KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Despite outshooting No. 8/8 Western Michigan in the final game of the regular season, the Miami hockey team dropped a 3-0 decision on the road Saturday. The Broncos (22-10-1, 14-9-1 NCHC) scored once in each period to earn the victory. Ludvig Persson made 28 saves in net for the RedHawks (7-25-2, 4-19-1 NCHC).
 
Miami will be the No. 8 seed in the upcoming NCHC tournament and will travel to face top-seeded Denver next weekend in a best-of-three quarterfinal series, with Game 1 set for Friday, March 11.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• 5:41 1st (WMU 1-0) | The Broncos struck first, working the puck around the top of the zone from Cedric Fiedler to Michael Joyaux. Joyaux's shot from near the right point was redirected in close by Drew Worrad for the opening goal of the game.
• 14:05 2nd (WMU 2-0) | Just as Miami's first power play of the game expired, Ethen Frank got free down the left side to double the Broncos' lead. Frank took a pass from Ronnie Attard in his own zone, led a 2-on-1 break, and cut to the middle to finish past Persson for a 2-0 WMU advantage.
• 15:57 3rd (WMU 3-0) | Western Michigan ended any Miami hopes of a comeback with one final goal late in the third period. Off a feed from Joyaux, Max Sasson carried the puck into the zone and dropped it off for a trailing Jason Polin, who found the top right corner of the net for the Broncos' third goal of the night.

NOTES

• Miami outshot WMU 32-31, led by Monte Graham's career-high six shots on goal.
• Persson is 17 saves away from the program single-season record (Mark Michaud, 972 in 1989-90).
• Miami was shut out for just the second time all season.
• The RedHawks won 33 faceoffs compared to 30 for Western Michigan, with Graham capturing 11 of his 17 draws.

UP NEXT:
Miami begins play in the NCHC quarterfinals Friday, Mar. 11 at Denver to open a best-of-three road series. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET.