THIS WEEK
Western Michigan returns to action for the first time since leaving the NCHC Pod, hosting Miami on Saturday and Sunday. Puck drop for Saturday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with Sunday's at 5:05 p.m. Both games can be seen live on NCHC.tv and heard live on the Bronco Radio Network.

QUICK POD RECAP
The Broncos finished their 10 game pod schedule with a 2-6-2 record. WMU lost starting goalie Brandon Bussi in the season-opening loss to St. Cloud State and then dropped the next two games to Omaha and North Dakota by a combined score of 18-4. Western Michigan rebounded and battled Colorado College to a 3-3 tie but missed out on the extra point after falling in a shootout, 2-1. The CC tie sparked a three-game unbeaten streak, with the Broncos downing St. Cloud State 2-1 and then beating the Tigers 5-2. Western Michigan dropped its next three to UND, Denver and Omaha, with the losses to the Mavs and the Pioneers coming by one goal each. WMU wrapped up the pod with a 3-3 tie against DU, but once again missed out on the extra point by falling in a shootout, 1-0. 

Junior forward Drew Worrad left the pod as WMU's leading scorer. Worrad posted 10 points on two goals and eight assists in the 10 games. Senior forward Paul Washe and Josh Passolt finished with nine points. Washe had five goals and four assists, while Passolt had three goals and six assists. Senior forward Ethen Frank led the Broncos with six goals. 

NOTES FROM THE POD: SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
• CENTURY MARK: Three Broncos surpassed the century mark in games played at Western Michigan during the pod. Paul Washe and Ethen Frank both reached the milestone on the same night, the 3-3 tie against Colorado College. Kale Bennett reached 100 in the 3-3 tie against Denver in the pod finale. 

• JUST ONE MORE:  Paul Washe had two short-handed goals in the pod, becoming the first Bronco to have two shorties in a season since Hugh McGing did it back in 2018-19. No Bronco has gone beyond two short-handed goals since Mark Letestu and Jeff LoVecchio surpassed that mark during the 2006-07 season. LoVecchio tallied three on the season, while Letestu led the nation with five. 

• FIRST OF THE FRESHIES: Hugh Larkin became the first of WMU's nine freshmen skaters to score a goal on the season. Larkin tallied the game-tying goal in the team's 3-3 tie against Colorado College, squaring the game with 5:54 remaining in regulation. Luke Grainger is the lone freshmen to tally twice on the season so far and is tied with Aidan Fulp for the class lead with four points. 

CHECKING IN ON CÉDRIC
Freshman defenseman Cédric Fiedler is currently off with Switzerland at the 2021 World Junior Championships in Edmonton, Aberta, Canada. Fiedler played two games with the Broncos before departing to Switzerland to join up with his teammates for camp. 

Through Tuesday, Fiedler has played in all three games for the Swiss and ranks fourth among defensemen on the team in time on ice. He's averaged 14:33 minutes per game and has played a total of 71 shifts as Switzerland has started off the tournament 0-3. 

THE MIAMI REDHAWKS | 2-7-1
- THE SERIES: Due to a sweep at the conclusion of the COVID-19 shortened season last year, the Broncos took control of the all-time series and lead it 70-68-12. Under head coach Andy Murray the Broncos are 20-15-2 against the RedHawks with an 11-5-1 record at Lawson Ice Arena. 

- SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: Miami and Western Michigan are currently tied for seventh in the NCHC after both earning eight points in the pod. Both of MU's wins in Omaha came as shutouts with a 1-0 blanking of the Mavericks and 3-0 win over Denver. 

The RedHawks have struggled to score goals this season, tying for 46th in the nation at just 1.50 goals per game. Matthew Barboni, Matt Barry, Derek Daschke and Chase Pletzke have each scored two goals on the season to lead the team. Daschke is the top scoring threat from the blue line with four points. Barboni leads the team with six points with a team-best four assists to go with his two goals. 

Miami's two goalies, Ludvig Persson and Ben Kraws, have each started five games on the season. Persson started in net for both of the shutout victories and has an overall record of 2-2-1 with a 1.19 goals against average and a .962 save percentage. Kraws lost all five of his starts and has a 3.84 goals against average and a .898 save percentage. As a team, Miami has been giving up 2.90 goals per game.

The MU power play sits at just 6.2 percent (2-of-32) on the season, with Barry and Pletzke holding the teams two power play goals. The RedHawk penalty kill ranks 11th in the nation at 87.1 percent (27-for-31).

SECURE YOUR PLACE
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