KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The 10th-ranked Western Michigan hockey team gave up four goals in the third period to fall to No. 1 St. Cloud State, 5-4, at Lawson Ice Arena on Friday night.
WMU held a 4-2 lead with 10:18 left in the game but the Huskies scored three unanswered, including the game-winning goal with 14.2 seconds left. Drew Worrad's fourth goal of the season put the Broncos up at 9:42 in the third period but Easton Brodzinski scored just 39 seconds later to cut the lead to 4-3. Brodzinski's goal was the second time SCSU responded to a Bronco goal in under 40 seconds.
Blake Lizotte created a turnover in the WMU zone and Robby Jackson scored his first of two goals at 17:08 to tie the game up at 4-4. Minute later Jackson scored again after Patrick Newell created a turnover in the Western Michigan zone to give St. Cloud State the lead and the win.
WMU outshot SCSU 40-26 on the night.
Newell gave the Huskies an early 1-0 lead just 1:18 into the game, beating Trevor Gorsuch on the first shot of the game. Lizotte set up Newell for his 17th of the season, with Jackson also picking up an assist.
Western Michigan tied it up at 3:29 in the second period on a goal by Paul Washe. Jared Kucharek pushed the puck ahead and Washe put it in on goal, sneaking it past SCSU goalie David Hrenak for his third of the season.
The Broncos took a 2-1 lead at 15:01 in the second period. Dawson DiPietero stole the puck away from a St. Cloud State skater and quickly fired a shot past Hrenak for his fifth goal of the season.
WMU pushed ahead 3-2 on a goal by Austin Rueschhoff just 2:43 into the third period. Rueschhoff had the puck in the deep slot and let a wrister go through traffic and into the net for his 10th the season. Josh Passolt and Michael Joyaux each picked up assists on the goal.
The Huskies responded just nine second later with a goal by Jimmy Schuldt off of a turnover in the Bronco zone to cut the lead to 3-2.
The two teams play four the fourth and final time during the regular season on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. The Broncos will honor its senior class prior to the start of the game. Tickets are available by calling 1-888-4-WMUTIX and online at www.wmubroncos.com/tickets.
