PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Western Michigan hockey season came to an end after the Broncos were upset by third-seeded Air Force, 5-4, in the NCAA East Regional Semifnals at the Dunkin' Donuts Center on Friday night.
 
The Broncos picked up goals from Frederik Tiffels, Griffen Molino and Sheldon Dries but were unable to dig out of a three-goal deficit in the third period.
 
Air Force jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period. Jordan Himley scored just 56 seconds into the game to put the Broncos behind 1-0. Matt Koch fired a shot on net and in a scramble, Himley found the puck and fired it into an open net.
 
Later on, at 11:02 Kyle Haak picked a Bronco defenseman's pocket and scored a short-handed goal on a breakaway to go up 2-0. It was the first of Haak's two goals on the night.
 
Tiffels cut the Falcons' lead in half, 2-1, on his eighth goal of the season at 14:20 in the first period. Aidan Muir had the puck behind the net and found Tiffels to the left side of the goal and Tiffels punched it in.
 
Air Force pushed the lead to 3-1 after Haak scored his second goal of the game at 5:05 in the second period. The lead was pushed to 4-1 at 3:58 in the third period when Phil Boje was unmarked at the back door on a power play and fired the puck into the net.
 
The Broncos scored two goals in just 23 seconds to cut the lead to 4-3. Molino struck first at 4:48 when he punched in a loose puck from the deep slot. Aaron Hadley won a battle near the net and fired a shot on goal and after a scramble the rebound kicked out to Molino for the goal.
 
At 5:11 Dries finished off a pass from Matheson Iacopelli to cut the lead to just one goal. Molino dished to Iacopelli on the left wall and he skated in towards the net, finding Dries alone to the left of the slot for the tap-in goal.
 
The Falcons responded at 6:45, converting another Bronco turnover into a goal. Tyler Ledford finished off a pass from A.J. Reid on a two-on-one rush to push the lead back to two, 5-3.
 
The Broncos pulled Ben Blacker for the extra attacker late in the period and Tiffels found the net for the second time with 1:59 left to play. Tiffels got two whacks at the puck from just in front of the crease, putting the second in the net for his ninth goal of the season.
 
Air Force held for the final 1:59 to finish off the Broncos. WMU was outshot 30-26 on the night, including 17-5 in the second period. Western Michigan was held scoreless on both of its power plays, while going 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. The Broncos end their season with the most wins since 1996 and the sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.