Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. ? The Western Michigan hockey team (15-15-1, 12-12-1 CCHA) took down No. 5 Michigan State on Senior Night (18-10-3, 14-8-3 CCHA), 4-3, on Friday at Lawson Ice Arena.
Western Michigan led, 4-3, the entire third period and held off a flurry of shots on a 6-on-5 Michigan State advantage in the final minute of play after the Spartans pulled goalie Jeff Lerg.
The Broncos earned their fourth-straight win over the Spartans at home and Patrick Galivan and Paul Szczechura were named Perani Cup No. 1 and No. 3 stars of the game. Freshman goalie Riley Gill earned win No. 10 on the season and recorded 26 saves.
Western Michigan showed resilience in the opening period against the sixth-ranked team in the country, scoring a power-play goal at the 15:12 mark to even the game at one goal apiece. The tally came 33 seconds after a barrage of penalties on both teams at the 14:39 mark.
MSU led, 15-7, in shots-on-goal after the first 20 minutes of play but the score remained tied, 1-1.
The Broncos turned of the offensive in the second period. Galivan put WMU up, 2-1, with an even-strength goal just under four minutes in the second period. Senior Ryan Mahrle added another goal on a Bronco 5-on-3 advantage, and Jeff LoVecchio found the net with a shorthanded goal, which would eventually be the game-winner, to give the Brown & Gold a, 4-1, lead with 11:28 remaining in the second frame.
Michigan State battled back late in the second period to score two power play goals and cut the Broncos' lead down to one, 4-3, heading into the final 20 minutes.
Western Michigan takes on Michigan State Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7:35 p.m. in East Lansing to close out the two-game series with the Spartans. The game will be televised on FSN-Detroit.
