KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team lifted the lid on its 2026-27 campaign with a 5-1 exhibition win over Western Ontario on Saturday evening at Lawson Arena.
 
Zaccharya Wisdom and Michael Neumeier each collected three points on the night, with Wisdom, the newly-minted Bronco captain, netting a pair of goals. Bobby Cowan, Neumeier and Garrett Szydlowski also lit the lamp for WMU. Quentin Miller stopped all six shots he faced in the first period in the Western Michigan net, and Gavin Moffatt then made eight saves over the final two frames.
 
FIRST PERIOD
Western Michigan was whistled for a penalty in the opening minutes, putting its penalty kill to work right away. The Brown and Gold killed it off, and then got their first chance with a man advantage a few minutes later, but also came up empty.
 
Just shy of the midway point of the period, WMU earned a 5-on-3 opportunity. Despite peppering the Western Ontario goal with six shots, the power play expired with the contest still scoreless.
 
After killing off a penalty of their own, the Broncos earned one more power play in the final moments of the opening frame. This time Western Michigan converted, with Cowan putting home a rebound to put the home team up 1-0 in the period's final minute.
 
SECOND PERIOD
It didn't take long for Western Michigan to strike in the second period. After a battle in front, the puck appeared to cross the line on a Wisdom chip, but play continued for a few moments until it was halted by the officials. The play was quickly reviewed and it was determined the puck did cross the line, making it 2-0 less than a minute into the second.
 
Just shy of the midway point of the frame, the Broncos killed off a Western Ontario 5-on-3 opportunity, and were rewarded with a power play of their own a few moments later. Western Michigan converted again, with Neumeier firing in a seeing-eye shot from the point to make it 3-0. The Brown and Gold struck once more just 22 seconds later. Cole Crusberg-Roseen sent one in from the point and it was redirected by Tyler MacKenzie right to the stick of Szydlowski, who buried it to up the margin to four.
 
The Mustangs pushed across their lone tally of the night in the final moments of the second, trimming the gap to 4-1 heading into the break.
 
THIRD PERIOD
The Broncos had an early power play chance in the third, but were unable to convert. Western Michigan was then awarded a penalty shot with just over 11 minutes remaining, but the chance was denied.
 
WMU was awarded one more power play chance and took advantage, with Nicholas Sykora working it over to Neumeier, and the defenseman sliding it over to Wisdom, who buried it on the short side for his second of the night to make it 5-1.
 
Western Michigan was 3-for-7 on the power play for the evening, and killed off all four of Western Ontario's power play tries.
 
UP NEXT
The Broncos officially open up the Final Season at Lawson Arena with their regular-season opener on Thursday at 7 pm against Ferris State.  
 
The 2026-27 campaign marks the Final Season at historic Lawson Arena for Western Michigan hockey. Named after the founding father of the program, Harry W. Lawson, the arena has been home to Bronco hockey since the 1974-75 season. All throughout the 2026-27 season, WMU hockey will be celebrating its five-plus decades at Lawson Arena with special events, giveaways and promotions. Secure your tickets and help us celebrate the Final Season at Lawson Arena by going to wmubroncos.com/tickets.