KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan freshman goalie
Alex Aslanidis made a career-high 28 saves and senior forward
Ethen Frank tallied twice as the Broncos defeated No. 4/5 St. Cloud State, 3-1, to complete the sweep of the Huskies on Saturday night at Lawson Ice Arena.
Cole Gallant also scored on the night for WMU and had an assist, while junior forward
Drew Worrad tallied his team-leading 13th of the season on the night. The Broncos were outshot 29-20 on the night but kept SCSU scoreless during one power play.
Gallant scored just 1:26 into the game to give Western Michigan a very early 1-0 lead.
Paul Washe created a turnover behind the St. Cloud State net and pushed to Gallant near the crease. Gallant fired from the right side of the left circle and over the shoulder of David Hrenak and into the net for his second of the season. It was initially ruled no goal but the officials reviewed it and overturned the call on the ice. Washe picked up his seventh assist of the season on the goal.
Frank pushed the lead to 2-0 at 5:20 in the second period. Worrad won a draw back to
Michael Joyaux and Joyaux flipped the puck into the air and down the ice. Frank outraced two SCSU defenseman and chipped the puck into the top-left corner of the net as a Huskie hung onto his back. The goal was Frank's ninth of the season with Joyaux picking up his fifth helper on the season and Worrad extending his assist streak to four games.
SCSU cut the lead to 2-1 on a goal by Nolan Walker at 14:14 in the second. Jared Cockrell found Walker as he jumped off the bench and onto the ice. Walker had an open shot in the right circle and fired it past Aslanidis.
The Huskies pressured WMU in the third period, at one time outshooting them 8-3. Hrenak went to the bench for the extra attacker with 1:50 left in the game. Spencer Meier fired a shot from the right point. Frank went to the ice and blocked it. Gallant picked up the puck and pushed it ahead to Frank for the empty-net goal and his NCHC leading 10th of the season.
Western Michigan heads on the road for the next two weeks to Minnesota. The Broncos take on Minnesota-Duluth next Friday and Saturday and then head to St. Cloud State the week after.
