GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The Western Michigan hockey season came to an end in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Quarterfinals as the Broncos fell to Minnesota Duluth, 5-4, in overtime late Saturday night.

Conner Kelley scored off a faceoff 6:24 into the overtime period after WMU had tied it up with 21 seconds to play in regulation.

Down 4-3 late in the game the Broncos pulled Brandon Bussi for the extra attacker. Paul Washe won a puck battle behind the UMD net and slid the puck off to Josh Passolt to his right. Passolt dropped a no-look pass just to the right of the slot and sophomore forward Jason Polin hammered it into the net to tie it up at 4-4, scoring his second goal of the night and forcing overtime.

Minnesota-Duluth scored early just 2:21 into the game to take a 1-0 lead. Koby Bender fired it past Bussi for his fifth goal of the season and first of the night.

The Broncos responded on Polin's first of the night at 9:59. Washe had the puck in the WMU zone and flipped it up to Ty Glover. The freshman forward streaked down the net and had a 2-on-1 with Polin. He protected the puck and at the last second centered it to Polin for the tap-in. Washe picked up his 13th assist of the season and Glover tallied his seventh.

Western Michigan took a 2-1 lead on a power play goal by Ethen Frank at 9:46 in the second period. Drew Worrad found Frank all alone in the left circle and the senior forward powered it into the net for his 13th goal of the season and sixth on the power play. Worrad picked up his team-leading 20th assist and Michael Joyaux tallied his 10th.

The Bulldogs responded with a power play goal of their own at 15:44 with Bender scoring off his own rebound to tie it up at 2-2.

WMU went into the third period with a 3-2 lead thanks to a goal by Cole Gallant with 37.6 seconds left to play in the second. Worrad won a faceoff in the WMU end back to Aidan Fulp. The freshman defenseman flipped the puck down the ice and Frank won the race, snapping a shot on goal. Gallant came in as the trailer and back-handed it into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

Minnesota-Duluth scored two goals in quick succession early in the third period. Kobe Roth scored on the power play at 4:27 and Cole Koepke gave UMD a 4-3 lead at 7:32 until Polin's game-tying goal.

UMD outshot WMU 37-36 on the night. The Bronco power play finished 1-for-2 and the Bulldogs went 2-for-2. Bussi made 32 saves in his first career NCHC Playoff game.