KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The No. 3 Denver Pioneers hockey team nearly erased a four-goal deficit but fell 6-4 to the No. 6 Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday night at Lawson Arena.
 
WMU led 5-1 midway through the second period, but Denver (22-7-1, 15-5-0 NCHC) tallied three in a row to make it a one-goal game in the third period. The Pioneers had chances in the final stanza, outshooting the Broncos 13-11 in the period, but didn't get the equalizer.
 
NCAA-scoring leader Bobby Brink had two goals to extend his career-long point streak to 14 games, while senior Cameron Wright and freshman Carter King also scored for Denver. Goaltender Magnus Chrona started the contest and made 15 saves on 20 shots before Matt Davis finished the night by stopping all 13 pucks he faced.
 
The teams traded goals in the first period, with Western Michigan's Ethen Frank tallying on the power play 1:52 into the contest and Brink scoring his first career short-handed marker at 7:26. WMU (20-8-1, 12-7-1 NCHC) got a short-handed goal itself with 4:28 left in the opening frame to begin its four-goal run.
 
Drew Worrad led Western in the outing with four assists, while Michael Joyaux had three points (one goal, two assists) and Cole Gallant (two assists) and Frank (two goals) also had multi-point performances. Broncos goalie Brandon Bussi made 42-of-46 saves.
 
Denver's comeback started with Brink burying his second goal of the night off a cross-ice pass from Cole Guttman at 12:59 of the middle period before the Pioneers struck again 22 seconds later on a redirection by King on a shot by Antti Tuomisto.
 
Wright made it a 5-4 game 1:40 into the third period during a power play by knocking in a rebound off a shot by Shai Buium for his 18th goal of the season.
 
DU went 2-for-5 with the man advantage, while Western Michigan had three goals on eight such chances. The first five tallies of the night came with an odd-amount of skaters on the ice before Jamie Rome scored for the Broncos at even strength at 10:47 of the second.
 
Rome's goal ended the night for Chrona, as Davis entered in relief to see his first action since Nov. 23 at Boston College.
 
Frank sealed the game for the Broncos with an empty-net goal in the final 65 seconds of regulation.
 
Denver continues its season-long road trek next Friday and Saturday at the Omaha Mavericks.
 
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Denver is now 22-11-2 all-time against Western Michigan and 5-9-0 at Lawson Arena.
• Bobby Brink extended his career-long point streak to now 14 games (7g/21a) but had his 13-game assist streak come to an end.
• Bobby Brink scored his first career short-handed goal and the Pioneers' fourth tally with the man disadvantage this season.
• Carter Mazur is on a four-game point streak (1g/3a).
• McKade Webster played in his 50th career game.

 
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
1:52 WMU (0-1) – PPG, Ethen Frank began the scoring after a kick save by Magnus Chrona went right to the Broncos forward's stick.
7:26 DU (1-1) – SHG, Bobby Brink intercepted the pass in the neutral zone and his shot on the rush squeaked past goalie Brandon Bussi.
15:32 WMU (1-2) – SHG, Josh Passolt tallied on a breakaway during a Denver power play.
 
2nd Period
5:22 WMU (1-3) – PPG, Ty Glover knocked in the puck near the crease after a centering pass by Drew Worrad.
7:04 WMU (1-4) – PPG, Michael Joyaux scored with a one-timer from the high slot.
10:47 WMU (1-5) – Jamie Rome took a cross pass from Luke Grainger and scored.
12:59 DU (2-5) – PPG, Bobby Brink scored from the left side after taking a cross pass from Cole Guttman
13:21 DU (3-5) – Carter King deflected Antti Tuomisto's point shot into the net.
 
3rd Period
1:40 DU (4-5) – PPG, Cameron Wright knocked in the rebound off a Shai Buium shot.
18:55 WMU (4-6) – ENG, Ethen Frank scored into the open net on a rush up the ice.
 
 
TICKETS: Single-game tickets for the 2021-22 campaign are on sale and can be purchased here.
 
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Masks are required at all indoor athletic events. For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.

DONATE: Fans interested in making a donation to the Pioneers Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will transform the lives of our student-athletes by giving them the first-class resources needed to excel in the classroom and beyond. Thank you for Building Pioneers for Life!
 
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Hockey on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Hockey on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Hockey on Instagram