Nanooks Bite the Broncos

The Western Michigan University Broncos fell to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks Saturday night 5-3 and fell to 1-1 in conference play. The victory for the Nanooks sent the majority of the 2,622 fans in attendance home disappointed and raised the Nanooks record to 1-1 also in conference play.

The Broncos started the game pretty strong with Brent Walton getting the Broncos on the board with his 3rd and 4th goal of the young season. However, the Nanooks kept fighting and with Kyle Greentree’s 2nd and 3rd goal of the season the Nanooks were able to secure the victory and the weekend series split.

Among the 8 goals scored in the game, both teams combined for 21 penalties (UAF-11, WMU-10) totaling 53 minutes (UAF-33, WMU-20). The Nanooks were hit with a 5-minute major and a game misconduct when Jordan Hendry cross-checked Pat Dwyer from behind. Despite the 5-minute advantage, the Broncos were unable to put the puck past the Nanooks goalie, Keith Bartusch. The Nanooks did have another 5 on 3 advantage for the second game in a row. Both teams had 7 power play opportunities but were only able to score on one of those opportunities. Brent Walton’s first goal of the game at 15:18 of the first was scored on the power play and Kelly Czuy’s first of his two goals was scored on the power play. Czuy’s second goal sealed the victory when he put the puck into the empty net with 2.2 seconds left in the contest.

Kyle Greentree’s first goal of the game was a shorthanded goal at14:54 of the second period. Adam Powell got the Nanooks on the board in the 2nd period when he put the puck past Broncos goalie Daniel Bellissimo. For the Broncos, Darryl Moore registered his first career goal as a Bronco at the 16:07 mark of the second period to tie the game back up at three.

The Broncos travel to Omaha, Nebraska next week to take on conference foe UNO. The Nanooks return home to take on in-state rival University of Alaska Anchorage.