EAST LANSING, Mich. – The fourth-ranked Western Michigan hockey team wrapped up its lone game of the Great Lakes Invitational Showcase, defeating Michigan State on the road at Munn Ice Arena, 3-1, on Wednesday night.
 
Junior Brandon Bussi made 28 saves and an assist for the Broncos (14-5-0), with Max Sasson, Chad Hillebrand and Cole Gallant scoring goals. WMU outshot MSU 38-29 on the night but finished 0-for-4 on the power play. With no game against Michigan on Thursday, the Broncos finish non-conference play with a 7-0 record on the road.
 
WMU took the lead on Sasson's third goal of the season, coming at 12:52 in the first period. Bussi played the puck up along the boards and it found Sasson at the wall on the red line. The freshman forward sped down the ice and fired a wrist shot past Drew DeRidder's glove and into the net. Bussi picked up his second assist of the season on the goal.
 
Later in the period MSU's Griffin Loughran had a penalty shot awarded to him during a Bronco power play. Loughran was tripped up by Michael Joyaux while heading on a breakaway. Loughran skated in and Bussi made the glove save on his back-hand attempt. It was the first penalty shot against WMU since Miami's Josh Melnik scored one on Jan. 28, 2017.
 
Hillebrand pushed the lead to 2-0 on his second goal of the season, scoring at 1:15 in the second period. Sasson pushed the puck ahead to the big sophomore forward and he outskated a Spartan defender and punched it into the net. Sasson picked up his second assist of the season for his first career multi-point game.
 
David Gucciardi scored on the power play to cut the lead in half at 8:27 in the second period, firing a wrist shot through a screen from the center point.
 
MSU outshot WMU 11-7 in the final 20 minutes but Bussi stood strong before Gallant netted an empty-net goal with 53 seconds left to play.
 
Western Michigan is off next weekend before resuming National Collegiate Hockey Conference play on the road at Colorado College on Jan. 14-15. Both games can be watched live on NCHC.tv and heard live on the Bronco Media Network.