KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan returns to the Frozen Faceoff after a two-year hiatus. WMU will square off with North Dakota on Friday night at 8:30 PM. The Brown and Gold won three games against the Fighting Hawks in the regular season. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos swept St. Cloud State in the NCHC Quarterfinals, outscoring the Huskies 12-4 in the series. Alex Bump and Tim Washe each tallied five points on three goals and two assists in the series. Hampton Slukynsky made 43 saves between the two victories. 

CAPTAIN CLUTCH
Captain Tim Washe has produced career-best numbers in his final year with the Broncos, coming up in big-time moments throughout the season. 

Washe broke the program's single season record for game-winning goals on March 15 in a 6-2 victory over St. Cloud State. The GWG was his seventh of the season and 10th of his career. He is two away from tying the career mark set by Ethen Frank. 

He's had some heroics against the Fighting Hawks this season, tallying the game winner to clinch the Penrose Cup back on Feb. 28. The Clarkston, Mich. native has 32 points on 14 goals and 18 assists this season.

OFFENSE LEADS THE WAY
Since Pat Ferschweiler took over in 2021-22, WMU's offense has produced at an elite rate. The Broncos have finished top-nine in the country in scoring offense each of the last three seasons and lead the NCAA in goals per game this year. 

 Western Michigan is one of two teams in the country to average more than four goals per game, and the Broncos have an NCAA best 1.97 scoring margin. 

Since the start of the new year, the Brown and Gold have been on another level offensively. WMU has lit the lamp 95 times in 20 games for an average of 4.75 goals per game. The Broncos have scored four goals or more in 15 games during that stretch. 

It's been offense by committee, as each of WMU's four forward lines have produced at various points this season. All four of Western Michigan's lines have 35 points or more, with the trio Alex Bump, Matteo Costantini and Owen Michaels leading the way with 94. 

MILESTONE MOMENTS
The Broncos have a couple of upcoming milestones, with Pat Ferschweiler and Tim Washe just a few games away from history. 

Ferschweiler is just two wins away from 100 in his career, and two wins down the stretch would make him the fastest coach to reach that mark in program history. 

The fourth-year head coach has transformed the Broncos into a consistent winner, as the team is on track for a program record fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Along with that, Ferschweiler guided the Brown and Gold to its first regular season title in program history earlier this season. WMU won the Penrose Cup by 10 points and earned the No. 1 seed in the NCHC Tournament. 

Washe is three games away from matching the program record for career games played at Western Michigan. He will play in his 166th game on Friday, pushing him into a tie for second place in Bronco history. 

Washe is chasing Brian Tulik, who played for the Brown and Gold from 1987-92. The Broncos have a chance to play six more games down the stretch of the season. Over the course of his career, Washe has produced 68 points on 26 goals and 42 assists. 

BUMP IT UP
Sophomore forward Alex Bump has been WMU's best player throughout the 2024-25 season, as he enters the NCHC Frozen Faceoff with 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists. 

He's been sensational since the calendar turned to 2025. In 20 games, the Prior Lake, Minn. native has tallied 31 points on 15 goals and 16 assists. He has at least one point in 17 of those 20 games, including 10 multi-point efforts. 

The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick has dominated North Dakota this season, totaling seven points on five goals and two assists in four games. He had three goals and two assists to open the NCHC Tournament last weekend against St. Cloud State. 

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING HAWKS
North Dakota is one of the hotter teams entering the Frozen Faceoff, as the Fighting Hawks have won four of their last five games. They are the No. 5 seed in the NCHC Tournament. 

UND is 1-3-0 against the Broncos this season, winning their lone game in overtime on March 1 at Lawson Arena. WMU defeated UND last time these two teams met in the Frozen Faceoff back in 2022. 

Sacha Boisvert has led the way for the Fighting Hawks, carrying 30 points on 16 goals and 14 assists into Friday's game. Owen McLaughlin and Jake Livanavage have aided the attack, with each having 28 points on the season. 

In net, T.J. Semptimphleter has carried the load, playing in 30 games. He has an 18-10-2 record, 2.66 goals against average and .908 save percentage. Hobie Hedquist has played in 10 games, holding a 3-4-0 record, 2.80 GAA and .894 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. 3 in the nation. 

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