Weekend split with Western Michigan drops UMD to No. 2

After going up 3-1 early in the first period of Friday night's bout with Western Michigan University, the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey team looked poised to have another successful weekend at home.

The Broncos had other thoughts in mind. The Broncos answered the Bulldogs’ third goal just one minute and 18 seconds later to cut UMD’s lead in half. With time about to expire in the first period, WMU forward Colt Conrad netted the equalizer with just four ticks remaining on the clock.

Both teams were locked in a battle at 3-apiece for almost the entirety of the game until Conrad snuck one by freshman goaltender Hunter Miska with just 30 seconds remaining in the game. Conrad’s second goal of the night would hand the Bulldogs just their second loss of the season.

"They came out hard and defended hard so you have to give them some credit," senior defenseman Carson Soucy said. "We've got to stay in those battles more and we have to want to win those battles some more. Tonight, they just outworked us."

Soucy, with an assist on senior winger Alex Iafallo’s seventh goal of the season, extended his scoring streak to a personal-high five games.

Saturday nights game had a completely different feel to it than Friday. Coming out and firing on all cylinders, Iafallo scored his eighth goal of the season and the the Bulldogs first of the night.

Later in the second period, Iafallo would help help set up senior forward Kyle Osterberg’s back door one-timer, extending the Bulldog lead to two.

Osterberg’s goal would conclude the scoring for the evening as UMD was lights out on defense. The defensive success of the Bulldogs helped Miska earn his third shut-out of the season and his collegiate career.

"It was a good game and a good response by our team," said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. "I thought we were much better tonight in a lot of areas. Our compete level was higher, but it needed to me because Western is a good hockey team."

Photo By Dave Harwig