OXFORD, Ohio -- Western Michigan fought off a 2-0 deficit and netted three unanswered goals to sweep the RedHawks at Miami for the first time since 1992 after a 3-2 win at Steve Cady Arena on Saturday night.
After giving up two goals in the first period WMU responded with three in the second by
Josh Pitt,
Chris Dienes and
Will Kessel to take the lead and hold off MU in the third period to secure WMU's fourth win of the season against Miami, completing the season series sweep.
Frank Slubowski came in during the first period and made 24 saves to blank the RedHawks the rest of the night.
Pitt struck first for WMU at 2:58 in the second period. He picked up the puck on a feed from
Nolan LaPorte and his wraparound shot banked in for his ninth goal of the season to cut Miami's lead to 2-1.
At 7:18 Dienes netted his second of the season to tie the game at 2-2. The freshman defenseman fired a shot from the top of the left circle and it bounced off of Miami goalie Jay Williams' glove and into the net.
Kessel netted the game-winning goal with just 29 seconds left in the second period.
Mike Cichy played the puck to
Colton Hargrove at center ice and Hargrove pushed it to Kessel. Kessel skated into the right circle and fired a shot with Hargrove skating in front to screen Williams and it found the net for his third of the season. Hargrove tallied his 10th assist to extend his point streak to four games and Cichy also tallied his fourth of the season.
Slubowski made 13 saves in the third period to preserve the win after the Broncos were outshot 13-6 in the final stanza.
Miami took an early 1-0 lead on a short-handed goal by Riley Barber at 8:14 in the first period. Austin Czarnik created a turnover at center ice and Barber beat
Lukas Hafner between his legs for his 17th of the season.
The RedHawk lead was pushed to 2-0 on a power play goal by Matthew Caito at 13:52. Caito fired a puck from beyond the blue line and it got past Hafner. Slubowski was substituted in for WMU's starting goalie after the goal.
Western Michigan continues its NCHC road trip with games at Colorado College next Friday and Saturday. Friday's game is set for 9:30 p.m. and Saturday's at 9 p.m.
