Men's Ice Hockey | October 05, 2016

THIS WEEK
The wait is finally over as the Western Michigan hockey team opens the 2016-17 regular season against bitter rivals Ferris State on Thursday and Friday. The Broncos head up to Big Rapids on Thursday for a 7 p.m. start and then welcome the Bulldogs to Lawson Ice Arena on Friday at 7 p.m.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Both games can be heard live on the Bronco Radio Network. Thursday's game can be streamed live on WCHA.tv and Friday's on NCHC.tv. Subscriptions are required for both. All WMU home hockey games not broadcast on national television are available on NCHC.tv.

LAST WEEK
WMU hosted the University of Toronto for its annual "Border Battle" game, falling 4-3 in the exhibition. Western Michigan outshot Toronto 50-17 but Varsity Blues goalie Andrew Hunt made 47 saves in the game, including 19 in the third period. Matheson Iacopelli, Lawton Courtnall and Wade Allison each tallied goals for the Broncos. UT's Aidan Wallace managed a hat trick, including the final two goals in the second and third periods to erase WMU's 3-2 lead.

AT A GLANCE: FERRIS STATE // 0-2-0
THE SERIES: Western Michigan holds a 76-51-13 lead in the all-time series, which resumed last season after a two-year hiatus. WMU is 9-0-3 in the past 12 games of the series, with the last loss to the Bulldogs coming in the first game of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Quarterfinals on March 11, 2011. The Broncos responded and won the next two games to make it to Joe Louis Arena for the CCHA Semifinals for the first time since 1996.  

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS: Ferris State opened the 2016-17 regular season last weekend, hosting Alabama-Huntsville. FSU battled the Chargers in both games, but fell by one goal in each. On Saturday Ferris State fell 2-1 after UAH's goalie Matt Larose made 37 saves. More goals were scored on Sunday but the Bulldogs still lost again by one, 4-3.

Ferris State returns four of its top five scorers in senior forward Gerald Mayhew (16-25-41), senior forward Chad McDonald (10-15-25), sophomore forward Corey Mackin (10-15-25) and junior forward Andrew Dorantes (9-12-20). Head Coach Bob Daniels typically has an upper-classmen laded roster, but the first two games saw 14 sophomores or freshmen take the ice. Freshman forward Craig Pefley had the biggest impact with three assists.

Sophomore Darren Smith started both games between the pipes, making 47 total saves for an .887 save percentage and a 3.06 goals against average. Smith was a big part of FSU's success last season with a 17-10-5 record and three shutouts. After taking over the starting job he helped the Bulldogs win the Western College Hockey Association Tournament and then upset No. 1 seeded St. Cloud State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

INTO THE FIRE
Six members of WMU's incoming class got in on the action against Toronto on Saturday. Freshmen Wade Allison, Ben Blacker, Lawton Courtnall, Hugh McGing, Cam Lee and sophomore Richard Zehnal played significant minutes in the 4-3 loss. Allison, Courtnall and Zehnal each got on the scoreboard with Allison and Courtnall tallying goals and Zehnal notching an assist. Blacker started the game and played two full periods, making nine saves.

CZECHING IT OFF THE LIST
The moment sophomore forward Richard Zehnal steps out onto the ice during a regular season, he becomes the first native of the Czech Republic to suit up in the Brown & Gold. While Zehnal has played most of his hockey in the United States, including three seasons in the United States Hockey League, he was born in Pardubice, Czech Republic on Aug. 22, 1994.

It will also mark the third straight season the Broncos have found new representation from Europe. Junior Frederik Tiffels is the first German national to play for the Broncos and last season Oliwer Kaski became the first Finland native to suit up.

THERE'S A DRAFT IN HERE
The Broncos enter this season with six NHL Draft picks on their roster: Mike McKee (Detroit, 2012), Colin Olson (Carolina, 2012), Aidan Muir (Edmonton, 2013), Matheson Iacopelli (Chicago, 2014), Frederik Tiffels (Pittsburgh, 2015) and Wade Allison (Philadelphia, 2016). The six draft picks are the most since the 1991-92 team that also featured six. The 1988-89 and 85-86 teams both hold the program mark for most draft picks on an active roster with eight.

ON THE HORIZON
Next week WMU has another home-and-home series with old rivals from the CCHA days. The Broncos head to Bowling Green on Friday before hosting the Falcons on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by heading to www.wmubroncos.com or by calling 1-888-4-WMUTIX.