DENVER – The Western Michigan hockey team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to score three goals in the third period, but gave up one late and then again in overtime to fall at No. 8/7 Denver on Saturday night.
Josh Passolt, Mattias Samuelsson and Paul Washe all scored to give the Broncos a 3-2 lead in the third period but a power play goal by Emilio Pettersen tied it up with 2:30 left. Jarid Lukosevicius netted the game-winner with 2:20 left in the overtime period to complete the sweep of the Broncos.
WMU was outshot 40-26 on the night and three of Denver's four goals came on the power play, going 3-for-8 with the man advantage.
Slava Demin gave the Pioneers an early 1-0 lead with a power play goal during a five-minute major power play at 5:28 in the first period. Jamie Rome was dismissed from the game after a charging penalty just 1:36 after the start. Demin snuck a wrist shot through traffic from the left circle for his first collegiate goal.
Lukosevicius scored his first of the night and fourth of the weekend at 7:27 to put Denver up 2-0. The senior forward put in a rebound on a shot by Ian Mitchell on the power play.
WMU's rally started with a goal by Passolt at 3:54 in the third period. Corey Schueneman flipped the puck down the ice and Passolt took control, skating it into the zone and ripping a shot from the left circle. DU goalie Devin Cooley got his glove on it but it trickled into the net, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Samuelsson tied it up at 2-2 at 6:53 after a shot go through traffic and into the top-left corner of the net for his second of the season. Drew Worrad and Passolt each picked up assists on the goal.
Washe gave WMU the lead at 9:10, punching in a rebound on a shot by Lawton Courtnall. Jared Kucharek also picked up an assist on the goal for his first collegiate point.
The Broncos then took a penalty with 2:37 to go and Pettersen scored off the draw to tie it up.
Western Michigan returns home to take on Omaha on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 1-888-4-WMUTIX and online at wmubroncos.com/tickets.
