hockey WMU scores two goals overdue for 4-3 win over Ferris State | Sports

Hockey Bronco traveled to Ferris State to take on the enemy-of-state Bulldogs on Saturday, which ended in a flurry of late goals to secure the 4-3 win at WMU. Western Michigan now improves to 2-0 on the season and has swept the Bulldogs in the season series.

WMU got off to a slow start and led the Bulldogs 2-1 early in the last period of play. Roughly halfway through the third period, Ethen Frank started the Broncos’ offense with a 2-2 tie. for his third goal of the year.

Ferris State responded to the Broncos with a goal that would see them regain the lead, 3-2, at 12:18. Bronco goaltender Brandon Bussi made a save, but the puck found the back of the net on a rebound.

The Broncos would tie the game again as Cole Gallant scored at 4:40 PM. Gallant managed to separate two Ferris State defensemen and overtake Bulldogs goaltender Logan Stein. With 1:16 left in regulation, Jason Polin would put the Broncos atop 4-3 to score his first goal of the year and secure a victory for his team.

Bussi made 20 saves in the evening while securing his second victory.

The Broncos outscored the Bulldogs 26-23 on the evening, but struggled in special teams, going 0-for-5 on power-play attempts.

After scoring just one goal in two periods, the WMU offense scored three goals to propel themselves to victory.

“We started to overwork the guys and create some free pucks in the second,” said head coach Pat Ferschweiler. “They really turned the tide with their work ethic and I think that continued in the third with our goals.”

So far in the first two games of the season, the Broncos have scored eight goals for an average of four goals per game. This Bronco offense is very versatile with production coming from every line so far.

“I think we are deep, we have three more lines that can create offense,” Ferschweiler said. “The (Luke) Grainger line has done a lot of good things in the attacking zone, if we can have it then we’re a very deep team.”

The Broncos will have the weekend ahead before a round-trip series with the Michigan Wolverines October 22-23. WMU will travel to Ann Arbor for Game 1 and host the Wolverines in Game 2.