KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Miami hockey team took a pair of early one-goal leads, but No. 8/8 Western Michigan responded with three consecutive goals and held on for a 5-3 win over the RedHawks Friday night.
 
Miami (7-24-2, 4-18-1 NCHC) got goals from Thomas Daskas, Matthew Barbolini, and Matt Barry, with Barry's extra attacker goal cutting the deficit to 4-3 in the final two and a half minutes. The RedHawks were unable to find an equalizer in the closing seconds, and WMU (21-10-1, 13-9-1 NCHC) put the game away with an empty-netter just before time expired.
 
Ludvig Persson made 40 saves in net for the Red and White.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• 6:25 1st (Miami 1-0) | The RedHawks got on the board first, as Derek Daschke took away the puck in his own end, skated around the Broncos in the neutral zone, and cut inside to drop it off for Daskas. Daskas finished the play to give Miami an early 1-0 lead.
• 9:17 1st (WMU 1-1) | The Broncos answered back, taking advantage of the game's first power play. A chance from Ty Glover in front led to a Cole Gallant shot. Two WMU players scrambled after the rebound, with Ethen Frank getting to the loose puck and tapping it in to tie the game at 1-1.
• 1:32 2nd (Miami 2-1) | Miami re-took the lead on its first power play opportunity of the game. PJ Fletcher cycled the puck around to Daschke at the point, and Daschke found Barry for a one-time blast. Chase Gresock was positioned in front and redirected the shot, with Barbolini in the right place at the right time to knock the rebound home at the back post.
• 6:36 2nd (WMU 2-2) | After WMU's Dylan Wendt battled to win the puck in the corner, he worked it free to Tim Washe, who slid it across to Michael Joyaux for the finish, knotting the score at 2-2.
• 12:26 2nd (WMU 3-2) | Western Michigan took its first lead with an even strength goal just seconds after a power play expired. The Broncos controlled an offensive zone faceoff with two seconds remaining on the man advantage, with Chad Hillebrand finding Luke Grainger. Grainger was able to reverse direction, buy time, and feed Daniel Hilsendager at the point. Hilsendager's long-range shot put the home team on top 3-2.
• 8:15 3rd (WMU 4-2) | WMU doubled its lead in the third period. Jamie Rome won the puck in the neutral zone, skating it to the half boards. His diagonal pass connected with Hilsendager, and the ensuing shot deflected off Grainger and in for what turned out to be the game-winning tally.
• 17:30 3rd (Miami 4-3) | The RedHawks wouldn't go away, responding with an extra attacker goal to keep the pressure on. In a play very similar to the previous Miami goal, Fletcher worked the puck around to Daschke, who set up Barry's attempt from the left side. Barry rocketed a shot past WMU goalie Brandon Bussi to make it 4-3.
• 19:57.1 3rd (WMU 5-3) | After a couple of excellent Miami chances around the WMU net in the final few seconds, Ronnie Attard eventually came away with a pass from Drew Worrad and fired the length of the ice for an empty-net goal with 2.9 seconds remaining to conclude the scoring.

 
NOTES

• Daschke, who was named the Third Star, extended his point streak to five games.
• Gresock was credited with a career-high 10 shots on goal, the highest single-game total for any RedHawk this season.
• Barry matched his career high for points (2) for the fifth time in the last nine games.
• Persson made at least 40 saves for the third consecutive game.
• Miami scored its first extra attacker goal since the opening weekend of the season (Oct. 3 at Ferris State).

 
UP NEXT:
Miami and Western Michigan will meet again Saturday, March 5 to conclude the regular season. Puck drop for the series finale in Kalamazoo is set for 7:05 p.m.