Men's Ice Hockey | October 24, 2019

THIS WEEK
The 18th-ranked Western Michigan hockey team continues non-conference play with a home-and-home series against the Michigan Wolverines. The Broncos travel to Yost Arena on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. start, with U of M returning to Lawson Ice Arena on Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. start. Both games will be live on the Bronco Radio Network, while Friday's game will be streamed on BTN+. Saturday's game is available on NCHC.tv.

LAST WEEK
The Broncos had a home-and-home with Bowling Green, falling in both games 2-1. 

On Friday the Broncos were outshot 38-22, with freshman goalie Brandon Bussi making a career high 36 saves. The Falcons took a 1-0 lead with 47 seconds left in the second period before Hugh McGing netted his first goal of the year to tie it up at 1-1 with 6:02 left in the third period. BGSU scored its second power play goal of the game with 4:26 left to go ahead 2-1 and finish off WMU.

Western Michigan had more chances on Saturday, outshooting the Falcons 38-23 but Eric Dop made 37 saves for BGSU to keep WMU out of the net all but once. Dawson DiPietro scored his first goal of the season at 1:01 in the second period to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead. Alec Rauhauser tied it up with a goal from the deep slot at 9:59. Neither team was able to find the net in the third period but Cameron Wright scored just 11 seconds into the overtime period to give the Falcons the win. 

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | 2-1-1
• THE SERIES: After a five-year hiatus, the Broncos and the Wolverines rekindled the rivalry last season, splitting a home-and-home series with each team winning its home game. Michigan leads the all-time series at 72-35-10. Junior forward Ethen Frank and senior forward Hugh McGing lead all Broncos in points against the Wolverines each with four points on two goals and two assists. Junior forward Austin Rueschhoff also had two goals in the series last season. 

• SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES: Michigan boasts seven NHL draft picks on its roster, including 14th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, freshman defenseman Cam York. The Wolverines are 2-1-1 on the season, with all four games at home. Saturday's game at Lawson Ice Arena will be U of M's first game outside of Ann Arbor this season. 

Michigan's offense has averaged 2.50 goals per game through the first four of the season, tied for 31st in the nation. Junior forward Jack Becker is one of three Wolverines with three points to tie for the team lead. All three of Becker's have come on goals, a team high. Sophomore defenseman Nick Blankenburg has a goal and two assists, while freshmen forwards Eric Ciccolini and Johnny Beecher are tied for the team lead with three assists each. Through the four games Michigan has had eight different goal scorers, with Becker being the only one to tally more than once. 

The Wolverines have given up just 1.75 goals per game, ranking ninth in the nation, thanks to the stellar goaltending of sophomore Strauss Mann. Mann has started every game this season with a 1.73 goals against average, a .936 save percentage and one shutout. 

Michigan's power play is 3-for-20 (15 percent) on the season and the penalty kill is 14-for-15 (93.3 percent). The Wolverines average just 10.8 penalty minute per game. 

THAT WAS QUICK
Just four games into the season, sophomore defenseman Michael Joyaux has already eclipsed his career high for assists in a season. The Bloomingdale, Ill., native has three assists, one more than last season when he played in 20 games. 

WHO WILL GET TO TWO, FIRST?
WMU has scored nine goals in four games this season and the goals have come from nine different Broncos. Wade Allison, Ronnie Attard, Lawton Courtnall, Dawson DiPietro, Ethen Frank, Hugh McGing, Austin Rueschhoff, Brett Van Os and Drew Worrad have all scored one goal each this season. 

+10
Heading into Friday's game the Broncos have a +10 shot on goal differential against their opponents. WMU has fired off 133 shots on goal to its opponents' 123. Western Michigan's highest differential came in the season-opener against Ohio State at the Ice Breaker Tournament, outshooting the Buckeyes 46-29 (+17). WMU's lowest came last Friday against Bowling Green at 22-38 (-16). 

-7
Western Michigan has given up seven fewer goals through four games than it did last season. This year opponents have just scored eight goals, compared to 15 through four games last season.  

ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan opens National Collegiate Hockey Conference play next weekend at Colorado College. Both games will be live on the Bronco Radio Network and NCHC.tv. 

SEASON NOTES
• LEAGUE LEADERS
Western Michigan returns the most goals and total points in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The Broncos return 112 goals, 22 more than Minnesota-Duluth's 90. Combined, WMU also returns 271 total points, once again just head of the Bulldogs, who return 265. 

Western Michigan did lose its leading point scorer in Colt Conrad, who wrapped up his career with a 38 points season on 11 goals and 27 assists. From there, WMU returns its next six top scorers, including senior captain Hugh McGing and junior forward Josh Passolt, who tied for the team lead with 16 goals each. The Broncos also return double-digit goal scorers in junior forward Austin Rueschhoff (13) and junior forward Ethen Frank (15). Senior defenseman Cam Lee is the top returning assist man after dishing out a career-high 19 last season. 

• SUPER SENIORS
WMU has nine seniors this season, the most ever by an Andy Murray coached team and the most in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The class is tied for fifth nationally with Michigan, Michigan State, Dartmouth, and Yale. Boston College leads the nation with 11 seniors, followed by Penn State, American International and Alaska Fairbanks each with 10. 

• 47 & 46
Western Michigan begins its 47th season of college hockey, with senior forward Hugh McGing being named the 46th captain in program history. McGing will be assisted by senior defenseman Luke Bafia, senior forward Wade Allison, junior forward Josh Passolt and sophomore defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.