KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team scored two goals in the third period but the comeback fell short as No. 15/14 St. Cloud State defeated the Broncos, 4-3, at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.
Along with holding SCSU scoreless in the third, WMU (3-6-0-, 1-4-0-0, NCHC) made an offensive push to net two of their three goals before falling shy of tying the game. The Broncos' lone first period goal was scored by freshman Frederik Tiffels, the first of his career.
Six Western Michigan players extended point-streaks on the night. Nolan LaPorte, Colton Hargrove, Kenney Morrison and Will Kessel pushed their point-streaks to four games. Chris Dienes and Sheldon Dries notched their third consecutive game with a point.
Kyle Novak began the late offensive effort with a power play goal at 3:51 in the third from LaPorte and Morrison. Morrison got the puck to Novak at the top of the slot. Novak and LaPorte teamed up for a give-and-go in the slot for the Broncos second goal on the night. The assist gave Morrison his second point on the night.
Dries scored the final Bronco goal at 17:29 in the third period with assists from Hargrove and Dienes. Hargrove found Dries in the slot who scored from the right side of the crease to make the final score, 4-3. The goal extended Dries scoring streak to three games.
WMU forward Tiffels got the scoring started at 12:07 in the first period from Kessel and Morrison. Kessel got the puck in the defensive zone and flew down the ice. Kessel held the puck to draw out SCSU goaltender Charlie Lindgren and found Tiffels on the left edge of the crease who chipped it in a wide open net.
The Huskies answered with a late first period goal by Andrew Prochno. Five seconds after WMU killed off their penalty Mika Ilvonen got the puck to Prochno at the center of the blue line who fired and scored to tie it 1-1 going into the second.
Two of St. Cloud State's second period goals came during 5-on-4 play from Joey Benik and Patrick Russell.
Nathan Widman put in the game-winning goal at 18:58 in the second period from Russell and Kossila. Russell skated down with the puck and passed it to Widman on the right side of the crease to make the final score, 4-3.
Western Michigan outshot St. Cloud State in every period with the final shots on goal at 34-18.
The Broncos face off against the Huskies tomorrow night at 7:05 for the final game of the home series at Lawson Ice Arena.
