FARGO, N.D. – Double the overtime, double the thrill of winning.
At least that’s how it seems to be for Western Michigan as of late, and they’re now within one victory of the program’s first-ever Frozen Four.
Five days after defeating the Denver Pioneers for the NCHC tournament championship in two extra sessions, Western Michigan was pushed to double overtime again by the tenacious defense of Minnesota State, and once again the Broncos emerged victorious in an exciting 2-1 triumph Thursday afternoon at Scheels Arena.
But as thrilling as it was for WMU, it was a tough ending for a gritty MSU team, which pushed the Broncos hard in their return to the NCAA tournament as the CCHA champion for the first time since former coach Mike Hastings left for Wisconsin.
“Terrible way for these guys to go out,” said a visibly emotional Mavericks coach Luke Strand, Hastings’ successor. “Love the effort.”
With both teams showing more offensive intensity in overtime than in regulation, Grant Slukynsky finally ended things 7:14 into the second extra period by banking a shot off Mankato forward Luciano Wilson and past CCHA goaltender Alex Tracy, who made 42 saves in an otherwise brilliant performance.
“They certainly did give us all we could handle,” said Broncos head coach Pat Ferschweiler. “I’m proud of our team as well.”
The Mavericks and Broncos played a defensive first period, limiting each other’s scoring chances on tight backchecking.
But it wouldn’t take long for the region’s top-seeded Broncos to draw first blood in the second period. With most of a tripping minor called on Adam Eisele carrying over, a Mavericks clearing attempt was blocked by Owen Michaels, who dished it to Liam Valente at the top of the right circle and he lit the lamp for the 13th time this season 49 seconds in.
Minnesota State, meanwhile, stepped up their game in the offensive zone from that point in the period, but Hampton Slukynsky (29 saves) had an answer each time, while his teammates did a good job keeping Mankato’s forwards outside and unable to get down low until the closing minutes. But the game remained a one-goal difference after 40 minutes thanks largely to a huge glove save on a Josh Groll shot right in front with 30 seconds left.
Kaden Bohlsen finally got the Mavericks on the board in the first two minutes of the third, jamming a rebound home in traffic for his 12th and biggest goal of the season to tie the game at 1.
“I think it just energized our bench,” said Minnesota State forward Zach Krajnik. “We had a few shifts that followed up that, you know, we could have had one more. It sucks that we didn’t.”
Minnesota State certainly played with more jump in their step after that, narrowly missing out on opportunities to take the lead and/or win as the game extended past regulation while continually flustering the powerful Broncos offense.
“Just made every inch of the ice very hard to earn,” Ferschweiler said.
Grant Slukynsky’s friendly-bounce goal finally ended the second-ever NCAA tournament victory for Western Michigan, which moves on to face the UMass-Minnesota winner Saturday. If Minnesota wins, it will be a rematch of their 2022 Worcester Regional Final, won 3-0 by the Golden Gophers.
“Come on the right side of those, and hopefully take care of business on Saturday,” Grant said.
