Box Score

KALAMAZOO -- Down 2-0 in the second period, the Western Michigan hockey team netted three goals in the second period and J.J. Crew scored the game-winning goal at 11:45 in the third period as the Broncos defeated Mercyhurst 4-3 on Saturday night in front of 1,977 fans at Lawson Ice Arena.

After a goal by Jared Katz and two tallies by Max Campbell the Broncos (2-0-0) found themselves with a 3-2 lead heading in the to third period after erasing its two goal deficit. However the Lakers tied the game 6:16 in to the third period.

The Broncos had to kill off 1:01 of a five-on-three Mercyhurst (0-4-0) advantage and were successful, but the with the time remaining in the final power play Mercyhurst’s Brandon Coccimiglio fired a shot from the slot that deflected off a Bronco defender and in to the net. Scott Pitt and Steve Cameron picked up assists on the goal and the game was tied, 3-3.
l
The star of last night’s game, Crew, found himself skating through the slot and beat Laker goaltender Ryan Zapolski through his legs for his fourth goal of the weekend and to give the Brown & Gold the lead again. Greg Squires picked up his third assist on the game and fifth on the weekend along with captain Tyler Ludwig, who tallied his first helper on the season.

Mercyhurst pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker in the final minute, but the WMU defense held serve for the win.

The Bronco penalty kill, despite giving up the goal in the third period was stellar once again. WMU killed off eight out of the nine penalties they took on the night and Jordan Collins was a big reason. The senior defender blocked three key shots, two coming during the five-on-three advantage after blocking seven the night before.

Mercyhurst took the initial lead at the 13:19 mark of the first period on a goal by Paul Chiasson with assists to Chris Risi and Matt Fennell. The Lakers struck again 33-seconds in to the second period while on the penalty kill. The short-handed goal was scored by Neil Graham with assists to Grant Blakey and Kevin Noble.

WMU cut the lead in half just 29 seconds later on the very same power play they gave up the short handed goal. Freshman winger Trevor Elias found Jared Katz near the crease and Katz put it in for his first goal of the season. Elias tallied his second career assist on the goal.

Campbell’s first of two goals came at the 6:02 mark after Squires dished him the puck. Squires and Crew each tallied assists on the game-tying goal. Campbell’s second goal came nine minutes later on the power play. Crew made a pass through the crease and it deflected off of Zapolski to Campbell, and the junior centerman plugged it in. Crew and Squires once again were rewarded with assists.

Western Michigan heads to Huntsville, Ala., to battle the Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville on Friday and Saturday night at 8:05 p.m.