LAS VEGAS – The 17th-ranked Western Michigan hockey team advanced to the finals of the 2019 Ice Vegas Invitational after a dominant 5-1 win over UConn on Friday at T-Mobile Arena.

Cam Lee, Josh Passolt, Austin Rueschhoff, Luke Bafia and Ethen Frank all scored, while Trevor Gorsuch made 22 saves to extend WMU's unbeaten streak to seven games. Lee and Rueshhoff each had assists for two-point nights. Lee also had five blocked shots and finished +3.

The Broncos (10-6-1) took an early 1-0 lead just 4:41 into the first period on Lee's fifth of the season. Colt Conrad forced a turnover in the Husky end and centered it to Lee, who banged it into an empty net. The assist was Conrad's team-leading 13th.

Soon after Western Michigan pushed the lead to 2-0. Michael Joyaux fed the puck to Rueschoff and he dished it ahead to Passolt. Passolt skated in and buried it into the net from the left circle for his team-leading 11th goal of the season. Joyaux's assist was his first collegiate point, while Rueschhoff notched his career-high seventh helper.

Rueschhoff lit the lamp himself early in the second period to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead. Jared Kucharek ripped a shot from the left point and Rueschhoff skated to the net and redirected it into the 

net for his sixth goal of the season. Kucharek picked up his second career assist, while Cole Gallant tallied his fourth.

UConn broke the shutout at 15:06 in the second period on a power play goal by Karl El-Mir. El-Mir deflected a shot from the left point by Evan Wisocky and into the net for his team-leading 10th goal of the season.

Bafia netted his first goal of the season to push WMU's lead to 4-1 at 5:58 in the third period. Bafia took a loose puck during a period of 4-on-4 hockey and skated in on net, punching it past Adam 

Huska for the unassisted tally.

Frank added another insurance goal at 10:49, tapping in a pass by Jamie Rome for his sixth of the season. Rome got a pass from Lee that sprung the Broncos on a 2-on-1 break. Rome played a saucer pass to Frank and he batted it out of the air and into the net to set the score at 5-1. The assist was also the first collegiate point for Rome.

The Broncos outshot the Huskies 41-23 on the night, including holding them to just two shots in the first period. WMU was held scoreless on five power plays, while UConn finished the night 1-for-5. 

Western Michigan awaits the winner of the St. Lawrence/Air Force game for Saturday night's championship game at 11:30 p.m. EST.