Box score
BURLINGTON, Vt. - For the first time in program history, Western Michigan's hockey team needed a shootout to decide the outcome of its game and the Broncos responded with two goals to beat Holy Cross 2-0 in the consolation game of the TD Banknorth Catamount Cup at Vermont's Gutterson Fieldhouse this afternoon. Freshman netminder Jerry Kuhn played a stellar game in net to help lead the Broncos to the victory, making 30 saves in the game, then denying all four Crusaders he faced in the shootout.
Freshman Max Campbell and junior Patrick Galivan were successful in their attempts for the Broncos. Campbell was the first shooter and put pressure on the Crusaders to match WMU when he converted his attempt. Sophomore Cam Watson's attempt was stopped by Holy Cross goaltender Ian Dams before Galivan, the Broncos' third shooter, scored when he aimed a shot into the top left corner of the net. Kuhn stymied all four shooters he faced, staying in front of each of them and stopping the puck with his stick blade on the ice in front of his pads.
Since shootouts are used only for tournament bragging rights in the NCAA, the game will go down as a 1-1 (OT) tie in the record books.
“I thought we played a very solid, complete game. Our penalty kill was outstanding all weekend long; we didn't give up a power-play goal last night or tonight against Holy Cross, the top power-play in the country. I'm pleased about the way we played defensively and killed penalties. We generated some offense and both goaltenders that we played last night and tonight for both teams played really well,” head coach Jim Culhane said.
The Broncos opened the game with high energy and intensity, controlling the puck for the majority of the first period. WMU outshot Holy Cross 11-4 in the opening frame and had quailty chances by senior Nathan Ansell from the point and junior Jeff LoVecchio from down low late in the period, but Crusader netminder Ian Dams kept the puck out of the net and the first ended 0-0.
Period two was a reversal of the first, as Holy Cross controlled play when the Broncos found themselves in penalty trouble. Kuhn was the difference in the middle stanza as he denied the Crusader offense time and time again, stopping all 16 shots he faced and keeping the game scoreless after two. WMU's best scoring chance in the period was a short-handed breakaway by LoVecchio, but he was hauled down from behind as he unleashed a wrist shot.
Senior Mike Lesperance finally broke the scoreless deadlock at 9:37 of the third with his fourth goal of the season. Junior Steve Silver started the play, stopping the puck in the neutral zone after a Crusader defender had cleared it off the boards and centering it to Lesperance, who carried the puck into the zone, deked a Holy Cross defender, pulled the puck to his forehand and beat Dams high glove side to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
Everett Sheen tied the score 1-1 with his 10th goal of the season, a short-handed marker at 17:59. Brian Gabriel started the play, intercepting a pass in the defensive zone and clearing it along the boards. The puck rolled through the neutral zone and the Broncos couldn't touch it, as they were in the middle of a line change and would have been whistled for too many men on the ice. Dale Reinhardt picked the puck up near the blueline and sent a centering pass to Sheen for a two-on-one rush, and Sheen was able to beat Kuhn low to tie the game.
Despite setting up the power-play and generating two scoring opportunities with the remaining time on the penalty, the Broncos were unable to convert with the man advantage and the game went to overtime. Each team took three shots in the extra session, but as was the case in regulation, both goalies were up to the task and turned aside each shot they faced necessitating the shootout.
Kuhn's 30 saves were a career high, while Dams stopped 28 shots at the other end of the ice. Both teams were scoreless on the power play, with Western Michigan unsuccessful in five chances while denying the top power play in the nation in Holy Cross seven times.
Western Michigan returns to league play next weekend, hosting Nebraska-Omaha in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action Saturday and Sunday at Lawson Arena. Saturday's game is slated for a 7:35 p.m. start while Sunday's game will be televised on ESPNU at 4:05 p.m.
