ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- Will Kessel, Colton Hargrove and Justin Kovacs all netted goals in the third period to erase a 2-0 deficit and earn the Western Michigan hockey team a 3-2 win against St. Cloud State at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on Saturday night.
After Kessel tallied on the power play at 3:48 in the third period the team was tasked with killing 1:47 of a five-on-three power play. The Broncos successfully killed it off to change the course of the game.
Trailing 2-1 Sheldon Dries won a faceoff in the SCSU zone directly to Hargrove and the big junior forward banked his shot off the post and in for his 10th of the season to tie the game up at 2-2.
Just over a minute later at 9:56 Frederik Tiffels fired a shot on net that was initially saved by SCSU goalie Charlie Lindgren. The puck squirted loose and Kovacs dived on the ice to poke it between Lindgren's legs and into the net for his fourth of the season and the game-winner.
Lukas Hafner made 33 saves, including 14 in the second period. The Broncos also killed all off five Husky power plays on the night.
Western Michigan was outshot 35-24 on the night but did block 10 shots.
St. Cloud State took a 1-0 lead after Judd Peterson punched in a shot after the puck deflected off of Hargrove's skate and right to his tape at 18:16 in the first period.
The Huskies extended their lead to 2-0 at 1:18 in the second period on a goal by Patrick Russell. Russell fired the puck through a screen and into the net for his sixth goal of the season.
The Broncos host NCHC rivals Miami on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. for its annual Ice Duchenne night.
