Western Michigan hockey team rebounded to snap a four-game losing streak, beating Miami, 3-2, on the road on Saturday Night.
WMU scored three straight goals after going down 2-0 in the second period to overcome MU's lead and then held the RedHawks scoreless in the third period to earn the win. Freshman Ethan Frank had two goals and Lawton Courtnall tallied the game winner. Sophomore Ben Blacker made 26 saves to earn his 12th win of the season.
The RedHawks took a 1-0 lead on a late power play goal with just 38 seconds left in the first period. Casey Gilling tallied from the right circle for his seventh goal of the season and Miami's third power play goal of the weekend.
MU pushed the lead to 2-0 on a goal by Carter Johnson just 1:46 into the second period. Johnson netted his first collegiate goal after deflecting a shot by Louie Belpedio past Blacker.
Western Michigan's comeback began just 1:55 later at 3:41 on Frank's first of the night. Cam Lee fired the puck down the left side of the ice and Austin Rueschhoff picked it up at the Miami blue line. The freshman forward found his classmate darting through the circles and Frank put the puck through Ryan Larkin's five-hole for his fourth goal of the season and second on the weekend.
WMU tied it up at 16:00 in the second period on Frank's second of the night. Corey Schueneman pushed the puck up to Dawson DiPietro and the sophomore forward took it into the Miami zone. DiPietro left a drop pass for Frank. Frank fired a laser past Larkin and into the top-right corner of the net to make it 2-2.
Just 1:24 later, Courtnall netted the game-winner. The junior forward intercepted a pass in the WMU zone and turned and sped down the ice. Courtnall skated into the Miami zone and ripped a shot past Larkin's glove and into the net for his fourth goal of the season, giving WMU a 3-2 lead.
The Broncos held on in the third period despite being outshot 8-0.
Miami finished 1-for-7 on the power play, while Western Michigan went 0-for-4. The RedHawks outshot the Broncos 28-16 on the night.
Western Michigan has a week off before hosting St. Cloud State Feb. 16 and 17.
