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KALAMAZOO -- Seven different Broncos scored and seven finished the night with at least two points as the Western Michigan hockey team routed Notre Dame, 7-2, in front of 2,570 fans at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.
The scoring parade for the Broncos started at 4:23 in the first period. Max Campbell dished the puck to Kyle O'Kane as he crossed the blue line into the Notre Dame zone. O'Kane wound up and fired from just beyond the right circle and beat starting goalie Mike Johnson for his second goal of the season. Campbell tallied his 10th assist on the goal and Mike Levendusky picked up his third helper on the season as WMU took an early 1-0 lead.
Not three minutes later, the Brown & Gold added goal number two on the night. Jared Katz won a faceoff in the ND zone, playing it back to Levendusky. Levendusky cycled it to Jordan Collins and the senior defenseman fired from the left point and past Johnson for his fourth goal on the season. Katz tallied his first of three points on the night and Levendusky picked up his fourth assist of the season for his first career two-point game.
With WMU riding high with a 2-0, the Broncos added their third goal of the period at the 12:50 mark. Greg Squires fired a shot on net that was initially saved by Johnson, but a big rebound could not be contained and Katz banged it home for his seventh goal of the season to give WMU a commanding 3-0 lead. Squires notched his team-leading 17th assist on the goal and Derek Roehl also pitched in with his third assist on the year.
Notre Dame opened the second period with a quick goal, 27-seconds in. A delayed penalty was being called and it allowed Notre Dame's Brad Phillips, who replaced Johnson in net, to skate to the bench for the extra attacker. The sixth man got on the ice for the Irish and they capitalized with a goal by Joe Lavin. Kyle Lawson and Calle Ridderwall each tallied assists on the goal as the Irish cut the lead to 3-1.
The Broncos responded at 8:06 in the second period on a power play goal by Roehl. Tyler Ludwig fired a shot from the left point and Roehl redirected it in the slot past Phillips for his third goal of the season. Ludwig and Campbell each picked up assists on the power-play goal against the nation's top penalty-kill team.
It took only 1:01 for the next Bronco goal to come, with this one being scored by Squires. WMU picked up the puck and transitioned down the ice with Patrick Nagorsen leading the charge. Nagorsen found Squires just inside the Notre Dame zone and he sophomore took it in the slot and beat Phillips on his left side for his fourth of the season. Nagorsen picked up his first of two assists on the night and Ludwig also tallied his second helper as WMU extended its lead to 5-1.
Western Michigan pushed the lead to 6-1 after the Broncos killed off a five-on-three Notre Dame advantage and were in the midst of killing a five-minute major penalty. Katz poked the puck away from an Irish forward in the neutral zone and was all alone with a Notre Dame defender and Cam Watson streaking down his left side. Katz passed the puck through the slot to Watson and the senior winger went top-shelf on Phillips for his fourth goal of the season.
The Fighting Irish added a goal at 14:46 in the third period as Riley Sheahan poked one past Riley Gill from just in front of the net.
The final Bronco goal was scored with 36 seconds remaining on the power play. Travis Paeth dished the puck to Ross Henry and the freshman defenseman fired the puck past Phillips from the right circle for his fist collegiate goal. Paeth tallied his first assist of the season and Nagorsen picked up his second helper on the night to complete the rout.
Gill made 27 saves on the night to earn his sixth win of the season, with 12 of his saves coming on six Notre Dame penalties that the Broncos killed off. Gill was named Perani Cup No. 1 Star on the night while Katz picked up the second star and Squires the third.
The Broncos and Fighting Irish battle again on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m., with WMU sporting pink jerseys as part of their Hockey Cares fund raiser.
