KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Nolan LaPorte netted the game-winning short-handed goal with 8.3 seconds remaining in the third period as Western Michigan upset No. 13 Miami, 5-4, in front of 3.446 fans at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.

The Broncos (10-8-3, 4-5-0-0 NCHC) were killing off a five-minute major penalty during the final four minutes of the third period. Kenney Morrison flipped the puck into the neutral zone and Chase Balisy took down the ice. The senior captain was able to protect the puck and get towards the net and fire a shot on goal. Miami goalie Ryan McKay made the initial save but the puck sat next to the post and LaPorte came flying in and banged it into the net for the game-winner.

In a back-and-forth game Western Michigan netted three goals in the final period, including two short-handed goals. In total WMU picked up goals from Colton Hargrove, Josh Pitt, Mike Cichy, Chase Balisy and LaPorte. Balisy had three points on the night with a pair of assists to go along with his goal. Junior defenseman Jordan Oesterle had two assists on the night as well.

Frank Slubowski was inserted into the game in the second period and went on to make 13 saves to earn his sixth win of the season. The Broncos ended the game with a season-high 45 shots on goal and outshot the RedHawks, who finished with 26. Miami went 1-for-4 on the power play while WMU finished the night 1-for-5.

Hargrove drew first blood for WMU at 6:55 in the first period after he whacked in a rebound on by Taylor Fleming. Fleming fired the initial shot from the top of the right circle and the sophomore forward was positioned near the net and chopped at the rebound with his stick and it rolled past McKay for his sixth goal of the season. Balisy picked up his 12th assist of the season on the goal and Fleming recorded his first collegiate point.

Just 41 seconds later Miami responded on a goal by Matt Joyaux. Justin Greenberg won a faceoff in the WMU zone and Bryon Paulazzo flipped it back Joyaux and the freshman defenseman fired a shot that was deflected by a Bronco and past Lukas Hafner to tie the game 1-1.

Miami took its first lead of the game just 2:42 into the second period. Riley Barber found himself alone in the slot on the power play and beat Hafner high stick-side for his 12th goal of the season.

The Broncos responded at 9:38   the second on Mike Cichy's first goal of the season. Cichy weaved his way through traffic and into the slot and beat McKay stick-side after picked up the puck from Will Kessel at center ice. The assist was Kessel's third of the season and Oesterle tallied his 10th helper on the goal.

Miami retook the lead, 3-2, just under three minutes later at 12:35 on Sean Kuraly's first of two goals on the night. Anthony Louis created a turnover at center ice and found Kuraly trailing and the sophomore forward fired it past Hafner from the slot for his fifth goal of the season.

Balisy opened up the third period with a short-handed goal at 3:06 to tie the game 3-3. LaPorte chipped Balisy the puck and the Nashville Predators draft pick darted down the ice on a breakaway, beating McKay low stick-side for his third goal of the season.

Just under three minutes later Pitt gave the Broncos their second lead of the game at 6:03. Pitt split two defenders on the power play and beat McKay between his legs for this eighth goal of the season with assists from Dennis Brown and Jordan Oesterle.

Kuraly squared the game 4-4 at 13:42 in the third period with his second of the night after beating Slubowski under his arm for his sixth of the season.

The two teams battle it out again on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.