THIS WEEK
No. 17/15 Western Michigan closes out the 2019-20 regular season hosting National Collegiate Hockey Conference rival Miami on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Both games can also be seen live on NCHC.tv. and heard live on the Bronco Radio Network. Please note that Friday's game will be on 590 AM/106.9 FM WKZO in the Kalamazoo area and at wkzo.com. Fans are encouraged to come to Saturday's game early to celebrate the team's senior class prior to puck drop. 

LAST WEEK
The Broncos went on the road to No. 3/1 North Dakota, dropping both contests in tight decisions 3-1 and 2-1 (OT).

In the series opener, Western Michigan tried to battle back from a 2-0 deficit but fell 3-1. After a scoreless first period Judd Caufield scored to give UND a 1-0 lead at 9:52 in the second period. Matt Kiersted added to the lead on a goal at 13:21. Dawson DiPietro cut the lead in half just 4:35 into the third period, sparking a run of WMU dominance in offensive chances. The Broncos didn't get any more past Fighting Hawk goalie Adam Scheel and Westin Michaud added a late power play goal to push the score to 3-1.

On Saturday the teams traded goals in the first period. Collin Adams gave North Dakota an early 1-0 lead at 4:41 but WMU responded late in the period. Wade Allison threw a shot toward the net from the left circle and Paul Washe cut through the slot, deflecting the shot into the net for his 11th goal of the season to tie it up at 1-1. Allison picked up his 11th assist of the season, while Ronnie Attard picked up his seventh. The two teams battled to a 1-1 tie and went into overtime. Western Michigan appeared to have won the game on a goal by Rhett Kingston. The goal was reviewed and overturned, with the referees citing goalie interference. Less than a minute later Shane Pinto put in a rebound on a shot by Kiersted to give the Fighting Hawks the win. 

THE MIAMI REDHAWKS | 8-19-5, 5-14-3-2 NCHC
• THE SERIES: After a Western Michigan win and tie at Miami back in February, the all-time series is tied at 68-68-12. Under head coach Andy Murray the Broncos are 18-15-2 all-time against the RedHawks and 9-5-1 at Lawson Ice Arena. 

Wade Allison leads all Broncos with 13 career points in 10 games against MU with eight goals and five assists. Senior forward Dawson DiPietro has 10 points on three goals and seven assists in just eight games. Freshman goalie Brandon Bussi has a 1.44 goals against average a .940 save percentage from his two starts earlier in the season. 

• THE LAST TIME OUT: Western Michigan traveled down to Miami on Feb. 14 and 15, leaving with four points from the series. 

In the series opener the Broncos jumped out to a very early 1-0 lead thanks to a goal by Hugh McGing just 1:21 into the first period. WMU carried its lead into the second period and added to it on a goal by Mattias Samuelsson at 13:38. Miami erased the lead with two straight power play goals. The first came at 19:00 in the second period when Matt Berry punched in a rebound on shot by Derek Daschke. After an early penalty was called on WMU in the third period Daschke scored just 1:24 into the period to tie the game up at 2-2. Brandon Bussi made 10 of his 28 saves in the period to keep the game tied. Neither team scored in overtime before Gordie Green scored early on in the 3-on-3 overtime to give Miami the extra point. 

Miami scored just 30 seconds in Saturday's game to take a 1-0 lead but the Broncos responded nine second later on a goal by Cole Gallant, set up by a centering pass from Rhett Kingston. The game stayed tied until Cam Lee scored at 9:52 to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead. Dawson DiPietro intercepted a pass and scored on a breakaway to make it 3-1 at 12:36. Paul Washe put the game out of reach with a goal at 7:30 in the third period to push the lead to 4-1. 

• SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS, AGAIN: Miami snapped its 11-game winless streak by sweeping Omaha at home last weekend. Not only did the RedHawks win both games, they earned shutouts in both, 3-0 and 4-0. MU sits in seventh place in the NCHC standings and can finish as high as sixth or as low as eighth. 

Miami ranks 33rd in the nation in scoring offense at 2.69 goals per game. Senior forward Gordie Green leads the team in points, goals and assists with 34, 12 and 22. He's the lone RedHawk with double-digit goals this season but senior forward Karch Bachman, junior forward Casey Gilling and sophomore defenseman Derek Daschke each have nine. Bachman has 20 assists for 29 points, while Gilling has 19 for 28 points and is the reigning NCHC Forward of the Week. Daschke is the top point-man from the blue line with 12 assists to go with his goal total for 21 points. 

Despite not allowing a goal in over 120 minutes of hockey, the RedHawks rank 53rd in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 3.56 goals per game. Senior Ryan Larkin has started in 20 of the 32 games this season with a 7-11-2 record, a 3.33 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. Larkin was in net for both shutouts against Omaha last weekend and also played both games against the Broncos back in February. 

The RedHawks rank 15th in the nation on the power play at 22 percent (24-for-109). Green leads the team with five power play goals, while Dashcke has four. Bachman, Gilling and Ryan Savage have all tallied three times with the man advantage this season. Miami ranks 55th in the nation on the penalty kill at 75.4 percent (95-for-126).

ABOUT THOSE SENIORS
Prior to Saturday's game, the Broncos will take time to celebrate the careers of their eight-member senior class. (NOTE: Kale Bennett is listed as a senior but will be utilizing his redshirt year from his freshman season and will return in 2020-21.) The class consists of Wade Allison, Luke Bafia, Ben Blacker, Lawton Courtnall, Dawson DiPietro, Cam Lee, Will Massey and Hugh McGing. 

The group has combined to play in 830 career games, scoring 160 goals and 294 assists for 454 total points. The class has combined to win 74 games and appear in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The class also helped win the 2016 Great Lakes Invitational and the 2019 Ice Vegas Invitational. 

• Each of the class' six skaters (Allison, Bafia, Courtnall, DiPietro, Lee and McGing) have played in at least 100 games in their careers, led by McGing's 145. 

• Wade Allison, Ben Blacker, Dawson DiPietro, Will Massey and Hugh McGIng are all four-time NCHC Academic All-Conference Team selections. 

• Ben Blacker's 74 games played in net are the most by a goalie since Lukas Hafner (2012-16) and his 29 career wins are the most since Frank Slubowski (2011-15).

• Hugh McGing is a finalist for the Senior Class Award, becoming the first Bronco hockey player to reach the finals for the award since Brett Beebe (2012-13).

PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES
Western Michigan sits in fourth place (35 points) in the NCHC heading into the series against Miami. WMU sits two points behind third-place Denver and two ahead of fifth-place St. Cloud State. The Broncos can only finish in third, fourth or fifth place thanks to an 11-point lead over sixth place Omaha. 

Western Michigan can clinch home ice for next weekend's NCHC Quarterfinals as early as Friday if it finishes the night with a four or more gap in points over the Huskies. SCSU plays at second-place Minnesota-Duluth this weekend and the Pioneers have a home-and-home with Colorado College. 

If WMU ends up in a tie with wither Denver or St. Cloud State the first tie breaker would be total conference wins. If that is tied, then head to head record would be used (WMU wins over SCSU due to sweep but ties with DU because of series split). If still tied with Denver then aggregate goals from the series would be used, which would go to the Pioneers at 7-3.  

HE'S GOT CLASS
Senior forward Hugh McGing has been named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award. 

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as a NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition

Fans can vote for McGing at www.seniorclassaward.com

VOTE HUGH AND PAUL FOR HOBEY
Western Michigan senior captain Hugh McGing and Paul Washe have been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award. Fans can head to www.HobeyBaker.com/vote to vote for WMU's pair. McGing leads the Broncos with 30 points on nine goals and a career-high 21 assists, while Washe has a career-high 20 points on a 11 goals and nine assists, 

When voting for the Hobey Baker Award, fans are asked to make sure to keep in mind the qualities that a nominee must display: Exhibit strength and character, both on and off the ice; Contribute to the integrity of the team; Display outstanding skills in all phases of the game; Show scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.