DULUTH, Minn. – Colt Conrad netted his second goal of the game with just 30.7 seconds remaining as the Western Michigan hockey team downed No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth, 4-3, on the road at AMSOIL Arena on Friday night.
Conrad had the puck in the slot and set up a shot for linemate Frederick Tiffels. Tiffels ripped the shot but it was blocked and the puck deflected right to Conrad. The sophomore forward collected the puck and fired it into the net for the winner.
Prior to that, all of the scoring came in the first period. In addition to Conrad, WMU (6-2-1, 3-2-0 NCHC) picked up goals from Aidan Muir and Matheson Iacopelli. Trevor Gorsuch made 21 saves, including four on the penalty kill that went a perfect 4-for-4 on the night.
The Broncos took an early lead on Muir's power play goal at 7:57 in the first period. After UMD cleared the zone the Broncos came back in transition and Iacopelli centered the puck into the slot and Muir redirected it into the net for his first goal of the season.
The Bulldogs responded minutes later at 10:48 when Alex Iafallo punched one past Gorsuch from the left circle after winning a puck battle to tie it 1-1. Minnesota-Duluth took the lead, 2-1, on a goal by Joey Anderson at 14:23 on an open shot from the right circle.
UMD added to the lead just over a minute later at 15:32 on a shot from a sharp angle by Parker Mackay. Mackay got the puck at the bottom of the right circle from Jared Thomas and snuck it past Gorsuch.
Western Michigan responded immediately on the goal by Iaceopelli just 1:18 later. Iacopelli came away with the puck on a scrum near the right circle and ripped it past Bulldog goalie Hunter Miska for his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Conrad tied the game with four seconds left on his second goal of the season. WMU got the puck behind the UMD goal and Tiffels found Conrad in the slot. Conrad fired and beat Miska on his stick side, pushing the score to 3-3.
Neither team scored in the second period as the Broncos were outshot 10-7. Overall UMD outshot WMU 24-23. Western Michigan finished 1-for-7 on the power play.
The two teams battle it out again on Saturday at 8 p.m. The game can be streamed live on NCHC.tv and heard live on the Bronco Radio Network.
