Nations leading scorer leads WMU hockey past Michigan Tech in GLI semifinals

GRAND RAPIDS, MI Western Michigan scored six second-period goals and got a hat trick from Jason Polin. He defeated Michigan Tech 8-1 in the semifinals of Tuesday’s Great Lakes Invitational at Van Andel Arena.

With the win, WMU improves to 7-3-1 all-time in the GLI and will face the winner of Michigan State and Ferris State on Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the championship round of the 56th edition of the tournament.

PHOTOS: View gallery of WMU vs. Michigan Tech GLI semifinals

Despite the tournament being held 500 miles south of MTU’s Houghton campus, the Huskies’ robust cheering section outnumbered WMU’s, at least from a volume standpoint.

The Broncos silenced some of those voices by controlling the game early, including a great scoring layup by Polin. He collected a cross-ice pass from Ryan McAllister and beat a pair of defenders before firing off the post.

Seconds later, McAllister used another layup to set up another golden opportunity for Polin, who charged into the slot and one-timed a shot past MTU goaltender Blake Pietila to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead with 13:11 remaining. in the first episode.

MTU nearly tied the score early in the second period when Tyrone Bronte skated in and appeared to be staring down an open net with his hand, but WMU goaltender Cameron Rowe made the save with his right pad. .

After the break, there was a big emphasis on not losing a step and just getting back to playing our game, and I think we did that really well and it worked for us, Polin said.

WMU used a 2-1 pass to take a 2-0 lead with 15:46 left in the second period when Chad Hillebrand fed a cross to Cole Gallant, who one-timed a shot under the bar past a helpless Pietila. .

It took less than three minutes for WMU to make it a three-goal game when Polin pounced on the puck near the MTU blue line after a Huskies miscommunication, then walked in all alone and fired a shot into the top corner with 13:29 to play. second episode.

Polin’s second goal tied him at 15 for the season and tied him with Denvers Carter Mazur and Jack Randl for the national lead.

WMU made it 4-0 23 seconds later when the Broncos’ second line struck again as Gallant climbed to the front of the net, where he received a nice pass from Hillebrand and sent a one-timer past Pietila.

The Broncos continued to pile on the scoring chances midway through the second period, and defenseman Jacob Bauer scored his second career goal after a beautiful goal in front of the goal and a shot into the top corner that prompted a goaltending change.

Backup goaltender Max Vayrynen didn’t fare much better, however, as the Broncos beat Polins 21 seconds later in the third of the night to move him alone on the college hockey scoring list.

Linemate Max Sasson made a tape-to-tape pass across the ice to set up Polins’ one-timer and give him his fourth hat trick of the season.

Less than a minute after Polin scored his 16th goal of the year, WMU sophomore and 2020 Toronto Maple Leafs seventh-round draft pick Wyatt Schingoethe scored his first collegiate goal with a top-shelf dunk from the left faceoff circle to extend the Broncos’ lead. 7-0.

WMU took a touchdown-sized lead into the second half and made it an 8-0 game at 13:29 of the third when Grand Haven native Dylan Wendt hit a layup over Vayrynen’s blocker from the point.

I had a lot of family aunts, uncles, grandparents, brothers, all of that, so it was definitely a good feeling to do it in front of everyone, and it’s a good time for everyone to come watch me play and see them afterwards. and just hang out with them.

MTU finally got on the board at 9:34 of the third when freshman Kash Rasmussen stuffed the puck past Rowe after a sprain in front of the Broncos’ net.

Despite seeing his shutout bid come to an end, Rowe had one of his best games of the season, making 24 saves and slamming the door on two MTU semifinals with the game still in doubt. The Wisconsin transfer also made a textbook sliding save to prevent a 2-1 opportunity early in the third.

Polin and Gallant led WMU with three points each, while McAllister, Luke Grainger, Chad Hillebrand, Daniel Hilsendager and Max Sasson each added two assists, and McAllisters assists gave him an NCAA top 25 finish for the year. The freshman forward also leads the nation in points with 35 and has been part of a very productive line alongside Polini and Sasson.

“I think they’re both incredible players,” Polin said of McAllister and Sasson. I think all three of us bring a different focus to the game, and since the beginning of training camp, I think we just kept gelling and getting better.

MTU (11-6-3) entered the game ranked No. 16 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and No. 17 in the US College Hockey Online poll as the top team and the last team to lift the GLI. title in 2019, but the Huskies will have to settle for a spot in the third/fourth place game against the loser of Michigan State and Ferris State.

Puck drop for that consolation game is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:30 PM in Van Andel.

Meanwhile, WMU (11-9-1) is seeking its fourth GLI title in six appearances, not including last year’s invitational, which did not use a tournament format.

The Broncos entered Tuesday 0-3-1 in December and fell to No. 18 in the USCHO rankings and No. 19 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, but their ability to create and convert scoring chances made them look like more of a team. which topped the top 10 in mid-November.

We controlled our own destiny every shift and every game, and we have the opportunity to play hard, play the right way and skate; it’s always a choice, said WMU assistant Jason Herter, who filled in for head coach Pat Ferschweiler during his tenure with Team USA at the World Junior Championships. After our last four games, I think we made the wrong choices in a lot of different situations, so we told the guys, Come back refreshed and work on your choices and your habits.

We still have some things to work on, but the way we scored tonight is the way we practiced this week.

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