Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Broncos scored three straight goals after going down 3-0 in the first period but were unable to complete the comeback as the Western Michigan hockey team fell to Nebraska-Omaha, 4-3, in front of 5,070 fans at the Qwest Center on Friday night.
The Mavericks took an early 1-0 lead with a goal at the 2:04 mark in the first period. Alex Hudson fired a shot on net and Dan Swanson put the puck in off a rebound from the slot for his first goal of the season.
Hudson gave UNO a 2-0 lead at the 6:44 mark, putting in his own rebound for his second of the season and second point of the game. Hudson skated in on net with a two-on-one advantage. A Bronco defenseman tried to jostle the puck away but Hudson got the initial shot off with his back-hand and put it in with his fore-hand.
Nebraska-Omaha pushed the lead to 3-0 on the power play with 7:27 remaining in the period. Brandon Richardson picked up his second goal of the season with assists from Eddie Del Grosso and Swanson.
The Broncos (5-6-2, 1-6-2-1 CCHA) tallied just 30 seconds later in transition. Max Campbell found Greg Squires in the neutral zone and Squires took it in to the UNO zone. Squires passed the puck off to Derek Roehl in the slot. Roehl made a fake wide and took it back in the center and put the puck between UNO goalie Jeremie Dupont's legs for his second goal of the season and second tally his last two games. Campbell picked up his fourth assist on the season and Squires notched his team-leading 10th helper.
Western Michigan crept closer with a goal right after a Bronco power play at the 15:38 mark of the second period. Dane Walters fired a shot on net but it was redirected through Dupont's legs by Chris Clackson for his fourth of the season. Walters picked up his first career assist and Cam Watson tallied his fourth on the season as the Broncos cut the lead to 3-2.
The Broncos tied the game with 4:36 remaining in the third period. Jared Katz fired a shot from the left circle but UNO goalie John Faulkner, who came on as a replacement for Dupont to start the third, made the initial save. The puck bounced to J.J. Crew to the right of the crease and Crew patiently switched the puck to his fore-hand and put it past Faulkner for his fifth of the season. The assist was the third of the season for Katz and Squires picked up his second helper of the game and 11th on the season.
Just 19 seconds later the Broncos surrendered the tie on Hundson's second goal of the night. Hudson put the puck in on a rebound off a shot by Matt Ambroze for the game-winning goal.
The Mavericks outshot the Broncos 37-26 and were able to kill off all five Bronco Power plays. Western Michigan and Nebraska-Omaha play for the final time of the regular season on Saturday night at 8:05 p.m.
