KALAMAZOO, Mich. --- The 20th ranked Western Michigan hockey team extended its unbeaten streak to six games after a 3-2 win over National Collegiate Hockey Conference foe Omaha at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.
The Broncos (6-3-2, 2-0-1-1 NCHC) picked up two goals from junior forward Paul Washe and one from Austin Rueschhoff. Freshman goalie Brandon Bussi made 30 saves on the night to earn his sixth win of the season. UNO outshot WMU 32-25 on the night, while Western Michigan went 1-for-6 on the power play. The Broncos blanked Omaha on four power plays, including three minutes of a major.
WMU took a 1-0 lead late in the first period on Washe's team-leading sixth goal of the season. Western Michigan was on the power play and Cole Gallant passed it across the slot to Dawson DiPietro in the right circle. DiPietro then centered it to Washe and he tapped it past UNO goalie Isaiah Saville. Gallant picked up his fourth assist of the season, while DiPietro tallied his fifth. The goal extended Washe's career-best point streak to six games.
The Mavericks tied it up at 1-1 at 6:16 in the second period Tyler Weiss flipped the puck out of the Omaha zone and Martin Sundberg ran the race to the puck, creating a 2-on-1. Sundberg flipped it across the slot to Chayse Primeau for the finish.
Washe's second of the night gave the Broncos the lead back just 1:37 later. Freshman defenseman Scooter Brickey fired a shot from the top of the right circle. Senior forward Wade Allison put the rebound on net and Washe came in to punch Allison's rebound into the net for his seventh goal of the season. The assist was Allison's second of the season, with Brickey picking up his third.
Rueschhoff added the game-winner at 14:15 in the second period. A Maverick player exited the penalty box to create a power play with the puck deep in their defensive zone. UNO tried to break out of the zone but Ruechhoff intercepted the pass at the blue line and dished it off to Rhett Kingston. Kingston took it into the left circle and passed it across the crease for the tap-in by Rueschhoff. Goal was his fourth of the season and extended his scoring streak to three games.
Omaha added a late goal with 34 seconds left after pulling Saville for the extra attacker.
The two teams meet again on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.
