Western Michigan will be playing in its biggest series in program history this weekend when the No. 6 Broncos host No. 3 Miami at Lawson Arena. The series gets underway Friday night.
WMU has never won a Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) regular season championship. The Broncos trail Miami by a single point with eight games left in the season.
WMU and Miami have developed quite a rivalry with the Broncos losing to the RedHawks in the CCHA tournament title game in 2011, then defeating them in the CCHA semifinal last year before winning their first conference championship in 26 years with a win over Michigan.
WMU sophomore goaltender Frank Slubowski has played well, allowing just 14 goals in the last 10 games while the Broncos have put together a 6-1-3 record. He owns a 17-6-5 overall record with a 1.75 goals-against-average and a .923 save percentage.
Miami has won five straight, allowing just six goals, and has two outstanding freshmen goaltenders in Ryan McKay (6-2-2, 1.07, .960) and Jay Williams (11-4-3, 1.76, .930.
It should be a great series with the Broncos taking a big step going after history if they take care of business on their own ice.
After all, the Broncos ultimately want to be where Miami’s been, winning a CCHA regular season title (2010), competing in the Frozen Four (2009, 2010) and playing for a national title.
The Broncos have never won a NCAA tourney game. The RedHawks lost to Boston University in the 2009 national title game.
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