Dec. 16, 2006

Stats

DETROIT, Mich. - The Wayne State men's hockey team (4-14-0) won a 7-5 thriller at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum over Western Michigan (6-8-1) on Saturday night.

The Warriors, despite surrendering five goals including two by Jeff LoVecchio, avenged their 4-0 loss to the Broncos in Kalamazoo on Nov. 4 and earned their first home win of the season.

Jason Bloomingburg (Canton, Mich./Texas Tornado) scored twice and added an assist, while Mark Nebus (South Lyon, Mich./Texas Tornado) and Derek Punches (Manchester, Mich./Texas Tornado) had a goal and a helper apiece.

Wayne State got on the board first as Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers) completed an odd-man rush to the net with his third goal of the season, assisted by Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) and Punches, at 4:10 in the opening period.

LoVecchio responded with his two goals, the first of which came on the power play at 5:29 on a deflection, and the second coming as he batted a rebound out of the air past WSU goaltender Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders).

Bloomingburg evened the score at two with 15 seconds remaining in the first period, collecting a rebound from a shot by Ryan Bernardi (Etobicoke, Ont./Milton Icehawks) in front of the net and turning to fire it inside the left post.

The Warriors regained the lead on a power-play goal by Nebus, from Bloomingburg and Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers), at 2:16 in the middle stanza, but the Broncos quickly countered as Brian Bicek netted a power-play marker 59 seconds later.

Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) made a terrific play as Western Michigan tried to clear its zone, digging the puck away from a defenseman and dropping a pass to Derek Bachynski (Belle River, Ont./Leamington Flyers), who buried a wrist shot over the glove of WMU netminder Daniel Bellissimo to put Wayne State ahead, 4-3, at the 8:21 mark.

The momentum soon swung in the favor of the Broncos again, as Chris Frank and Mark Letestu each lit the lamp to put the visitors up, 5-4, with less than four minutes remaining in the period.

Taylor Donohoe (Richmond, B.C./Powell River Kings) then scored the first of three unanswered Warrior goals at 16:38, as his shot from the blue line hit the pads of Bellissimo and trickled in.

The game-winner came on the power play at 7:14 off the stick of Bloomingburg, as the Warriors capitalized on yet another rebound in front of the net.

Punches' empty-net goal with four seconds remaining sealed the win for Wayne State.

The Warriors outshot the Broncos, 32-29, while both teams scored two goals with a man advantage.

Hooper made 24 saves for his first victory of the season.

Wayne State is idle until traveling to Bemidji State for a CHA series, Jan. 5-6.