OMAHA, Neb. – The Western Michigan hockey team fell to No. 7 Denver in a tight contest, 3-2, on Tuesday evening at the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Pod in Baxter Arena.
 
After being down 2-1 heading into the third period, senior captain Paul Washe tied the game up at 2-2 with his fourth goal of the season just 33 seconds after the puck was dropped. Josh Passolt found Jason Polin at center ice and Polin threaded the needle between two DU defensemen to spring Washe for the breakaway from the blue line. Washe skated in on Pioneer goalie Corbin Kaczperski and put it between his legs and into the net.
 
Denver scored the game-winning goal in the third period off of a Bronco miscue. After a faceoff the puck came to the net and WMU goalie Austin Cain tried to clear it but it bounced off of Kohen Olischefski and back into the net.
 
WMU pulled Cain from net for the extra attacker with 1:21 left to play but DU kept the Broncos out of the net.
 
Western Michigan was outshot 26-14 on the night, a season low for the Broncos.
 
DU took an early 1-0 lead on a power play goal just 2:59 into the first period. One the opening puck drop of the power play, Cole Guttman was left alone at the bottom of the right circle for the tap-in goal after a pass by Carter Savoie.
 
WMU tied it up on Ethen Frank's team-leading fifth goal of the season at 6:42. Cole Gallant got the puck to Drew Worrad during an odd-man rush. Worrad found Frank in open in the left circle for the one-timer into the net. Worrad tallied his team-leading sixth assist on the goal and Gallant picked up his fourth.
 
DU broke the tie with 2:53 left in the first period when defenseman Kyle Mayhew drove the net and got one past Cain.
 
Neither team scored in the second period.
 
Western Michigan finished 0-for-2 on the power play, with Denver going 1-for-3.
 
WMU is back in action on Friday night against No. 17 Omaha at 4:35 p.m.