INSIDE HOCKEY

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Western Michigan Broncos snapped their six game losing streak Friday night with a 3-1 victory over the Alaska Nanooks.

Alaska got on the board early with a power play goal from Carlo Finucci.  Dustin Sather found Finucci at the left dot and Finucci fired a snap shot low past Riley Gill’s glove to put the Nanooks up 1-0 at 5:23.

Just under four minutes later, the Broncos tied the game up.  J.J. Crew won a faceoff in the Nanooks’ zone to P.J. Kavaya.  Kavaya threw a cross ice pass to Jordan Collins, who took a one-timer slap shot that beat Scott Greenham. 

The Nanooks dominated the play in the second period, outshooting the Broncos, 15-6.  Gill stood strong in net, keeping the Nanooks scoreless in the second frame.

“The second period was a little shaky,” Gill said “But the third period we bounced back nicely.”

The Broncos pulled ahead with a goal just 3:15 into the third period.  The Nanooks just got back to even strength when Crew found Tyler Ludwig, who beat Greenham low to the glove side just inside the post.

The Nanooks were on their heels and could not get anything going offensively in the third period.  They scattered just nine shots in the third stanza.

Alaska called its timeout and pulled their goalie with 1:27 to go, down 2-1. 

There was a scrum in front of the Broncos’ net when Collins fired one the length of the ice and into the empty net to put the icing on the cake for the Broncos with 1:14 to play. 

“Only having two goals prior to tonight, then getting two tonight is definitely something special for me,” Collins said.

Collins doubled his career goal total with his two goal performance against Alaska.

“It was a real solid effort from everybody for 60 minutes," said Western Michigan coach Jim Culhane. "We were grinding it out at times, we battled real hard, and I think more importantly getting a win here in conference play."

The Broncos and Nanooks will faceoff again tomorrow, 7:35 ET at Lawson Ice Arena.