KALAMAZOO -- For the second straight night the Western Michigan hockey team surrendered three third-period goals to fall to No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth, 5-2, in front of 3,225 fans on Saturday night.
The Broncos went into the third period tied 2-2 on goals by
Derek Roehl and
Chase Balisy, but were unable to capitalize and take the lead. The Broncos finished 2-for-8 on the power play with 14 of their game-high 33 shots coming with the man-advantage, but a power play goal by Chris Casto early in the third period sparked the Bulldog run to lead them to a sweep over Western Michigan.
Once again the Broncos drew first blood, this time on a delayed-penalty power play goal by
Derek Roehl at 8:45 in the first period. Roehl took a pass from
Chase Balisy and fired a shot from the left circle and into the net shortly after the referee indicated a penalty was to be called on UMD's Jack Connolly. The goal was the fifth of the season for Roehl and Balisy tallied his team-leading 14th assist of the season, while
Shane Berschbach picked up his 12th of the season. The assist extended Balisy's point streak to three games.
Duluth fired back at 12:25 on J.T. Brown's second of the series. Brown fired a shot that was blocked by a Bronco defender but the puck bounced right back to his stick and he put it between Pisellini's legs to tie the game 1-1.
The teams traded goals in a span of 36 seconds early in the second period. The Broncos scored first with their second power play goal of the night.
Matt Tennyson rolled into the slot and faked a shot, passing it to Balisy who was to the left of the net and he redirected it into the net for his seventh of the season.
Travis Oleksuk tied the game 2-2 just 34 seconds after Balisy's goal when he got in behind the Bronco defense and beat Pisellini over his stick-side shoulder for his 15th goal of the season and second of the series.
Casto's game-winning power play goal was scored 2:34 into the third period on a shot from the right point. Scott Kishell pushed the lead to 4-2 on a goal at 5:19 in the period before Miek Seidel finished the Broncos off at 8:07 with his goal on a feed from Jack Connolly.
The Broncos return to CCHA play next weekend with a home-and-home series with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Friday game, at Notre Dame, can be seen on CBS Sports Network. The Broncos host Notre Dame on Saturday at 7 p.m.
