KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After being down 2-0, the Western Michigan hockey team responded with five unanswered goals to earn a 5-2 victory over Minnesota Duluth on Saturday night at Lawson Arena. 

The Broncos had five different goal scorers in the game, including senior winger Sam Colangelo who netted the game-winning goal with under four minutes to play in the game. WMU also got goals from Chad Hillebrand, Carter Berger, Dylan Wendt and Luke Grainger. 

FIRST PERIOD
Not even two minutes into the game, Western Michigan went on the power play, thanks to a boarding call on the Bulldogs. On the man advantage, Matteo Costantini and Ethan Phillips would get looks on net before a tripping penalty brought the game to 4-on-4. 

Both teams would get back to full strength, as the game moved to the middle portion of the first 20 minutes. Just over nine minutes into the game, WMU was sent off for interference, and UMD was able to find the back of the net on the man advantage to take a 1-0 lead. 

Late in the period, WMU was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a too many men on the ice penalty, which allowed the Bulldogs to grab a 2-0 lead. UMD carried over three minutes of power play time into the second frame. 

SECOND PERIOD
The Broncos were able to kill off the remaining time, allowing just three shots on goal. Just over a minute after the penalty expired, WMU found itself back within one, thanks to a tip in front by Hillebrand. 

Then, just over a minute later, Berger found some open space in front of the net and tallied his second goal of the series to knot the game at 2-2. 

In the back half of the period, WMU would get two looks on the power play, combining for three shots. The two teams entered the final period tied at 2-2. 

THIRD PERIOD
Early in the final 20 minutes, WMU was again given a chance on the power play, with Kyler Kleven sent off for tripping. Alex Bump had a shot nearly go in, but the Bulldogs eventually got back to full strength. 

Western Michigan controlled much of the play throughout the period, and was eventually rewarded with a goal on its 40th shot of the night. Colangelo ripped a shot into the back of the net for his 15th goal of the season. 

UMD was then forced to pull its goalie, and Wendt shot a puck down the ice and into the empty net for a 4-2 WMU lead with just over a minute to play. After a great effort clearing the puck out of trouble, WMU would rush down the ice for another empty-net goal, with Grainger getting the fifth and final tally for the Broncos. 

WMU outshot the Bulldogs 42-21 and earned the 5-2 victory. The win was WMU's 15th of the season. 

UP NEXT
Western Michigan will remain in Kalamazoo for a series with Colorado College next weekend. The Jan. 26-27 series will be alumni weekend at Lawson Arena, celebrating 50 years of Varsity Hockey at WMU. Multiple pre- and in-game celebrations are planned throughout the two games.