COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Western Michigan sophomore Mattias Samuelsson has been named the Bauer National Collegiate Hockey Conference Defenseman of the Week for his performance in WMU's win and tie at Miami over the weekend.
 
Samuelsson had a three-point weekend and finished +5 in the two games. In Friday's 2-2 tie, he finished +2 and scored the Broncos' second goal of the night, giving them a 2-0 lead in the second period. On Saturday he had two assists, earning a helper on the game-tying goal by Cole Gallant just 48 seconds into the game and helped set up WMU's fourth goal of the game in the third period. The Buffalo Sabres' draft pick also finished +3 on the night. His defensive effort helped hold the RedHawks to just three goals on the weekend, including WMU holding an opponent under two goals in a game for the first time since a 1-1 tie on Jan. 3 at Notre Dame.
 
The weekend increased his point total to 12 on the season, with two goals and 10 assists. Samuelsson is also second on the team in plus/minus at +16, just four behind his defensive partner Ronnie Attard.
 
Samuelsson and the 19th-ranked Broncos are back in action at Lawson Ice Arena when they host No.4 Minnesota-Duluth on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Friday's game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Tickets for the clash are available at www.wmubroncos.com