KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan will be back in its home state for a home-and-home series with the University of Michigan. The Brown and Gold will host the Wolverines on Friday, Nov. 29 before traveling to Ann Arbor on Nov. 30. Both games will begin at 7 PM. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos earned a sweep at Minnesota Duluth, outscoring the Bulldogs 9-3 in the two-game series. Tim Washe, Liam Valente and Grant Slukynsky each had four points on the weekend, combining for four goals and eight assists.

DYNAMIC DUO
Western Michigan has gotten sensational play between the pipes to open the 2024-25 season, leaning on the duo of Cameron Rowe and Hampton Slukynsky. 

Rowe is the veteran, playing in his fifth college hockey season. He is 5-0-0 with a 1.59 GAA and .938 save percentage. He has 59 career wins, which is the most among active NCAA goaltenders. 

He is fresh off of a dazzling start at Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 22. The Wilmette, Ill. native stopped 42 shots and earned NCHC Goaltender of the Week honors. 

Slukynsky is the new kid on the block, bursting onto the scene in his rookie season. He is 3-1-1 with a 1.58 GAA and NCAA leading .949 save percentage. 

In his latest start at UMD, Slukynsky recorded a season-high 32 saves and held the Bulldogs to just one goal. He has allowed more than two goals just once in his first five starts. 

Their incredible play has WMU sitting in the top five nationally in scoring defense. 

WASHE LEADS THE WAY 
Playing in his final year with the Broncos, captain Tim Washe has put together some of the best numbers of his career. Entering Friday's game, the Clarkston, Mich. native has 12 points on five goals and seven assists. 

His five goals are a new career high and he's just four assists and six points off of career marks. He has at least one point in four of his last five games. Career wise, the veteran forward has scored 48 points on 17 goals and 31 assists. 

Faceoff wise, Washe continues to be one of the best in the nation. He's led the NCHC in winning percentage each of the last two years and is currently at 63.1 percent through 10 games. 

FANTASTIC FINNS
The Broncos have gotten great production from a pair of freshman Finns in Iiro Hakkarainen and Joona Väisänen. 

Hakkarainen has displayed a true 200-foot game, entering the weekend with five points on two goals and three assists to go along with 10 blocked shots. His 10 blocks are third most on the team and the most among forwards. 

Väisänen has been one of the top rookie blue liners in college hockey this season. He has five points on one goal and four assists. He notched a point in each game last weekend and has at least one point in three of his last four games. 

The Finnish duo is a combined +11 through 10 games. 

GETTING IT DONE ON BOTH ENDS
Western Michigan has played well on both ends of the ice, averaging 3.60 goals per game while allowing 1.70. WMU is one of just three teams to be in the top seven nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. 

 A big reason for the strong offense has been the Broncos' ability to put pucks on net. The team is third in the nation in shots per game (34.80). Defensively, WMU is averaging 11 blocked shots per game. Three players enter the weekend the at 10 or more blocks. 

TRANSFER TRANSFORMATIONS
Transfers have played a key role for WMU over the years, and the 2024-25 class is no different. Grant Slukynsky, Liam Valente and Tristan Lemyre have combined for 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists. 

Slukynsky leads the way with two goals and eight assists. Despite playing in just 10 games, he's already reached a career high in points. He's recorded a point in three of his last four contests. 

Valente is on the brink of career high numbers, as he's tallied eight points on three goals and five assists. He had four points in a sweep of Minnesota Duluth last weekend. 

Lemyre is also close to some new career numbers, sitting just one goal and four points away from new personal bests. The Mirabel, Quebec native has three goals in NCHC play.  

MAGNIFICENT MICHAELS
After a strong freshman season, Owen Michaels has not fallen into a sophomore slump. He's opened the 2024-25 season by already reaching career highs in points (8) and goals (6). 

The young winger scored in both games of last weekend's sweep at Minnesota Duluth, with Friday night's tally coming shorthanded. Michaels leads the team in goals this season and is tied for third in points. 

SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
Michigan is off to a strong start in 2024-25, carrying a 9-2-1 overall record into Friday's game. The Wolverines have been an offensive juggernaut, averaging four goals per game. 

UM leads the all-time series, 76-37-9. The series has been pretty equal over the last 10 meetings, with the Wolverines holding a 6-4 edge. The two teams haven't played since the 2022-23 season. 

Michigan has been led by freshman Michael Hage, who has 16 points on eight goals and eight assists in 11 games. Evan Werner, T.J. Hughes and Garrett Schifsky are all over 10 points as well. 

In net, Logan Stein and Cameron Korpi have split the workload. Stein has been the better of the two options, boasting a 6-1-0 record, 2.22 goals against average and .914 save percentage. Korpi enters the weekend series with a 3-1-1 record, 3.16 GAA and .890 save percentage. 

CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Since the start of the 2021-22 season Western Michigan has been consistently among the top teams in the nation, and the polls reflect that. WMU has made three straight NCAA Tournaments and currently sits at No. 7 in the nation. 

The Broncos have been ranked in the top-20 since Oct. 11, 2021.