Men's Ice Hockey | January 03, 2019

THIS WEEK
No. 17 Western Michigan makes the trek out to Las Vegas, Nev., for the 2019 Ice Vegas Invitational at T-Mobile Arena on Friday and Saturday. WMU opens the tournament against Connecticut on Friday at 8 p.m. EST and will play either Air Force or St. Lawrence on Saturday at 8/11 p.m. 

HOW TO FOLLOW
Can't make it to Las Vegas? IceVegasInvitational.com is hosting a video stream of the game for a fee. It can also be heard live on the Bronco Radio Network. 

IT'S BEEN A WHILE
The Broncos (9-6-1, 4-3-1-1 NCHC) ended 2018 on a six-game unbeaten streak, going 5-0-1. WMU is 6-1-1 in its last eight games and sits alone in second place of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference with 14 points. 

The last time WMU was in action it took five points from the defending national champions Minnesota-Duluth. Colt Conrad netted the game-winning goal in the season-opener with just nine seconds left in regulation to break a 2-2 deadlock. On Saturday the team's battled to a 1-1 tie and Western Michigan earned the extra point in the sudden death shootout. 

CONNECTICUT | 6-11-1, 2-9-1 HE
• THE SERIES: This is the first ever meeting between Western Michigan and Connecticut. 

• THE UCONN CONNECTION: Although the two teams have never met, there is a connection between the programs in WMU assistant coach Todd Krygier. Krygier starred as a Husky from 1985-88 and was selected in the first round of the NHL Supplemental Draft after graduating. Krygier was a two-time All-American and is second all-time in scoring with 200 career points on 99 goals and 101 assists. His 99 goals are still the program's best and he ranks third in assists.

• SCOUTING THE HUSKIES  
UCONN snapped a seven game losing streak after beating No. 15 Yale, 3-1, on New Year's Eve. The Huskies have fared much better in non-conference action this season with a 4-2-0 record to contrast a 2-9-1 record in Hockey East. 

Senior forward Karl El-Mir leads the team with 15 points on nine goals and six assists for an offense that averages 2.33 goals per game and ranks 47th in the nation. Freshman forward Jáchym Kondelik has a team-high 13 assists, while junior forward Alexander Payusov leads the team with 10 goals. Junior Wyatt Newpower is the top point-man from the blue line, leading the way with eight points on one goal and seven assists. 

The Huksies are allowing 3.11 goals per game, ranking 43rd in the nation. Junior Adam Huska has seen the most time in net so far this season, playing in 13 games and making 12 starts. The New York Ranger's draft pick has a 2.84 goals against average, a .915 save percentage and a 4-7-1 record. 

Connecticut's power play is sitting at 46th in the national rankings at 15.3 percent (13-for-85). El-Mir and Payusov each have a team-high four power play tallies, while Benjamin Freeman has two. The penalty kill also ranks 46th in the nation at 77.8 percent (55-for-70). 

INSIDE THE STREAK
The Broncos are unbeaten in their last six, going 5-0-1 during the stretch. WMU has gone unbeaten with a combination of offense and defense. Trevor Gorsuch has played every minute in net during the streak, posting a 1.64 goals against average and a .947 save percentage. Western Michigan has allowed only 10 goals in the six games, while giving up 38 in the previous 10. 

WMU is averaging 3.70 goals per game, with sophomore forward Josh Passolt tallying six. Passolt (6-3-9), Colt Conrad (3-7-10) and Hugh McGing (5-2-7) have all averaged over a point per game. Five of Western Michigan's 22 goals have come on the power play with McGing leading the way with two. 

IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT SUCCESS
Under head coach Andy Murray the Broncos have won three in-season tournaments. The Broncos took the Great Lakes Invitational Championship in 2013 and 2016 and won Notre Dame's Shillelagh Tournament in 2014. 

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME, BUT IT'S NOT
This is not the first time the Western Michigan hockey team has played a game in Las Vegas. WMU defeated Bowling Green back on Dec. 15, 1995, 6-4, for the program's previous appearance in the city. 

ON TO THE SEMIFINALS
Freshman defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is not with the Broncos this weekend in Las Vegas. The Buffalo Sabre's draft pick is busy representing the United States at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Victoria/Vancouver, British Columbia. Samuelsson has played in all five games, helping USA to a 4-1-0 record, with just one overtime loss in the group stage. He has posted a +3 plus/minus. Samuelsson has helped USA reach the semifinals and will play Russia on Friday.

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan heads back to Kalamazoo to host NCHC rival Miami on Friday and Saturday. Friday's game will be WMU's national TV debut for the season with the game being broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Saturday's game can be seen live on NCHC.tv and both games will be live on the Bronco Radio Network. Tickets are available by calling 1-888-4-WMUTIX and online at www.wmubroncos.com/tickets.