THIS WEEK
The No. 7-ranked Western Michigan hockey team heads out to New York for the Thanksgiving break to take on St. Lawrence on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard live on the Bronco Media Network on 590 AM/106.9 FM WKZO and at www.wkzo.com.
 
LAST WEEK
The Broncos hosted No. 2 St. Cloud State, sweeping the Huskies 6-2, 4-0.
 
In Friday's win Ethen Frank had a career-high five points with four goals and one assist, while WMU also picked up goals from Ty Glover and Max Sasson. Frank set up the game's opening goal, with Glover redirecting a pass into the net for his first goal of the season at 15:55 in the first period. Frank netted his first goal of the game at 17:41 in the second to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead. He scored just 54 seconds into the third period to push the lead to 3-0 before completing the hat trick just 1:02 later. Sasson scored at 7:53 on a two-on-one feed from Chad Hillebrand to push the lead the 5-0 before SCSU responded with two quick goals at 11:17 and 11:38 to cut the lead. Frank added an empty-net goal with 2:03 left to play.
 
In Saturday's victory Brandon Bussi made 36 saves to record his second career shutout. The Broncos scored two goals in the span of 17 seconds in the second period to take a 2-0 lead with Jason Polin banging in a rebound and Michael Joyaux scoring from the right circle. Paul Washe added a short-handed empty-net goal at 16:57 in the third period to push the lead to 3-0 before Glover added an empty-netter of his own with 8 seconds left to play.
 
FAST START
The 2021-22 WMU hockey team has reached eight wins in the first 12 games to start the season. This has only happened four other times in program history since WMU joined Division I in 1974.
 
2021-22: 8-4-0
2012-13: 8-3-1
2000-01: 9-1-2
1995-96: 10-2-0
1989-90: 8-4-0
 
15 YEARS
Last Friday's win over SCSU saw Ethen Frank become the first Bronco to score four goals in a game in 15 years. The last Bronco was to do so was Brent Walton on Jan. 16, 2006. Walton scored four goals in a 5-4 win at Bowling Green.
 
Frank's five-point game was the first since Colt Conrad had one goal and four assists in a win at North Dakota on Nov. 17, 2018.
 
OUTSHOT? NO PROBLEM
Heading into the series against the Huskies the Broncos were just 1-3-0 when getting outshot by opponents. St. Cloud State outshot WMU in both of last weekend's games at 30-26 on Friday and 36-24 on Saturday, moving the Broncos up to a 3-3-0 record. Western Michigan is 5-1-0 when outshooting its opponents.
 
DOUBLE-DIGIT PAIN
As a team, Western Michigan has recorded double-digit blocked shots in each of its last six games. On the season the Broncos have reached 10 blocks in eight of the 12. Junior defenseman Ronnie Attard leads all WMU players with 23 on the season and is one of four that have reached double-digit blocks. Senior defenseman Michael Joyaux has 20, senior forward Drew Worrad has 12, a team-high for forwards, and sophomore defenseman Cedric Fiedler has 10.
 
THE ST. LAWRENCE SAINTS (3-4-4)
- THE SERIES: The Broncos and the Saints are deadlocked at 5-5-1 in the all-time series. The last time the two teams played it was St. Lawrence making the trip to Lawson Ice Arena back on Oct. 12-13, 2012. SLU won the opening game 4-3 in overtime and the Broncos closed out the weekend with a 3-2 victory. WMU has not visited Appleton Arena since 2010. The Broncos, then coached by Jeff Blashill, came away with a 3-1 win and a 3-3 tie.

- A FAMILIAR FACE: St. Lawrence is coached by Western Michigan hockey alum Brent Brekke. Brekke, who is in his third season at the helm, played four seasons at WMU from 1990-94. He appeared in 151 career games, recording 54 points on nine goals and 45 assists from the blue line. He was an assistant captain under WMU head coach Pat Ferschweiler during the 1992-93 season and then captained the team in 1993-94. That season was his best as a Bronco, posting 29 points on four goals and 25 assists and becoming the first player in program history to be named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Best Defensive Defenseman.  
 
- SCOUTING THE SAINTS: St. Lawrence is coming off of a split road weekend, winning last Friday at Princeton 6-4, before falling at Quinnipiac 8-0 on Saturday. SLU is 1-2-2 in non-conference action this season, with its lone win coming at Colorado College in the season-opener on Oct. 8. The Saints are still searching for their first home win of the season with an 0-1-1 record at Appleton so far.
 
The Saints have averaged 2.0 goals per game so far this season, tying for 50th nationally. Senior forward Kaden Pickering leads the team with three goals, while five others have tallied two goals. Overall the Saints have had 15 different goal scorers on the season. Sophomore forward Justin Paul leads the team with five assists and is tied with Aleksi Peltonen for the team lead in points with six. Peltonen, a junior forward from Finland, has two goals and four assists. Luc Salem is the top point producer from the blue line with four points on two goals and two assists.
 
SLU allows 3.09 goals per game, ranking 37th in the nation in scoring defense. Senior Emil Zetterquist has stared in 10 of the team's 11 games this season, posting a 3-3-4 record with a 2.45 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.
 
St. Lawrence's power play ranks 58th in the nation at 2.4 percent (1-for-41), with Pickering scoring the team's lone power play goal on the season. Although the Saints have had their struggles on the power play, their penalty kill is one of the best in the nation at 88.6 percent (39-for-44), ranking eighth overall.
 
ON THE HORIZON
Western Michigan stays on the road, heading to rival Miami next Friday and Saturday to take on the RedHawks. Friday's game is set for 7:05 p.m. and Saturday's is 5:05 p.m. Both can be streamed live on NCHC.tv and heard live on the Bronco Media Network.