Chase Pletzke
Bella Sagarese
6
Winner Western Mich. WMU 11-4-0, 4-3-0
3
Miami (OH) MIA 3-11-1, 1-6-0
Winner
Western Mich. WMU
11-4-0, 4-3-0
6
Final
3
Miami (OH) MIA
3-11-1, 1-6-0
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Western Mich. WMU 3 2 1 6
Miami (OH) MIA 2 1 0 3

Game Recap: Hockey |

No. 6 WMU Gets Past Miami 6-3

OXFORD, Ohio — Miami's Chase Pletzke scored two goals in the first period, but No. 6/5 Western Michigan pulled away over the final 45 minutes to post a 6-3 win over the RedHawks Friday night in Oxford. After Miami (3-11-1, 1-6-0 NCHC) outshot WMU 16-12 in the opening stanza, the Broncos (11-4-0, 4-3-0 NCHC) fired 32 shots compared to 15 for the home team over the final two periods.
 
PJ Fletcher had a goal and an assist for the RedHawks, while Logan Neaton made 38 saves in the Miami net, with half of those stops coming in the third period.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • 5:18 1st (Western Michigan 1-0) | Jason Polin opened the scoring for the visitors as he skated around the back of the goal, passed to Ronnie Attard near the blue line, and then deposited the return pass in the top left corner of the net. Aidan Fulp added an assist for WMU.
  • 5:32 1st (Miami 1-1) | It took just 14 seconds for the RedHawks to answer with a goal of their own. Derek Daschke worked the puck free from the boards in the midst of three defenders, sliding it to Joe Cassetti. Cassetti's picture-perfect pass across the ice set up Pletzke for Miami's first goal of the evening.
  • 6:45 1st (Western Michigan 2-1) | Chad Hillebrand took a pass from Dylan Wendt at his own blue line and outraced Miami to the other end of the ice to put the Broncos back on top.
  • 13:38 1st (Miami 2-2) | Fletcher forced a turnover on Western Michigan's clearing attempt, and Pletzke didn't hesitate when the puck fell to him, quickly converting his second goal.
  • 16:03 1st (Western Michigan 3-2) | Western's lone power play goal came late in the first period, as Michael Joyaux fired from the point and benefited from a couple crazy deflections and bounces to get the puck past Neaton. Ty Glover and WMU goalie Brandon Bussi had the assists.
  • 9:26 2nd (Western Michigan 4-2) | Glover picked up his second assist of the night, stickhandling through the Miami defense and feeding Paul Washe for a tap-in goal at the back post. Chad Hillebrand had the secondary assist for the visitors.
  • 13:56 2nd (Miami 4-3) Fletcher won the puck at center ice, then got it back from Hampus Rydqvist in stride skating into the offensive zone. Although Fletcher's first shot was saved, Bussi couldn't locate the rebound, and a persistent Fletcher poked the loose puck home as he curled around the far side of the goal.
  • 14:59 2nd (Western Michigan 5-3) Scooter Brickey snatched the momentum back just over a minute later, accepting a diagonal pass from Cole Gallant and firing a blast from the right point. Daniel Hislendager had an assist on the play.
  • 18:16 3rd (Western Michigan 6-3) Ty Glover put the game away with an empty-net goal off assists from Callant and Attard, picking up his third point of the evening in the process.
 
 GAME NOTES:
  • Rydqvist and Michael Regush had five shots apiece to lead Miami.
  • Robby Drazner had four blocked shots, a career high.
  • WMU won 32 faceoffs to Miami's 31; Red Savage and Monte Graham each won seven draws for MU.
  • Pletzke had his first career multi-goal game and was named the Third Star of the Game.
  • Miami was 0-5 on the power play, while Western Michigan finished 1-6.
  • Fletcher had his first multi-point game as a RedHawk.

WHAT'S NEXT:
The RedHawks and Broncos conclude their two-game series Saturday, Dec. 4 in Oxford. Puck drop at Steve "Coach" Cady Arena is set for 5:05 p.m. ET.
 
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