KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University's hockey team battled Ohio State to a 2-2 tie, but fell in a shootout to the Buckeyes in front of a season-high 4,056 fans at Lawson Arena Saturday night.
Dennis Brown opened the shootout with a goal for the Broncos, but two stops by Buckeye goaltender Cal Heeter and goals by Sergio Somma and John Albert earned the Buckeyes the extra point. WMU (12-6-6, 6-5-5-3 CCHA) earned a point in the standings for the overtime tie, and four of a possible six points on the weekend to jump from eighth place to sixth in the CCHA.
WMU got regulation goals from
Max Campbell and
Chase Balisy, who scored three goals in the series.
Jerry Kuhn (5-1-2) turned in another solid effort in net for the Broncos, making 31 saves.
Heeter made 32 saves for Ohio State, who improved to 12-9-2 overall and 7-7-2-2 in the CCHA. Cory Schneider and Jeff McNeil scored regulation goals for the Buckeyes.
For the second night in a row, WMU got on the board first at the 16:16 mark of the first period.
Trevor Elias gained the zone on the left wing and wristed a shot that was sticked aside by Teeter.
Greg Squires chased down the rebound behind the net and found Campbell between the circles for a wrister that snuck just inside the post to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead. The goal was Campbell's team-leading 12th of the season, with Squires and Elias picking up the assists.
The Buckeyes were able to answer late in the period. With time winding down, Kuhn attempted to clear a puck up the right boards, but Cory Schneider intercepted the attempt and fired into an open net to knot the score at 1-1. The goal came with just two seconds left in the first period and was Schneider's second of the season.
Hard work along the boards allowed WMU to take the lead in the second period.
Dane Walters and
Shane Berschbach began the effort behind the net, eventually working the puck along the right-wing boards to Balisy. After out-muscling a Buckeye defender for the puck, Balisy shook free, skated in on the right circle and fired a shot top-shelf for his eighth goal of the season. The goal came at the 1:20 mark of the second period, with Berschbach and Walters earning assists to give the Broncos a 2-1 advantage.
Ohio State turned up the pressure in the third period, outshooting WMU 17-8 in the final stanza. Kuhn made several key saves to preserve the Bronco lead, but the Buckeyes eventually broke through, with McNeil knocking in a rebound at the 9:35 mark to tie the game at two. Schneider and Kyle Reed picked up assists on the goal, which was McNeil's first of the season.
Neither team was able to break through the rest of regulation or in overtime, with Heeter and Kuhn turning aside every opportunity the rest of the way. WMU outshot the Buckeyes 5-2 in overtime and 34-33 overall.
WMU will go on the road to Sault Ste. Marie Jan. 21-22 to face Lake Superior State. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. for both games, with coverage being provided by the Bronco Radio Network.
