KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Miami University hockey team scored three power-play goals but fell 8-4 on Saturday evening in the regular season finale versus Western Michigan.
Miami (8-21-5) took a 1-0 lead 2:04 into the first period.
Casey Gilling dug the puck off of the sideboard and
Matt Barry found
Gordie Green open at the left circle on Miami's first power play of the game. Green juked a defender and wristed a shot past the WMU goaltender.
Western Michigan (18-13-5) tied it up with seven minutes to go in the first. An attacker came down the left side and his back-handed shot was deflected by a Miami defender over
Ryan Larkin's left shoulder. Less than a minute later the Broncos beat Larkin on a wrist shot from the right circle to take a 2-1 lead.
Miami was awarded a five-minute major late in the first period after the Broncos were called for goaltender interference, but were unable to capitalize despite several quality chances. Larkin was injured on the play, forcing freshman
Ben Kraws into the game.
The five-minute major concluded 15 seconds into the second period but that did not stop the Miami offense. Less than a minute into the period Gilling poked the puck away from a WMU defender as he was crossing his own blue line. Gilling skated in alone but was turned aside.
Karch Bachman picked up the rebound and fired a one-timer that ricocheted behind the WMU net. Green then tried to curl around the far post but was denied and
Derek Daschke found the puck on his stick and put it in the back of a nearly empty net.
WMU scored two goals in the next four minutes to take a 4-2 lead but the Red and White would not go away.
While on the power play,
Rourke Russell blasted a shot from the left point, a shot that
Chase Pletzke deflected off of the WMU goaltender.
John Sladic located the puck in traffic and snuck it into the goal to cut WMU's lead to 4-3 midway through the contest.
Western Michigan added two late period goals to take a 6-3 advantage after 40 minutes of play.
Bachman added a power-play goal six minutes into the third period as Miami clawed back into the contest, 6-4.
Alec Mahalak and Russell picked up assists.
WMU added two third period goals to capture the 8-4 contest.
Up next for the Red and White is the NCHC Tournament. Miami is the No. 7 seed and will travel to Minnesota Duluth.
