Kalamazoo, Mich. – The Niagara men’s hockey team fell, 3-2, to Western Michigan in the first of two meetings between the clubs this weekend. The Purple Eagles (7-7-1, 7-4-1 AHA) hung with the Broncos (7-6-0, 3-3-0 NCHC) the full 60 minutes, but couldn’t catch them on the scoreboard despite several quality chances.
Game Recap
The Broncos scored twice less than nine minutes into the contest and controlled the tempo for much of the first period. Just after Western Michigan tallied its second goal, Niagara nearly pulled one back with its closest attempt of the opening frame when Ludwig Stenlund snuck a low shot through but put it off the iron.
2:22 into the second, the Purple Eagles found a response when Justin Kendall raced into the Western Michigan end alone and lined a shot through the netminder to make it a 2-1 game.
Jade McMullen was sent off the ice for the Broncos after a check from behind two minutes later. Halfway through the five-minute power play, Johnny Curran rang one off the pipe. Western Michigan killed off the remainder of the penalty to maintain their one-goal lead.
Leading 3-1 entering the third, the Broncos lead was dented yet again, this time by Noah Delmas. Delmas took a pass from Edgerton at the blue line and laced a low shot towards the net that snuck through stick side.
With just over six minutes left, Dylan Mills gave Reed Robinson a gorgeous pass in front of the net that nearly tied the game. Robinson was denied at the doorstep after Trevor Gorsuch recovered to get all the way to the far post and put the pad to the puck at the last second.
Brian Wilson was pulled for the final 2:40 to give the Purple Eagles an extra skater. Niagara generated five shots with the sixth man out but couldn’t find the tying goal despite a couple of quality chances and close scrambles in front.
Up Next
The Broncos and Purple Eagles will close out the series tomorrow with a 7 p.m. puck drop from Lawson Ice Arena
