Box Score
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Western Michigan and No. 2 Notre Dame skated to a 3-3 tie in front of 2,571 fans at the Joyce Center on Saturday night. The Fighting Irish won the ensuing shootout 2-1 but the Broncos skate away with a point in the standings.
Down two goals early in the first period, the Broncos battled back to score three straight goals to take the lead until Notre Dame tied it up and forced overtime. Max Campbell scored the only goal in the shootout for the Broncos with Erik Condra and Ryan Thang netting goals to win the shootout. Jerry Kuhn made 35 saves in the tie after making 45 the previous night.
Notre Dame struck first 7:52 into the first period on a goal by Christian Hanson. Hanson and Christiaan Minella had a two-on-one and Minella made the late pass to Hanson to put it past Kuhn to put the Irish up 1-0.
The Fighting Irish extended the lead, 2-0, on a power play goal by Billy Maday. Maday got a pass from Kevin Deeth left of the crease and fired a shot that was initially saved by Kuhn. However, instead of going low like on the previous shot Maday went high on Kuhn for his ninth of the season.
Just 1:21 later the Broncos got on the board. Campbell fed Patrick Galivan at center ice and Galivan skated down the near side of the ice and then in on ND goaltender Tom O'Brien, beating him above his shoulder on his stick side for his fourth of the season. Campbell picked up his second assist on the season and freshman Derek Roehl picked up his third assist on the season and second of the series.
The Broncos tied the game, 2-2, netting the first power play goal in 24 power plays. Cam Watson won a faceoff in the Notre Dame zone and passed it to Greg Squires. Squires kicked the puck back to Tyler Ludwig who fired a wrist shot from the near point and it hit the far post and ricocheted into the net for his second goal on the season. Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson pulled O'Brien after WMU's second goal of the night.
Western Michigan took the lead for the first time of the game at the 11:06 mark of the second period on a goal by Campbell. Galivan passed it to Squires behind the Notre Dame net who found Campbell in front and beat Jordan Pearce on his glove side.
The Broncos had several chances to open up the third period. Chris Clackson and a pair of chances in front of the net and Kevin Connauton fired a quick wrist shot from the near point but Pearce was able to make saves on each of the shots.
With 13:51 remaining a hooking call was called on WMU's Connatuon, putting the dangerous Notre Dame power play lines out on the ice. The Fighting Irish quickly tied the game, 3-3, on their second power play goal of the game and sixth in the series. Thang went top shelf and put the puck above Kuhn's shoulder on his glove side for his fifth of the season. Condra and Ben Ryan each picked up assists on the goal.
The Broncos later killed a crucial penalty to keep the game tied, holding the Irish to just two shots on goal during the man advantage.
The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Broncos as No. 6 Miami rolls into town for a pair of games. Western Michigan hosts the RedHawks on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. and at 4:05 p.m. on Sunday. Sunday's game will be broadcast on ESPNU and fans who have already purchased tickets should use tickets for the originally scheduled Friday game for entry.
