KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Shane Berschbach had his third three-point game of the season as the Western Michigan hockey team completed the sweep of Michigan State with a 4-1 win at Lawson Ice Arena in front of a standing room only crowd of 4,027 on Saturday night.
Sophomore defenseman Kenney Morrison picked up his first goal of the season by netting the first goal of the night for the Broncos. Justin Kovacs tallied the second goal and his second on the weekend. Chris Dienes scored his first career goal putting the Broncos up 3-0. Berschbach picked up his third point by scoring the Broncos' fourth and final goal of the night.
Frank Slubowski made a game-high 28 saves, including 10 during five Michigan State power plays, to earn his fourth win of the season. The Bronco penalty kill went a perfect five-for-five on the night and eight-for-eight on the weekend.
The Bronco power play ended their three-game scoring drought with the first goal of the game scored by Morrison from Dennis Brown and Nolan LaPorte at 4:09 in the first period. LaPorte got the rebound at the edge of the crease and moved it to Brown at the point. Brown dished it to Morrison at the top of the faceoff who fired a one-timer low stick side. Brown and LaPorte each picked up their third assist of the season.
Kovacs scored the game-winning goal at 9:57 in the first period with assists from Sam Mellor and Berschbach. Mellor moved the puck from the point to Berschbach at the bottom of the faceoff circle. Berschbach then found Kovacs in front of the net for the goal. Mellor earned his third assist of the season and Berschbach picked up his first point of the night on Kovacs' goal.
Freshman defenseman Dienes put the Broncos up 3-0 with assists from Josh Pitt and Berschbach at 12:19 in the second period. Pitt dished the puck from the corner to Berschbach at the hash marks. Berschbach threaded the puck to Dienes at the point. Dienes fired the shot from the top of the left circle over MSU goalie Jake Hildebrand's stick-side shoulder and into the net. Pitt picked up his fifth assist on the season and first on the night.
The Broncos final goal was scored by Berschbach from Kovacs and Pitt at 17:08 in the second period. Pitt passed the puck to Kovacs who chipped it to Bersch in the slot. Berschbach beat Hildebrand top shelf for his 17th point of the season.
The Broncos were not able to hold on to the shutout as Mackenzie MacEachern scored the only Spartan goal of the night beat Hildebrand top shelf.
WMU travels to South Bend next weekend to play in Notre Dame's Shillelagh Tournament on Nov. 29 and 30. The Broncos take on Northeastern on Friday at 4:35 p.m. and then will play on Saturday against either the Fighting Irish or Alabama-Huntsville.
