ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan's Carl Hagelin netted a goal in the final minute of the third period and then netted the game winner with three seconds remaining in overtime to beat Western Michigan 5-4 in overtime on Saturday night.
Western Michigan picked up two goals from
Dane Walters and one from
Ben Warda and
Danny DeKeyser in the loss. For the first time this season the Broncos failed to pick up a point during a weekend of conference play but remain in fourth place in the CCHA standings.
The Broncos jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with their fastest goal of the season just 47 seconds into the first period.
Dennis Brown fired a shot from just in front of the left circle and Walters redirected it past Shawn Hunwick for his sixth goal of the season and second in the series. Brown and
Mike Leone each picked up assists as WMU took a 1-0 lead.
Michigan tied the game on a power play goal at 10:32 in the first period on a goal by David Wohlberg. Wohlberg poked the puck into the net from the right side for his 12th of the season.
Walters picked up his second goal of the period at the 14:30 mark to give the Broncos the lead back.
Mike Leone created a turnover at the Bronco blue line and found Walters for a breakaway. The sophomore winger put it between Hunwick's legs for his sixth of the season. Leone picked up his sixth assist of the season and second of the series.
WMU pushed the lead to 3-1 minutes later on a short-handed goal by Warda.
Ryan Watson deflected a pass that Michigan's Brandon Burlon couldn't handle and it bounced right to Warda. The speedy sophomore picked up the puck and beat Hunwick low-blocker for his fifth of the season. Watson tallied his seventh assist on the goal at 16:19 in the first period.
Michigan quickly answered, cutting the lead to 3-2 on a goal by Chad Langlais. Langlais' shot from just in front of the blue-line bounced off of a WMU defenseman's leg and off the post and into the net at 17:36.
Michigan tied the game at 3-3 on an unassisted short-handed goal by Kevin Lynch at 2:01 in the second period.
The Broncos regained the lead 3:20 into the second period on DeKeyser's power play goal. DeKeyser threaded the needle for his fourth goal of the season with
Greg Squires and
Derek Roehl each tallying assists.
The lead did not hold as Hagelin netted his 14th goal of the season with 40 seconds left in the third period. With an empty net Hagelin brought the puck across the blue line and fired a shot that took a deflection past Kuhn to tie the game at 4-4.
Western Michigan hosts Notre Dame on Friday on 'Senior Night' for the Broncos at 7:35 p.m. and then travel to Notre Dame on Saturday to end the regular season.