Box Score

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Western Michigan hockey team's comeback effort fell short, 4-3, against Ferris State in front of 1,970 fans at Ewigleben Ice Arena on Saturday night.

Ferris State took a 1-0 lead with their first of three power play goals at 8:28. With just two seconds remaining on the penalty to WMU's Chris Clackson, Todd Pococke took a rebound off a shot from Blair Riley in the slot and beat WMU goalie Riley Gill for his first goal of the night. Riley tallied his seventh assist on the season and Zach Redmond picked up his 12th.

The Bulldogs added power-play goal number two at 12:25 and it was Pococke again who lit the lamp for Ferris State. This time the junior forward was waiting in the slot and redirected a shot by defenseman Scott Wietecha and past Gill for his second of the night. Wietecha and Redmond each tallied assists as FSU extended its lead 2-0.

Redmond gave FSU a 3-0 lead in the first period at 17:49. The third power play goal was scored from deep in the slot near the blue-line for Redmond's third point of the game. Cody Chupp and Matthew Kirzinger each picked up assists.

The Broncos (6-9-3, 2-9-3-1 CCHA) got on the board for the first time of the series at 9:59 in the second period. Ben Miller found J.J. Crew in the left circle and Crew banged home his sixth of the season to cut the lead to 3-1. Miller tallied his second assist on the season and the power-play goal ended a 0-for-35 streak for the Broncos.

WMU cut the lead to one goal with 1:30 remaining in the second period. Dane Walters fired a shot from the right circle but FSU goalie Taylor Nelson made the initial save but Crew was in front of the net and poked it between Nelson's legs for his second of the night and seventh on the season. Walters picked up his second assist on the season and Max Campbell tallied his fifth helper as WMU went in to the locker room down, 3-2.

Ferris State extended its lead back to two, 4-2, on a goal at the 5:42 mark of the third period. Matt Case passed the puck to Derek Graham and he took the puck down the right side of the boards and skated in near the net. Graham looked to be going around the net but pushed it towards net from behind the goal line and off Gill's leg and in.

The Broncos cut the lead back to one, 4-3, with 4:15 remaining in the game on a goal by Cam Watson. Greg Squires found Jared Katz at the blue-line and Katz threaded the puck through two Bulldog defenders to Watson. Watson was all alone with Nelson and beat him on his stick side for his third of the season. Squires tallied his team-leading 12th assist on the season and Katz picked up his fourth.

The Broncos pulled Gill from net for the extra attacker with less than a minute remaining but were unable to complete the comeback.

Western Michigan has some time off over the holiday period and resumes action by hosting 2009 Frozen Four participant Bemidji State on Jan. 2 and 7:35 p.m. and Jan. 3 at 4:35 p.m.