Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey
The Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Western Michigan University. The Broncos are a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). They play at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States.[2]
| Western Michigan Broncos | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
 | |
| University | Western Michigan University |
| Conference | NCHC |
| Head coach | Andy Murray 10th season, 157–144–40 (.519) |
| Captain(s) | Hugh McGing |
| Alternate captain(s) | Luke Bafia, Wade Allison, Josh Passolt and Mattias Samuelsson |
| Arena | Lawson Arena Capacity: 3,667 Surface: 200' x 85' |
| Location | Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| Colors | Brown and Gold[1] |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
History
The Broncos program began in 1973 and joined the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) for the 1975–76 season. After ten seasons in the league Western Michigan won the 1986 CCHA Playoff Tournament and advanced to the school's first NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament in 1986.[3] The 1986 season marked the program's first CCHA Tournament Championship and the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament.[4] The Broncos entered the tournament in the West Regional against Harvard and lost the two-game aggregate series, being outscored 11–4 by the Crimson.[5]
Western Michigan's next post season appearance came in 1994. Western Michigan received an at-large bid to the 1994 NCAA Division I Tournament and again fell in the first round with a 6–3 loss to Wisconsin.[6]
The Broncos rebounded in the 1995–96 season after a sub-.500 season in 1994–95. Western Michigan received the program's second at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan lost again in the first round to Clarkson 6–1.[7]
Under first-year coach Jeff Blashill, Western Michigan received an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, where they would lose their opening game 3–2 in double overtime to Denver. Denver scored two goals in the last 4:29 of the third period to force overtime.[8]
In 2011–12, for the second consecutive season, Western Michigan had a new head coach and reached the NCAA tournament. Longtime National Hockey League (NHL) coach Andy Murray was named as coach of the Broncos after Blashill left for the Detroit Red Wings.[9] WMU finished tied for second in the CCHA and won the CCHA tournament, thereby receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.[10] Western Michigan lost in the first round of the tournament 3–1 to No. 1 seed North Dakota.[11]
The Broncos joined the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) starting in the 2013–14 season. The CCHA disbanded after the 2012–13 season, in part due to the addition of men's ice hockey to the Big Ten Conference.
Western Michigan won the 2013 four-team Great Lakes Invitational which was played outdoors at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Broncos defeated No. 3 Michigan 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals, and then claimed the championship by beating Michigan Tech 1-0, also in overtime. WMU won the 2014 Shillelagh Tournament with an 8–2 victory over No. 17 Union. The Broncos also defeated Ohio State in the first round of the tournament, 6–2.
In 2016-17, the Broncos followed up a disappointing 8-25-3 season with an impressive 22-13-5 and a 3rd place finish in the NCHC. Western Michigan was invited to the final Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena, where they defeated Michigan Tech in the championship. WMU has been invited to the GLI 5 times dating back to 1977, winning it 3 of those times. The Broncos were defeated in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Division I tournament by Air Force.
Season-by-season results[12]
Coaching
The Broncos are coached by former Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues head coach Andy Murray. In his first season, he coached the Broncos to their second CCHA Tournament Championship in school history, as well as the school's fifth NCAA Tournament Bid.
All-time coaching records
As of the completion of 2019–20 season[12]
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–present | Andy Murray | 9 | 157–144–40 | .519 |
| 2010–2011 | Jeff Blashill | 1 | 19–13–10 | .571 |
| 1999–2010 | Jim Culhane | 11† | 158–222–48 | .425 |
| 1982–1999 | Bill Wilkinson | 17† | 313–301–53 | .509 |
| 1978–1982 | Glen Weller | 4 | 64–73–5 | .468 |
| 1973–1978 | Bill Neal | 5 | 91–65–5 | .581 |
| Totals | 6 coaches | 47 seasons | 802–818–161 | .496 |
† The 1998–99 season was coached by both Wilkinson and Culhane.
Statistical Leaders[13]
Career points leaders
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Dorion | 1982–1986 | 157 | 115 | 178 | 293 | |
| Paul Polillo | 1986–1990 | 165 | 82 | 189 | 271 | |
| Wayne Gagné | 1983–1987 | 162 | 42 | 199 | 241 | |
| Jeff Green | 1986–1990 | 159 | 109 | 125 | 234 | |
| Ross Fitzpatrick | 1978–1982 | 138 | 100 | 125 | 225 | |
| Tim Dunlop | 1974–1978 | 129 | 92 | 106 | 198 | |
| Rob Brynden | 1983–1987 | 162 | 104 | 91 | 195 | |
| Chris Brooks | 1992–1996 | 147 | 57 | 127 | 184 | |
| Troy Thrun | 1983–1986 | 122 | 81 | 102 | 183 | |
| Bob Scurfield | 1978–1981 | 130 | 82 | 95 | 177 |
Career Goaltending Leaders
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 30 games played
| Player | Years | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Slubowski | 2011–2015 | 94 | 6021 | 49 | 38 | 15 | 235 | 7 | .909 | 2.34 |
| Marc Magliarditi | 1995–1996 | 36 | 2110 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 91 | 5 | .910 | 2.59 |
| Brandon Bussi | 2019–Present | 34 | 1921 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 85 | 0 | .910 | 2.65 |
| Jerry Kuhn | 2007–2011 | 63 | 3528 | 16 | 27 | 3 | 158 | 2 | .912 | 2.69 |
| Lukas Hafner | 2012–2016 | 86 | 4396 | 25 | 37 | 10 | 202 | 4 | .909 | 2.76 |
Statistics current through the start of the 2020-21 season.
Current roster
As of September 2, 2020.[14]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Austin Cain | Senior | G | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 1996-09-12 | Ottawa, Ontario | Whitby (OJHL) | — |
| 2 |  |
Kale Bennett (A) | Senior (RS) | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 1995-11-30 | St. Louis, Missouri | Nanaimo (BCHL) | — |
| 3 |  |
Michael Joyaux | Junior | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 1997-02-13 | Bloomingdale, Illinois | Youngstown (USHL) | — |
| 6 |  |
Scooter Brickey | Sophomore | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 207 lb (94 kg) | 1999-05-27 | Burtchville, Michigan | Des Moines (USHL) | — |
| 7 | |
Ronnie Attard | Sophomore | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 1999-03-20 | White Lake, Michigan | Tri-City (USHL) | PHI, 72nd overall 2019 |
| 9 |  |
Luke Grainger | Freshman | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 1999-09-03 | Montreal, Quebec | Hawkesbury (CCHL) | — |
| 10 | |
Chad Hillebrand | Freshman | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 1999-01-22 | Park Ridge, Illinois | Green Bay (USHL) | — |
| 11 |  |
Rhett Kingston | Junior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 1997-11-04 | Black Diamond, Alberta | Salmon Arm (BCHL) | — |
| 12 |  |
Cole Gallant | Junior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 1998-03-14 | Dover, Florida | Omaha (USHL) | — |
| 13 | |
Drew Worrad | Junior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | 1997-06-30 | Birr, Ontario | Steinbach (MJHL) | — |
| 14 | |
Jason Polin | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 198 lb (90 kg) | 1999-06-17 | Holt, Michigan | Cedar Rapids (USHL) | — |
| 15 |  |
Daniel Hilsendager | Freshman | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 202 lb (92 kg) | 2000-03-30 | Lloydminster, Saskatchewan | Omaha (USHL) | — |
| 17 |  |
Cédric Fiedler | Freshman | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 204 lb (93 kg) | 2001-04-20 | Zug, Switzerland | Fargo (USHL) | — |
| 18 | |
Brett Van Os | Senior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 1996-02-21 | St. Albert, Alberta | Calgary Canucks (AJHL) | — |
| 19 |  |
Lukas Samuelsson | Senior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 177 lb (80 kg) | 1996-10-08 | Voorhees, New Jersey | Toronto (GMHL) | — |
| 20 | |
Jamie Rome | Junior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 211 lb (96 kg) | 1998-10-03 | Cochrane, Alberta | Victoria (BCHL) | — |
| 21 |  |
Josh Passolt (A) | Senior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 1996-09-13 | Hayward, Wisconsin | Sioux Falls (USHL) | — |
| 22 | |
Trevor Bishop | Freshman | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 1999-01-23 | Rochester Hills, Michigan | Victoria (BCHL) | — |
| 23 | |
Paul Washe (C) | Senior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 201 lb (91 kg) | 1998-11-27 | Clarkston, Michigan | Fargo (USHL) | — |
| 24 |  |
Aidan Fulp | Freshman | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2000-02-29 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Dubuque (USHL) | — |
| 25 | |
Jared Kucharek | Junior | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 1998-05-23 | Royal Oak, Michigan | Madison (USHL) | — |
| 26 |  |
Ethen Frank (A) | Senior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1998-02-05 | Papillion, Nebraska | Lincoln (USHL) | — |
| 27 | |
Ty Glover | Freshman | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2000-10-01 | London, Ontario | Lincoln (USHL) | — |
| 28 | |
Hugh Larkin | Freshman | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 1999-03-27 | Livonia, Michigan | Austin (NAHL) | — |
| 29 | |
Jarred White | Freshman | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 1999-05-21 | Edmonton, Alberta | Sherwood Park (AJHL) | — |
| 30 |  |
Brandon Bussi | Sophomore | G | 6' 5" (1.96 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 1998-06-25 | Sound Beach, New York | Muskegon (USHL) | — |
| 35 | |
Alex Aslanidis | Freshman | G | 6' 5" (1.96 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2001-01-20 | Morristown, New Jersey | Navan (CCHL) | — |
Awards and honors
All-Americans
- 1985-86: Wayne Gagné, D; Dan Dorion, F
- 1986-87: Wayne Gagné, F
- 2019-20: Hugh McGing, F
AHCA Second Team All-Americans
- 1983-84: Dan Dorion, F
- 1984-85: Glenn Healy, G
- 1985-86: Bill Horn, G
- 1995-96: Marc Magliarditi, G
- 2000-01: Mike Bishai, F
- 2011-12: Danny DeKeyser, D
- 2012-13: Danny DeKeyser, D
Individual Awards
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Most Valuable Player in Tournament
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All-Conference Teams
- 1976-77: Tim Dunlop, F
- 1980-81: Ross Fitzpatrick, F
- 1983-84: Dan Dorion, F
- 1985-86: Wayne Gagné, D; Dan Dorion, F
- 1986-87: Wayne Gagné, D
- 1987-88: Paul Polillo, F
- 1991-92: Keith Jones, G
- 1995-96: Marc Magliarditi, G
- 2012–13: Danny DeKeyser, D
- 1977-78: Bernie Saunders, F; Paul Cappuccio, F
- 1979-80: Bob Scurfield, F
- 1984-85: Glenn Healy, G
- 1985-86: Chris MacDonald, F; Stu Burnie, F
- 1986-87: Bill Horn, G; Rob Brynden, F
- 1987-88: Mike Posma, D; Ron Hoover, F
- 1990-91: Mike Eastwood, F
- 1995-96: Jeremy Brown, F
- 1996-97: Joe Corvo, D
- 1999–00: David Gove, F
- 2000–01: Mike Bishai, F; David Gove, F
- 2004–05: Brent Walton, F
- 2008–09: Patrick Galivan, F
- 2012–13: Danny DeKeyser, D; Matt Tennyson, D
- 2012–13: Frank Slubowski, G; Luke Witkowski, D
- 1991-92: Chris Belanger, D
- 1992-93: Scott Chartier, D; Chris Brooks, F
- 1994-95: Steve Duke, D
- 1995-96: Marc Magliarditi, G; Joe Corvo, D
- 1996-97: Daryl Andrews, D
- 2001–02: Patrick Dwyer, F
- 2002–03: Vince Bellissimo, F
- 2006–07: Mark Letestu, F
- 2010–11: Danny DeKeyser, D; Chase Balisy, F
- 2011–12: Frank Slubowski, G; Garrett Haar, D
- 2012–13: Kenney Morrison, D
Individual Awards
All-Conference Teams
- 2013–14: Chase Balisy, F
- 2016–17: Sheldon Dries, F
- 2018–19: Hugh McGing, F
- 2016–17: Ben Blacker, G
Western Michigan Broncos Hall of Fame
The following is a list of people associated with the Western Michigan men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame.[15]
- Dan Dorion (1998)
- Ross Fitzpatrick (2004)
- Wayne Gagné (2001)
- Glenn Healy (1996)
- Rob Hodge (2008)
- Harry Lawson (1990)
- Jamal Mayers (2014)
- Bernie Saunders (1994)
- Neil Smith (1991)
Broncos in the NHL[16]
| = NHL All-Star Team | = NHL All-Star[17] | = NHL All-Star[17] and NHL All-Star Team | = Hall of Famers |
|
|
‡Scott Foster played 14 minutes for the Blackhawks after being signed to a 1-day contract as an emergency backup due to injury.[18]
See also
References
- Western Michigan University Official Athletics Style Guide (PDF). February 17, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
- "Wmu Men's Hockey Team Page :: USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online". USCHO.com. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- "Statistics :: USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- http://www.ccha.com/the_ccha/ccha_history_and_records.aspx
- Archived June 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- "1994 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- "1996 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- Holt, Adam. "Late rally, Zucker's double-OT winner send Denver past Western Michigan". uscho.com. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
- AP Staff (July 26, 2011). "Former NHL coach Andy Murray hired by Western Michigan". USA Today. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- Drew, David (March 17, 2012). "Western Michigan is CCHA Tournament champ after 3-2 win over Michigan". Kalamazoo Gazette. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- AP Staff (March 24, 2012). "North Dakota 3, Western Michigan 1: Broncos ousted in first round of NCAA hockey tournament". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- "2015-16 WMU HOCKEY RECORD BOOK" (PDF). Western Michigan Broncos. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- "Hockey - Career/Season Point Leaders". Western Michigan Broncos. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- "WMU Hockey – 2020–21 Men's Ice Hockey Roster". Western Michigan University Athletics. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- "Hall of Fame" (PDF). Western Michigan Broncos. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- "Alumni report for Western Michigan University". Hockey DB. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.
- "Scott Foster: Accountant makes NHL debut in goal for Chicago Blackhawks". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2018.