KALAMAZOO -- A big first period pushed the Western Michigan hockey team to a 2-1 win over Alaska in front of 3,057 at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.

WMU (14-10-5, 11-7-3-3 CCHA) picked up early goals from Shane Berschbach and Greg Squires in the win. Freshman goalie Frank Slubowski made 20 saves in the win to earn his 10th victory of the season. The Broncos outshot the Nanooks 26-21 on the night and finished 1-for-5 on the power play, while holding UAF scoreless on two.

Berschbach's eighth of the season gave WMU an early 1-0 lead at 3:56 in the first period. The Broncos were on a five-on-three power play and Dennis Brown fired a shot from just beyond the right circle. The shot deflected off  of Berschbach and into the net. Brown tallied his 15th assist of the season on the goal and Dane Walters also picked up his ninth helper.

WMU soon made it 2-0 at the 14:33 mark. Matt Tennyson wound up and fired from the right point with Scott Greenham making the initial save. The Alaska goalie saw the puck go off his right leg and straight to Squires in the left circle, who buried it into the open net for his fifth of the season. The goal extended Squires' goal scoring streak to three games, while Tennyson tallied his 10th assist of the season and Garrett Haar added his sixth.

The Nanooks took one back in the second period, capitalizing on a Bronco turnover at center ice. Andy Taranto picked up the puck and took it into the WMU zone and found Colton Beck in the slot and the sophomore forward pushed it into the top left corner for his 10th goal of the season.

But that would be all as the Broncos shut down Alaska in the third period with Slubowski making seven saves to help seal the win.

WMU and UAF face off for the final time of the regular season on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.