Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. --  The Western Michigan hockey team fell short at Nebraska-Omaha, 4-2, in front of 6,136 fans at the Qwest Center on Saturday night.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Matt Ambroz with 7:15 remaining in the first period. Eric Olimb fired a shot from the left point off of a faceoff and Ambroz redirected the shot past Kuhn for his third goal of the season. Olimb and Ryan Kretzer each tallied assists on the goal with Olimb tallying his fourth and Kretzer his seventh.

Western Michigan tied the game up, 1-1, at the 12:34 mark of the second period. Ian Slater won a loose puck in the Maverick zone and found Chris Clackson in the left circle. Clackson used his back-hand to pass the puck to Cam Watson in front of the net. Watson fired off an initial shot with UNO goalie John Faulkner made the first save but Watson poked in the rebound for his second goal of the season. The goal was the second on the season for Watson with the assists being the third of the season for Clackson and second on the year for Slater.

Nebraska-Omaha retook the lead, 2-1, with 1:02 remaining in the second period on a goal in transition. Terry Broadhurst brought the puck down the ice on the right side and passed it to Eddie Del Grosso in the slot right in front of the net. Del Grosso redirected the pass and beat Kuhn high on his stick side for his third goal of the season.

Western Michigan tied the game 2-2 just 13 seconds in to the third period. Slater poked the puck past Faulkner after picking up a pass from Watson from beyond the goal line. The goal was the third of the season for Slater, the fifth assist for Watson and his third point of the series.

The Mavericks took the lead for the third time of the game 3:13 in to the third period. Olimb poked in a rebound off a shot by Dan Swanson for his second goal of the season. Swanson and Hudson each tallied assists on the game-winning goal.

Del Grosso added his second goal of the game with 6:25 remaining in the game. The skilled defenseman fired a wrist-shot from the slot and beat Kuhn on his stick side for the power-play goal. Jeric Agost and John Kemp each tallied assists on Del Grosso’s fourth of the season.

The Broncos return to Kalamazoo to battle the Nanooks of Alaska-Fairbanks on Dec. 6 and 7 at 7:35 p.m. at Lawson Ice Arena.