KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The 16th-ranked Western Michigan hockey team fell to No. 4 Michigan, 6-5, in overtime in front of a crowd of 4,090 fans at Lawson Ice Arena that included a record student crowd of 1,732 on Saturday night.
 
The Broncos (5-4-0) were down 5-3 in the third period after Rutger McGroaty completed his hat trick with a power play goal at 5:06. WMU quickly responded with Dylan Wendt's second goal of the weekend just 21 seconds later. Hugh Larkin played the puck behind the net to Jack Perbix and Perbix play a no-look pass to Wendt on the right side of the goal and the sophomore forward buried it to bring the Broncos within one.
 
Western Michigan kept the pressure up with 17 total shots in the third period and tied it up with 1:27 to play on an extra-attacker goal by Carter Berger. Berger got the puck from Ryan McAllister and fired a shot from the center point into the net for his second goal of the season, tying it up at 5-5.
 
UM's Luke Hughes took advantage of a Bronco turnover with 2:33 left to play in the overtime period, scoring from the right circle to win the game.
 
McAllister led WMU with three points on the night, tallying two goals and setting up Berger's game-tying goal. Berger also had a multi-point night, recording an assist in addition to his goal. Fifth-year senior Jamie Rome was the Broncos' other scorer on the night and had a career-high six shots on goal.
 
The Wolverine power play proved the difference on the night, going 4-for-5. All three of McGroaty's goals came with the man advantage, while one of Adam Fantilli's two goals came on the power play.
 
Michigan jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of power play goals by McGroaty at 7:24 and 9:06 in the first period.
 
WMU answered back just before the end of the period on a five-on-three power play to cut the lead in half. Zak Galambos found McAllister at center point and he rifled it into the top-left corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season. Galambos picked up his third assist and Max Sasson tallied his fourth helper.
 
Fantilli added his first of the night early on in the second period to push Michigan's lead back to two goals.
 
Rome countered with his third goal of the season at 12:10. Oliver MacDonald found Rome in the slot and he was able to rip off a quick shot into the net to cut the lead to 3-2.
 
Fantilli scored again, this time on the power play, to push the lead to 4-2 but McAllister opened the third period with his second power play goal of the night, this time set up by Berger to bring WMU back within one at 2:14.
 
Western Michigan opens National Collegiate Hockey Conference play next Friday and Saturday, hosting Miami. Friday's game is set for 7 p.m., with Saturday's at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.wmubroncos.com/tickets and both games can be watched live on NCHC.tv.