Box Score

KALAMAZOO -- Top ranked Miami scored two short-handed goals as the Western Michigan hockey team fell to the Redhawks, 3-0, in front of 2,445 fans on Friday night at Lawson Ice Arena.

No. 1 Miami scored its first goal of the game with one-second remaining on a power play at the 10:01 mark of the first period. Andy Miele took a feed from Curtis McKenzie in the right circle and beat WMU goaltender Jerry Kuhn for his first of two goals on the game. Jarod Palmer also picked up an assist on the game-winning goal.

Miami’s second goal came at 12:19 in the second period with the Broncos on the power play. WMU was cycling the puck in the Redhawk zone, when Tommy Wingles poke-checked the puck away from a Bronco defenseman. Wingles and WMU’s Tyler Ludwig jostled for possession of the puck down the ice, but Wingles was able to get a shot on and passed Kuhn for his fourth goal of the season.

WMU’s best scoring chance of the night came around the 5:00 point in the third period. J.J. Crew and Max Campbell worked the give-and-go with Crew taking the first shot. The initial save was made by Miami goalie Cody Reichard, but the rebound went wide and pulled Reichard out of position. The puck found Campbell in the left circle but his shot went just left of an open net.

Miele put the game away with his second tally at the 6:57 mark. The junior winger picked the pocket of a Bronco forward in the WMU zone  and guided the puck in to the slot before shelfing it over Kuhn’s shoulder to give the Redhawks a 3-0 lead.

The Broncos held the nation’s top team to just 24 shots on net by throwing themselves in front of 23. Dane Walters, Jordan Collins, Mike Levendusky and Ian Slater each had three or more blocked shots on the night, with Slater leading them all with our.

Western Michigan and Miami battle it out on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. for the final game of this swing of the series. The Broncos head to Miami Jan. 29 and 30 to take on the Redhawks in Oxford.