KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team scored a season-high seven goals versus Omaha in the series opener at Lawson Arena on Friday, Nov. 9, winning 7-2 to break a three-game losing skid. 

After a rocky start to the contest while conceding three penalties early, the Broncos killed off each Maverick power play prior to the game taking a big turn. Just seconds after WMU killed the third Omaha power play, the puck found the stick of Colt Conrad as he came out of the penalty box. He used the Omaha defender screen and rifled a shot past goaltender Evan Weninger to give Western Michigan a 1-0 lead.

The Conrad goal sparked two more Bronco goals within a span of two minutes. Austin Rueschhoff completed a tic-tac-toe play from Dawson DiPietro and Cam Lee, followed by a goal by Cole Gallant just over a minute later.

WMU took its 3-0 lead into the first intermission with a 12-4 shot advantage.

The middle frame was highlighted a pretty shorthanded goal by Lawton Courtnall, his first goal of the season, assisted by Paul Washe and Lee – his second of the night. It was the first shorthanded goal by the Broncos this season. The fourth goal also knocked out Omaha starting goaltender Weninger, as he was replaced by Matej Tomek. 

Appearing in his first game this season off of injury, Wade Allison put himself in the scoring column near the end of the second, finishing a nice backhanded shot with helpers from DiPietro – his second of the night, and Rueschhoff.

The two teams traded a pair of goals each in the final frame. Cole Gallant scored his second of the game 3:38 into the third, finishing a nice back-door pass from Mattias Samuelsson. 

UNO broke the Brown & Gold shutout with a power play goal at 8:48 to finish the night 1-for-6 on the man advantage. They added another near the midway mark of the period but the Broncos tallied a seventh late in the game with a goal from Drew Worrad. 

The Brown & Gold finished the game with a 30-18 shot advantage over the Mavericks while going 0-for-6 on the powerplay. 

Cam Lee tied a career-high with three assists, followed by two assists each by DiPietro and Ethen Frank. Trevor Gorsuch earned his second win of the season in net. 

Western Michigan (4-5-0, 1-2-0 NCHC) goes for the series sweep tomorrow evening, Saturday, Nov. 10 at Lawson Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.