KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Special teams proved a decided difference as the No. 20 Miami hockey team dropped a 4-3 decision at 14th-ranked Western Michigan on Friday night.
The RedHawks fall to 9-8-4 on the season (3-4-2-1 National Collegiate Hockey) as their winless streak extends to seven.
Both teams went back and forth in the early going and traded some brief power plays that were interrupted by opposing penalties. The Broncos (12-6-1, 5-3-1-1 NCHC) did draw first blood with their second man advantage of the frame as Colt Conrad walked the puck in from the left circle and flung a shot through a screen to make it a 1-0 contest.
WMU's lead did not last long, however, as MU utilized its speed on a 2-on-1 rush to perfection.
Gordie Green dished to
Karch Bachman at the left wing before getting the return feed as he finished his eighth goal of the season to even the score.
Miami outshot Western Michigan 9-6 and got another power play shortly after Green's goal, but was unable to convert.
Ben Lown nearly put the Red & White on top later in the frame when he carried the puck into the zone in transition and fired a wrist shot that went past Trevor Gorsuch's stick, but rang off the post as the teams remained tied at intermission.
Things took a turn in Western's favor in the second as Ethen Frank corralled a pass in the right circle and fired one off the post and in to put it back in front just 1:36 into the frame. The Broncos outshot the RedHawks 16-4 in the period and went on a couple power plays in that frame, but the Red & White killed them off.
It appeared Miami might tie it up late in the frame as
Karch Bachman won a footrace up ice to a loose puck, but his chip shot just missed the net.
Carter Johnson then found a loose puck in close that Trevor Gorsuch sprawled to keep out, which sprung a WMU rush that Hugh McGing finished with 4:12 to go, staking the Broncos to a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes.
MU got an early chance to get back in the game when WMU was called for a major penalty just 27 seconds into the third. While the RedHawks nearly pulled within a goal on a rebound that was kicked out to Green with an open net, his shot hit the post and the remainder of the five-minute power play produced little offense as the deficit remained two goals.
Green found the net later, however, as Bachman made a play from the ground behind the net and fed the fellow junior winger in front as he netted his second of the night to cut the gap to 3-2.
Grant Hutton also earned an assist on the tally.
The Broncos' power play upped their lead back to two with 8:17 to go when Josh Passolt took advantage of open space during 4-on-3 play and hammered home a one-timer to make it 4-2. Miami eventually used good forechecking effort by
Scott Corbett to pull back within a goal when Corbett eventually fed
Brian Hawkinson for his second goal of the year in the low slot.
Miami continued to push for a tying tally, but was unable to get into the middle of the Western Michigan zone down the stretch as Gorsuch made two more stops to hold off a comeback bid.
WMU outshot MU 34-22 and its 2-for-6 mark on the power play proved the difference as it held Miami to 0-for-3 with the man advantage. Green's two goals marked his fourth career multi-point game while Bachman notched his first multi-assist game with his two helpers. Larkin made 30 saves for the RedHawks while Gorsuch stopped 19 shots for the Broncos.
These teams finish up their weekend series on Saturday. Puck drop is slotted for 7 p.m.
