Box Score Feb. 3, 2018 Final Stats | PDF Box Score | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ohio - Eying its first conference weekend sweep of the season, the Miami hockey team got off to a stellar start, but No. 15 Western Michigan rallied to top MU 3-2 on Saturday night.
The RedHawks (10-13-3, 5-9-2-0 National Collegiate Hockey) built a 2-0 lead early in the second period, but the Broncos (14-13-1, 9-9 NCHC) scored the last three to force the split.
Western Michigan got caught with too many men on the ice to put Miami on a power play just 45 seconds into the contest. Despite generating a couple shots, nothing moved on the scoreboard. WMU was called for too many men on the ice again shortly afterwards and Phil Knies made a nice pass in close to Carson Meyer at the left wing, but he was unable to pull the trigger as the Broncos survived that power play.
Special teams play continued to be a theme in the opening frame, only this time it was Western Michigan getting to go on the attack on a penalty with 6:41 gone off the clock. It appeared the Broncos got on the board with 11:28 left in the first when Dawson DiPietro took a cross-ice pass and fired it in from the left circle. However, officials took another look at the play and determined Western entered the zone offside before netting the goal, negating the tally and allowing Miami to kill off the penalty.
The RedHawks killed off another penalty in the first period and with time winding down, went on their third man advantage of the frame. The third time was, in fact, the charm as Casey Gilling found the net from atop the right circle at 19:22 to make it a 1-0 game. Louie Belpedio and Josh Melnick also drew assists working the puck around the perimeter on Gilling's seventh tally of the year which staked the Red & White to a 1-0 lead after the first period.
Miami doubled its lead early in the second period thanks to an offensive zone faceoff win. A Louie Belpedio point shot got tipped home by Carter Johnson for his first collegiate goal just 1:46 into the second stanza with Gordie Green also picking up an assist.
The Broncos came roaring back, however, with Ethen Frank getting them on the board at the 3:41 mark as he got fed in close for a breakaway goal. Miami generated 13 shots in the period and kept the pressure on, but was unable to build on the lead. WMU then struck for a pair late with Frank tying it up with four minutes remaining and Lawton Courtnall putting the Broncos in front for the first time on the weekend with 2:36 to go until the break. That tally capped the second period scoring with the Broncos in front 3-2.
Miami drew a penalty 1:20 into the third and had a couple good opportunities. The best of which came off the stick of Louie Belpedio after a Western giveaway fed him directly in the slot. While his shot beat Blacker clean, the bid rang off the post and stayed out as WMU maintained the lead through that man advantage.
A golden chance to regain control of the game presented itself with 13:09 remaining in regulation as the Broncos were called for a major penalty, giving the RedHawks five minutes to work with a man advantage. Despite getting three shots on goal, MU was unable to crack the net as WMU came up with a big kill to hold the lead into the latter stages.
Miami recorded all eight shots on goal of the third period, but struggled to get to the net down the stretch. The RedHawks pulled Ryan Larkin for an extra skater with under a minute and a half remaining and their offensive zone pressure drew a Bronco penalty with 35.8 seconds to go, giving them one more crack at a power play. However, Blacker made one more stop on a Grant Hutton one-timer to hold on for the win.
The RedHawks finished with a 28-16 edge in shots on goal and went 1-for-7 on the power play while killing all four Bronco man advantages. Belpedio assisted on both goals to post his second multi-point game of the weekend and Larkin made 13 saves in goal compared to Blacker's 26.
Miami wraps up its home stand next weekend against St. Cloud State. Friday's series opener is a later 8 p.m. start due to being nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
