Box Score
Season Stats
KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan hockey team defeated Lake Superior State in a shootout, 1-0, on a game-winning shot by J.J. Crew in front of 2,059 fans at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday Night.
The Broncos (4-2-1, 0-2-1-1) got it started early, tallying their first three goals in under four minutes. The first goal was netted at the 6:31 mark off a blocked shot by a Laker defenseman. Mike Levendusky wound up and let one loose from the far point, it ricocheted off Lake State's Zac Macvoy towards the left circle. Freshman left-winger Trevor Elias tipped the puck to senior centerman Jared Katz, who was in the right place at the right time and put the puck in the net for his fourth goal of the season. Levendusky picked up his first assist on the season and Elias notched his fourth helper, extending his scoring streak to seven points in seven career games played.
WMU's second goal came just 44 seconds later, as Max Campbell beat LSSU goalie Brian Mahoney-Wilson on his stick side for his third goal of the season. Greg Squires notched his team-leading seventh assist and Kyle O'Kane tallied his second helper of the season, giving the Broncos an early 2-0 lead.
Minutes later goalie Jerry Kuhn played a puck off the boards to Levendusky, who chipped it ahead to Ian Slater in the neutral zone. Slater took it all the way down to the LSSU net and back-handed the puck past Lake Superior net-minder Brian Mahoney-Wilson and putting the Broncos up 3-0.
Mahoney-Wilson was pulled for the final 9:31 of the first period but returned for the start of the second period, making 16 of his 35 saves. Lake Superior took the goose egg of the scoreboard, netting a goal at the 6:10 mark. Chad Nehring netted his sixth of the season off a pass from sophomore centerman Fred Cassiani to cut the lead to, 3-1.
After being outshot 20-9 in the first period, the Broncos unleashed 16 in the second period to help lose the shot gap.
Lake Superior put the pressure on the Broncos in the third period. MacVoy picked up a loose puck in the LSSU zone and skated full-steam ahead to the right circle. The senior fired the puck and his shot went off the right post and in to the back of the net to cut the lead to one goal.
It was back-and-forth hockey until the final seconds, when LSSU pulled Mahoney-Wilson to get an extra attacker. With seven seconds remaining, Nehring fired a puck towards the net from the right circle. The puck deflected off of Cassiani's skate and in to the net to score his third of the season and force overtime.
The Broncos had a good chance in the overtime period on a flurry of shots by Chris Clackson, but were unable to put the puck in the net as the game went to a shootout.
Neither of the two teams first two shooters could get the puck in the net during the early rounds of the shootout. MacVoy was the final Laker to go but was stoned by Kuhn after trying to beat him on his stick side.
Crew was the final shooter for WMU, skating in on Mahoney-Wilson and beating him between the legs to secure two points for the Broncos.
Western Michigan and Lake Superior State square off on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. for the final game of the season series. The Broncos will honor those currently and formerly serving in the armed forces for Military Appreciation night.
