Ryan Fanti recorded his first career shutout as the No. 4 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs tallied a 3-0 win over the No. 10 Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday evening in Kalamazoo, MI. The win gives the Bulldogs a series split with the Broncos and improves them to 6-2 overall on the season.
 
As the first star of the game, Fanti made 35 saves on the night, including 18 stops in the third period to secure his fifth win of the season. On offense for UMD, Tanner Laderoute notched two goals, while Ben Almquist also found the back of the net. Combined with his Friday night performance, Laderoute tallied three goals and one assist during the two-game series with Western Michigan. Additionally, Almquist posted a goal and two assists on the weekend as well. On the night, Casey Gilling, Jarrett Lee, Carter Loney, and Darian Gotz all secured assists for Minnesota Duluth.
 
The Bulldogs opened the scoring in game two. Midway through the first period, hard work deep in the bronco end by Loney, Lee, and Almquist created a clean look from the blueline for Gotz. From the left point, Gotz let a wrist shot go that created a rebound in the middle of the Bronco zone. Almquist jumped on the loose puck and buried a shot low blocker-side past Bussi to give UMD the 1-0 lead. After tallied two assists last night, the goal is the first of the season for Almquist. The Bulldogs would outshoot the Broncos 19-9 in the first period. With just over four minutes to play in the frame, Louie Roehl was assessed a five-minute major penalty for slashing. UMD's penalty kill unit kept Western off the board for the first portion of the power play and the teams went into the first intermission with the Bulldogs ahead 1-0. 
 
Early in the second, the Bulldogs would successfully kill off the remainder of the Roehl penalty and look to attack. Just under three minutes into the frame, a wide-open chance in front of the net for Kobe Roth was stopped by a sprawling Bussi. A few minutes later, Noah Cates was charged with a tripping penalty deep in the Bronco end. On the Western power play, Loney forced a turnover in the UMD zone and found Laderoute braking down the left wing. With two Broncos on his back, Laderoute was able to chip the puck far side and past the goaltender Bussi. The shorthanded goal was Laderoute's second of the weekend and gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage just past four minutes into the middle period. 
 
With eight minutes remaining in the second, UMD would get three massive opportunities to extend the lead. One a three-on-one break, Blake Biondi found Quinn Olson alone in the slot. Olson tried to beat Bussi five-hole, but the Broncos goaltender made the save and kicked out a rebound. Biondi jumped on the rebound but was stopped on the backhand by the right pad of Bussi. A few minutes later, Jesse Jacques tracked down a stretch pass in the Bronco end. At the same moment, Bussi came way out of his net to try and poke the puck away from the UMD forward. Jacques scooped up the puck and ripped a shot at the open net. Western defenseman Michael Joyaux kicked his left skate out and denied the Jacques opportunity. Through two periods of play, UMD held a 2-0 advantage and had outshot Western Michigan 33-17. 
 
Within the first two minutes of the third period, Fanti was forced to make his best save of the night. An end-to-end rush attempt from the Bronco captain Paul Washe was shut down by a beautiful pad save from Fanti. With 13:53 left to play in regulation, Lee was called for hooking while forechecking in the Western zone. Following a flurry of Western Michigan chances, Fanti was run into by an attacking Bronco. WMU was charged with a goaltender interference call that ended the Western power play. On the Minnesota Duluth power play, the Bulldogs registered their 40th shot of the night, but weren't able to extend the lead. 
 
Just past the midway point of the third period, the Broncos would turn the puck over in the neutral zone. Off the WMU miscue, Gilling, Laderoute, and Cates broke in on a three-on-two rush. With Cates driving to the net, Gilling made a beautiful pass through the middle of the zone to find a wide open Laderoute who beat Bussi high blocker side to give UMD a 3-0 lead with 7:50 left to play. The goal was Laderoute's second of the night and third of the weekend. 
 
The Broncos would get multiple power play opportunities late in the third period, but Fanti would shut the door for his first-career shutout. Shots in the game were 43-35 in favor of the Bulldogs. For UMD, it's their first win at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo since Feb. 22 of 2020. 
 
Up Next
UMD will open the home portion of their NCHC schedule next weekend against Colorado College. Puck drop on both Friday and Saturday is set for 7:07 PM in Duluth, Minn.