KALAMAZOO -- Ian Slater netted two goals to help the Western Michigan hockey team to take a 1-0 series lead in the CCHA Quarterfinals after a 4-2 win over Lake Superior State in front of 2,055 fans at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.
Slater added his fourth and fifth goals of the season but it was
Mike Leone who netted the game-winner in the second period for the Broncos. Leone has now scored eight goals in his career at WMU, with four of them coming in the CCHA Playoffs. Freshman netminder
Frank Slubowski made 20 saves on the night to earn his 14th win of the season. In total the Broncos outshot the Lakers 33-22 on the night and finished 1-for-2 on the power play.
The Lakers struck first just 3:13 in to the first period. Dan Radke won a faceoff back to Colin Campbell and Campbell fired one to the net. The puck deflected off of a Bronco and between Slubowski's legs and into the net to give LSSU a 1-0 lead.
WMU responded at 9:45 on the power play to tie it up 1-1. Walters fired a shot from the right circle past LSSU goalie Kevin Kapalka and in the net for his career-best 15th goal of the season.
Chase Balisy notched his career-best 20th assist, while
Matt Tennyson picked up his 11th on the season.
Just before the end of the first period, WMU took the lead 2-1 on Slater's fourth of the season.
J.J. Crew fired a shot on net and the rebound bounced to Slater in the slot. The senior captain punched it into the net for his first career post-season goal. Crew tallied his seventh career playoff point and
Luke Witkowski added his 10th assist of the season.
WMU extended the lead to 3-1 with time winding down in the second period at 16:18. An odd-man rush presented itself to the Broncos and
Kyle O'Kane flipped a pass to Leone, who was charging in the slot. The junior centerman redirected the puck into the net for his second goal of the season.
Zach Sternberg's first career goal cut the Bronco lead to one with 4:24 remaining in the third period. Sternberg had the puck and rolled to the right circle before blasting the puck over Slubowski's shoulder and in to the net. Buddy Robinson and Kyle Haines each tallied assists on the goal.
WMU was able to shut down the Lakers for the remainder of the period, holding them to just four total shots on goal during the final 20 minutes. Slater added his second of the night on an empty net goal with seven seconds remaining to put the game away.
The Broncos look to finish off the Lakers on Saturday night at 7 p.m. for game two of the CCHA Quarterfinals.
