Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- A late rally by the Broncos fell short as Michigan State handed them their first loss of the season, 2-1, in front of 4,983 fans at Munn Ice Arena on Friday night.

With five seconds remaining in the game and WMU goaltender Riley Gill on the bench, the Broncos put forth a last ditch effort to erase a one-goal deficit. Chris Clackson won the faceoff and Matt Tennyson lobbed the puck on net. A scramble to the rebound ensued and Greg Squires put the puck in the net. The shot was initially ruled a goal on the ice but after further review it was ruled that time had expired before the puck fully crossed the goal line.

The Spartans opened up the scoring midway through the first period on a goal by Chris Forfar. After defenseman Jeff Petry had two shot attempts blocked by J.J. Crew, he brought the puck up to the near circle and passed it through the slot to Forfar. Forfar one-timed the puck into the top corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Western Michigan opened up the second period with a five-minute power play after MSU’s Matt Grassi was ejected from the game for a check-from-behind on WMU’s Trevor Elias. Max Campbell had the best chance during the man-advantage. After getting a pass from Squires, he settled the puck in the right circle and fired one over MSU goaltender Drew Palmisano’s shoulder but it ricocheted off the post.

A WMU penalty in the last five minutes of the second period gave the CCHA’s best power-play their fifth chance of the game and the Spartans capitalized this time. Dustin Gazley put in a rebound off a shot by Andrew Rowe to give MSU a 2-0 lead late in the second period.

Campbell had another chance for the Broncos early in the third period. Squires found the junior centerman just left of the slot but the shot went just wide.

With 11:08 remaining in the third period Clackson and Ian Slater led a Bronco two-on-one. Clackson took the puck in to the left circle and skipped it to Slater in the slot. Slater settled the puck just enough to get the shot off, but it was put aside by Palmisano.

The Broncos finally lit the lamp after MSU’s Gazely committed a boarding penalty. Luke Witkowski fired a shot from the middle of the blue-line. The puck caromed off of Palmisano and reigning CCHA Freshman of the Week, Elias,  was there to clean up the rebound for his third goal in three-straight games. Witkowski earned his first career point on the goal, picking up his first collegiate assist and senior captain Tyler Ludwig also notched a helper as the Broncos cut the lead to 2-1.

Minutes later the Broncos had another two-on-one break out, this time led by Campbell and Squires. Campbell took the puck up the right side and skipped it to Squires. Squires batted it out of mid-air but right in to Palmisano’s chest.

The Broncos head back home to Kalamazoo for Saturday’s match up with the Spartans at 7:35 p.m.