The University of Minnesota Duluth started postseason play tonight in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Faceoff against a red-hot Western Michigan University team. The Bulldogs willed their way past the Broncos in overtime, 5-4, in what was a roller coaster of a quarterfinal. The Bulldogs have won 13 straight postseason games, going back to the start of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. UMD improves to 14-9-2 on the year and advances to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal against St. Cloud State University.

"That's what these games are all about. It happens during the regular season but it's more magnified here, there's more momentum in every game," said UMD Head Coach Scott Sandelin. "You have to manage that, you have to keep an even keel."

Sophomore netminder Ryan Fanti got the nod in goal tonight and put on a solid performance. Fanti made 32 saves on 36 shots, with very few easy saves. Fanti now carries a 10-6-2 on the season with a .905 save percentage and a 2.36 goals against average. WMU netminder Brandon Bussi was between the pipes for the Broncos this evening, stopping 32 of 37 shots on the night.

It didn't take the Bulldogs long at all to find their footing in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Just 2:21 into the game, senior forward Koby Bender found the back of the net. Senior defenseman Matt Anderson was in his own zone behind the goal and fired a pass to senior forward Kobe Roth. Roth moved over WMU's blueline, dropped the puck to a flying Bender who came in and ripped a shot past Bussi's blocker. The Broncos then countered with one of their own. Just before the halfway mark of the period, WMU found itself with a 2-on-1 odd-man rush. Forward Ty Glover dished a pass just outside of the crease to a breaking forward Jason Polin. Polin put the puck in on the far side to make it 1-1 9:59 into the period.

The Broncos took the lead in the second period while on the man advantage. After passing around, the puck found its way to forward Ethen Frank. Frank ripped the puck on his short side past Fanti's blocker for a 2-1 lead at 9:46 of the second frame. The Bulldogs started pushing. UMD tied things back to two a side on the power play. Bender struck again off of a rebound that Bussi couldn't find. He ripped it over a sprawling Bussi with 4:16 to go in the period. WMU would take back the lead with 37.6 seconds to go in the period. Frank and forward Cole Gallant were breaking down on a 2-on-1. Frank shot the puck and the rebound popped out to Gallant, who put it on off of Fanti for a 3-2 lead.

UMD would tie things up in the final frame on the power play. Roth received a pass in front from junior forward Noah Cates. Roth made a nifty backhand to forehand move to beat Bussi on his blocker side at 4:27 into the third. The Bulldogs took the lead at 7:32 of the third. After completing a penalty, junior forward Cole Koepke was shot out of a rocket off a pass from junior forward Jackson Cates in UMD's zone. Koepke flew by WMU's defense and drove to the net, beating Bussi on his glove side. WMU tied things back at four a side with 21.8 seconds to go in the game. After a scramble in front, the puck ended up behind the net. It got to the front of the net where Polin was waiting. He roofed it over Fanti's blocker to force overtime.

Freshman defenseman Connor Kelley put the Bulldogs into the semifinals. UMD lost a draw in the Broncos' zone, but a failed clear attempt put the puck right on Kelley's stick. Kelley saw the opportunity and fired the puck past Bussi's glove at 6:24 of overtime.

"Basically we started at the draw and something weird happened," said Kelley. "The ref dropped it and I think it hit their center's glove and then their defense threw it out and it trickled to me. All I did was pick a spot and luckily it went in."

Bender finished with two goals while Kelley, Koepke and Roth each netted a goal, with Kelley's being his first game winner of his collegiate career. J. Cates had two assists with Anderson, N. Cates, Koepke, junior forward Tanner Laderoute and Roth each grabbed assists.

The Bulldogs face SCSU in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals on Monday at 3:05 PM. It will be the seventh time the two teams will have faced each other this season.