No. 5 Western Michigan finishes its NCHC-opening series Saturday, Nov. 7, at No. 10 North Dakota, with puck drop at 7:07 p.m. Eastern (6:07 p.m. Central) at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks. Friday’s opener ended 2-2, and the Broncos took the extra conference point by winning the shootout 1-0 on William Whitelaw’s goal.
Where things stand
Western Michigan is 6-1-1 (0-0-1 NCHC) and leads the country in scoring at better than five goals per game, with a penalty kill above 90 percent coming into the weekend. North Dakota is 4-3-1 (0-0-1) and has gone four games without a win. Ty Henricks scored on the power play in the third period Friday to force overtime, after freshman Adam Benák had put the Broncos on the board.
Players to watch
Whitelaw, a senior, entered the weekend with 14 points and a point in every game. Benák’s goal Friday added to the 13 points he brought in, the most of any Division I freshman. Wisdom is one goal shy of 40 for his career. North Dakota’s top scorers are Cole Reschny and Will Zellers, and the Fighting Hawks’ power play has converted at a third of its chances.
Goaltending
Sophomore Quentin Miller made 24 saves Friday and stopped all three North Dakota shootout attempts. He came into the series 6-1-0 with a 1.57 goals-against average, one save shy of 750 for his career. Jan Špunar started Friday for North Dakota, while freshman Caleb Heil is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA. Neither team had announced a Saturday starter.
How to watch
7:07 p.m. Eastern on NCHC.tv, with radio on the Bronco Radio Network. North Dakota leads the all-time series 32-17-2, counting Friday’s game as a tie.
Friday’s game: Western Michigan Game Recap: at North Dakota (Nov. 6).
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