KALAMAZOO -- The 13th ranked Western Michigan University hockey team started the season hot, scoring four of their seven goals in the first period, and defeating the visiting Alabama-Huntsville 7-1 in front of 3,229 fans at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night. 

Shane Berschbach had the first two-goal game of his career and added an assist for a three-point night. The Broncos also got two goals from Matt Tennyson and three assists from Chase Balisy in the route. Nick Pisellini only only needed to make 11 saves as the Broncos held the Chargers without a shot on goal in the third period. Dan DeKeyser, Dane Walters and David Killip also contributed with goals.

Berschbach started the four-goal first-period flurry, by scoring the first of his goal just 33 seconds into the game during. Balisy found Berschbach near the goal and he punched it in on the power-play for his first of the season. Sophomore Dennis Brown also tallied an assist on the goal.

Dan DeKeyser really got the Broncos rolling when he scored six minutes later triggering two more goals within the next five minutes from Tennyson. DeKeyser's goal came on WMU's second power play of the night from the center slot. His low shot beat UAH goalie John Griggs lowe and left as the Broncos took a 2-0 lead. Tennyson lit the lamp for the first time just over a minute later on a wrap-around. He followed that with a bomb from just in front of the right circle four minutes later. Berschbach found him from the boards and the six-foot-two defenseman rifled one over Griggs' shoulder for his second of the night.

Walters netted his first of the season at the 9:52 mark of the second period. Balisy won the puck in a scrum in the Bronco zone and passed it to Walters and the junior assistant captain brought it up the ice. Walters fired it from just inside the right circle and Griggs got a piece of it but it squirted through and into the net.

Walters later connected with Berschbach just 42 seconds into the third period for WMU's sixth goal of the night. Killip later netted the first goal of his young collegiate career at the 12:23 mark. A shot by Brett Beebe was deflected and Killip rifled the rebound top shelf to score in his first career game. The assist for Beebe was also the first point in his career.

UAH's lone goal came with 37 seconds left in the second period. A shot by Ben Reinhardt deflected hard off the glass and right in front of the net for Mac Roy, who back-handed it in for the easy goal.

Western Michigan University and Alabama-Huntsville square off for game two of the young season tomorrow night at Lawson Ice Arena at 7:05 p.m. Fans who attend WMU's Homecoming football game versus Bowling Green in the afternoon can get into the hockey game for $5 with their football ticket stub.