Multi-point games from Tanner Laderoute, Carter Loney, and Ben Almquist weren't enough as the No. 4 Bulldogs dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 10 Western Michigan on Friday evening in Kalamazoo, MI. The loss comes for UMD despite outshooting the Broncos 30-24 on the night. 
 
Kyler Kleven, Casey Gilling, and Laderoute all notched goals for the Bulldogs. For Kleven, his goal is the first of his collegiate career. Noah Cates, Laderoute, Loney, and Almquist all tallied assists, while goaltender Ryan Fanti made 20 saves on the night. With the loss, the Bulldogs are now 1-5-1 in their last seven games at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo. 
 
Western Michigan would get the first opportunity just ten seconds into the game, a shot from the left-wing circle that was turned away by Fanti. The Broncos stayed on the attack and outshot UMD 5-1 through the first five minutes of play. Six minutes into the game, Carter Loney took a penalty deep in the Bronco zone, giving Western the first power play of the game. After moving the puck around the perimeter, a point shot from Michael Joyaux found the back of the net to give the Broncos a 1-0 advantage with 13:00 minutes left on the clock. 
 
Both sides traded shots through the midway portion of the first period. With just under six minutes remaining in the first frame, Louie Roehl was called for slashing, giving the Broncos their second opportunity on the power play. Tanner Laderoute would strip a Bronco defenseman of the puck and move in on a shorthanded breakaway. Laderoute attempted to beat WMU goaltender Brandon Bussi blocker side but missed high and wide. Duluth would kill off the power play and go on the attack late in the first. Following a solid shift in the Bronco end, Quinn Olson found Matt Anderson wide open on the back door but was stopped by a diving Bussi. UMD got another chance in the slot from Koby Bender, but the shot missed wide. Shots were 13-13 as the Broncos took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission. 
 
Just under two minutes into the second period, UMD would be called for icing. On the ensuing faceoff, Josh Passolt scooped up the puck on the right half wall, walked to the net, and buried a shot past a diving Fanti. The score gave the Broncos a 2-0 lead early in the second. Ten seconds after the goal, Darian Gotz was called for slashing, giving Western their third power play of the game. Following a couple of Bronco shots, UMD successfully killed off the penalty. 
 
With 13:06 left in the second period, a high hit on Noah Cates would cause an official review. Western Michigan's Ty Glover would be assessed a five-minute major for contact to the head, giving UMD their first power play opportunity of the game. The Bulldogs tallied two shots with the man-advantage but would ultimately come up empty. In the last ten seconds of the extended power play, WMU defenseman Aiden Fulp was charged with interference, giving UMD back-to-back odd-man opportunities. Following a successful Bronco penalty kill, Loney cycled the puck deep in the WMU zone to Ben Almquist. Almquist made a quick backhand pass through the slot to a wide-open Kleven, who would beat Bussi low glove side. For Kleven, the goal is his first career collegiate goal. The score cut the Broncos lead to 2-1 with just over five minutes left in the second period.
 
Just over two minutes later, the Bulldogs tied the game. Following a Western defensive zone turnover, Laderoute found Cates who made a quick one-touch pass to Casey Gilling. Gilling let a snapshot go from the right faceoff circle that beat Bussi high blocker side and tied the game at 2-2. The goal is Gilling's second as a Bulldog. With 1:19 remaining in the frame, a too many players on the ice call on WMU gave the Bulldogs a chance to take the lead. UMD wouldn't find the net in the first half of the power play and the teams would head into the second intermission tied 2-2.
 
Just 38 seconds into the third period, WMU's leading scorer Ethan Frank buried a shorthanded breakaway to give the Broncos a 3-2 lead. Just over two minutes later, Wyatt Kaiser was called for hooking and Western went back on the power play. A block from Connor Kelley and A save from Fanti killed off the Bronco man-advantage with 15 minutes left to play in regulation. The Bulldogs would then go on the attack. Following a nice move in the corner by Almquist, Laderoute found himself open in the left-wing circle. The Edmonton, AB native snapped a shot low glove side on Bussi to tie the game at 3-3. On the goal, both Laderoute and Almquist picked up their second points of the night. Just eight seconds after the goal, a tripping penalty gave UMD another chance on the power play. The Bulldogs posted two shots with the man-advantage but would come empty. 
 
Following an icing call on the Broncos with 6:34 left to play in the third period, Western elected to use its timeout. The Bulldogs notched a couple of shots that were stopped by Bussi. With 1:26 remaining, Frank found himself on a partial breakaway and beat Fanti five-hole for his second goal of the game. UMD would pressure in the dying minute but couldn't find the tying goal. Western took game one by a final score of 4-3. 
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs and Broncos will rematch tomorrow evening in Kalamazoo. Puck drop is set for 6:05 PM.