Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey

Broncos post home sweep of No. 1 Denver

Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey

 

By @StefanKubus – 

It was a wild weekend for the Broncos at Lawson Ice Arena.

Western Michigan started off NCHC play in the best possible way, sweeping No. 1 Denver at home to earn a 2-0 start and improve to 5-3-1 overall.

On Friday, the Broncos fell behind, 5-4, with just 4:30 left on the clock in the final frame. But with 1:12 remaining and an extra attacker on the ice, junior forward Colt Conrad evened things up for the Broncos. And a mere 15 seconds later, Dawson DiPietro potted what turned out to be the game-winning goal to give WMU a 6-5 victory.


The next night, it was the Wade Allison show in Kalamazoo.

The sophomore forward scored twice late in the middle frame to pull WMU to within one heading into the third. Denver struck first in the third period to extend its lead to two, but Western Michigan scored five unanswered goals – including three goals in 41 seconds and a third from Allison later on to complete the hat trick – to post a 7-4 win and complete the sweep of the nation’s top team.

The weekend boosted WMU to a No. 18 ranking, while Denver dropped to No. 3.

Conrad and Allison continue to populate the scoresheet, as the duo has combined for 13 goals and 29 points already through nine games – good for third and fourth respectively in the country.

The Broncos will move right on to the next tough test, as they head west to face No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth this weekend.