The 2023–24 Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey season was the 50th season of play for the program and 11th in the NCHC. The Broncos represented Western Michigan University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, played their home games at the Lawson Arena and were coached by Pat Ferschweiler in his 3rd season.
Entering the season, Western was facing some upheaval on offense as the team's top three scorers from '23 had departed. Several transfers and freshmen were brought in to plug the holes but if that didn't work, the team still had its starting goaltender, Cameron Rowe, to lean on. Fortunately, the new addition fit in well and Western Michigan got off to a good start. The team was able to hold to their mantra of recent years; 'We score four' and averaged nearly 5 goals per game in their opening weeks. The Broncos began the season by going undefeated in their first five games and saw transfers Alex Bump, Sam Colangelo and Matteo Costantini (all NHL-drafted players) begin to mesh with the offense. The team had a bit of a hiccup in early November but then proceeded to reel off seven consecutive victories and put up tremendous scoring figures. Though the Broncos ended the first half with a loss, it was the backend of a split with #4 Denver and didn't harm their ranking.
By Christmas, the team was already 7 games above .500 but their position in the polls was not reflective of their stellar record. This was primarily due to their non-conference opposition, which was particularly weak. Of the four non-NCHC teams that the Broncos had faced, all were in the bottom third of the PairWise rankings and two (Ferris State and Lindenwood) were among the three worst teams in the country. Because of this, Western's non-conference wins were downgraded and did not provide them with as much of a boost as they otherwise would have, however, since the Broncos were undefeated outside of league play, it did help stabilize their ranking.[1]
Western needed their non-conference mark as the team ran into trouble once in the second half of the season. Rowe had a few poor outings but the biggest problem was their suddenly inconsistent offense. While Western Michigan never completely lost their scoring touch, they did run through a few stretches where they found it difficult to score. The Broncos were also hindered by the difficulty of their schedule and faced ranked opponents for 10 consecutive games beginning in late January. Western was only able to win 3 of those matches and the team fell to 6th in the conference standings. The team managed a slight recovery by sweeping Miami to close out the regular season but the RedHawks were the worst team in the NCHC.
As the playoffs began, Western sat just inside the cut line for the NCAA tournament. With St. Cloud State as their opponent, the Broncos had three basic scenarios in front of them for the quarterfinal round: 1. Winning the series would all but guarantee the team a spot in the NCAA tournament; 2. Winning one game but losing the series would leave them on the bubble but likely to receive an at-large bid; 3. Being swept would effectively eliminate Western Michigan from the NCAA tournament.
The Broncos did not start their postseason well, surrendering the first three goals of the game to the Huskies. Western didn't show any real fight until the third and a pair of goals from Bump in the middle of the period got the team back in the game. However, Chad Hillebrand got a bit over exuberant with the comeback attempt and received a match penalty for hitting from behind. St. Cloud sored twice in the final five minutes to salt away the game and pushed the Broncos season to the brink.[2] Western Michigan played better at the start of game two but still had problems scoring. The Huskies got the opening goal in the second and it wasn't until the waning moments of the frame that Colangelo was able to tie the score. At the start of the third, WMU had gone 0–3 on the power play but in the final period they were finally able to get their man-advantage working and took the lead. After Luke Grainger scored the second power play marker in the middle of the frame, the team was finally able to relax and play their game. In the final three minutes, Western scored three more goals as St. Cloud desperately tried to tie the score and led to a resounding 6–1 win that, at least temporarily, saves their season.[3]
While a further win would have guaranteed them a place, St. Cloud took the embarrassing loss to heart and repaid the Broncos in kind. WMU was stymied in the rubber match and lost 1–5 thanks to the stellar play from the Huskies goaltender.[4] Despite the setback, loss from other contenders during the week had left Western at 13th in the Pairwise. The only thing that would knock the team out now were upsets in each of the ECAC Hockey, Hockey East and NCHC tournaments. While the ECAC title did get taken by lower team, the others did not and Western was able to earn a bid back to the tournament.
Seeking to prove they belonged in the game, despite their poor performance against good teams throughout the season, Western faced Michigan State in the Midwest Regional semifinal. Despite a poor start, Costantini got his team on the board first and the Broncos began to pick up speed. While the team was unable to build on their lead, they looked far better in the second half than they had at the start. MSU responded with a pair of goals in the second to take the lead but Western's offense replied with three markers in less than four minutes. With a 2-goal lead entering the third, all the Broncos had to do was play a solid defensive game and they'd earn the program its second tournament win. However, Michigan State managed to chip away at the lead and get back to within one when they pulled their goaltender. With less than a minute remaining, the Spartans got the tying goal and forced the match into overtime. Both teams looked a bit hesitant in the extra session but Western wasn't even able to get a shot on goal through the first 8 minutes. In the end, a rather harmless shot was accidentally deflected by Daniel Hilsendager past Rowe and Western Michigan's season came to an sudden end.[5]
| Barrett Brooks | Forward | Transferred to Mercyhurst | ||
| Aidan Fulp | Defenseman | Signed professional contract (New York Islanders) | ||
| Cole Gallant | Forward | Graduation (signed with Trois-Rivières Lions) | ||
| William Hambley | Goaltender | Transferred to Alaska | ||
| Lucas Matta | Defenseman | Transferred to Rensselaer | ||
| Ryan McAllister | Forward | Signed professional contract (Florida Panthers) | ||
| Jack Perbix | Forward/Defenseman | Graduate transfer to Northern Michigan | ||
| Forward | Graduation (signed with Colorado Avalanche) | |||
| Jamie Rome | Forward | Graduation (signed with Orlando Solar Bears) | ||
| Max Sasson | Forward | Signed professional contract (Vancouver Canucks) | ||
| Theo Thrun | Forward | Left program (retired) |
| Alex Bump | Forward | 19 | Burnsville, MN | ||
| Joe Cassetti | Forward | 24 | Pleasanton, CA
| ||
| Forward | 21 | Stoneham, MA
| |||
| Matteo Costantini | Forward | 21 | St. Catharines, ON
| ||
| Cole Crusberg-Roseen | Defenseman | 21 | Stratham, NH | ||
| Owen Michaels | Forward | 21 | Detroit, MI | ||
| Jacob Napier | Defenseman | 20 | Lancaster, NY | ||
| Ethan Phillips | Forward | 22 | Dartmouth, NS
| ||
| Dawson Smith | Goaltender | 20 | Whitehorse, YT | ||
| Ean Somoza | Forward | 20 | Thousand Oaks, CA | ||
| Garrett Szydlowski | Forward | 21 | Detroit, MI |
As of September 1, 2023.[6]
|-!colspan=12 style=";" | Exhibition|-!colspan=12 style=";" | Regular Season|-!colspan=12 style=";" | |-!colspan=12 style=";" |
See main article: 2024 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament.
| Game summary | |
| Michigan State got on its horses straight away and put pressure on the WMU cage. Cameron Rowe had to stop the first six shots of the game and the Broncos didn't get the puck on Trey Augustine until the 5-minute mark. MSU dominated play through the first seven minutes but when Western finally got set up in the offensive zone, Matteo Costantini was able to use a screen by several players to beat Augustine from the top of the right circle for the first goal. The Broncos started getting the puck down low, behind the Michigan State goal line, and tried to win the puck with a combination of speed and board battles. The Spartans counterattacked with a solid backcheck and generated several chances off of the rush. The play between the two teams was fairly even for several minutes with both squads getting scoring chances though neither was able to sustain a continual attack. Both teams played physically throughout the period but Western seemed to get the better of the exchange. Western Michigan got off to a quick start in the second and attacked the MSU net. Augustine and the defense were able to turn them away and allow the Spartan offense to take their turn in the offensive zone. At about the 3-minute mark, Wyatt Schingoethe got the puck at the top of the blue paint from a cross-crease pass but Augustine managed to slide over and make the save on the one-timer. Two minutes later, a stretch pass from Matt Basgall found Daniel Russell at center ice and gave the Spartan forward a 100-foot break away. Just as he got to the slot, Russell fired the puck through Rowe's six-hole to tie the game. The pace picked up afterwards and both gets got back to their speed game. After a few minutes, a shot from Daniel Hilsendager was stopped by Augustine but the puck squeaked through his arms and fell to the ice in the crease. Fortunately for Michigan State, a Spartan defender was first on the scene and he helped his goaltender freeze the puck for a faceoff. Coming out of the mid-period TV timeout, MSU won the offensive zone faceoff and David Gucciardi blasted the puck past Rowe from the blue line. Western went on the attack following the goal but MSU was able to clear the puck after a couple of chances. As the Broncos continued to press, Gavin O'Connell was called for a hooking penalty and give Western the first power play of the night. WMU won the faceoff and moved the puck around the Michigan State zone until it came to Alex Bump to the left of the goal He tried to pass the puck across the net but it deflected off of a defender's skate into the net. After tying the game, Western continued to pressure the Spartans and after a bouncing puck eluded an MSU player at center ice, Bump found a streaking Sam Colangelo who wired the puck into the goal past Augustine's Blocker. Michigan State tried to match the Broncos' effort but instead they could only watch as Zak Galambos scored a marker that was a mirror-image of the earlier Gucciardi goal, again, to Augustine's blocker-side. With the game starting to get away from them, MSU attacked the Western end vigorously and forced Galambos into a hooking penalty. Western challenged the play for a dive by Russell but the officials did not see enough evidence for a matching minor. Western was able to kill off the rest of the period but still left them with a minute more on the PK to start the third. MSU was unable to get much going once play resumed and squandered their man-advantage. Western continued to carry the play and Luke Grainger nearly scored when his chip-shot from the low slot clanked off of the post and stayed out. Michigan State tried to get something going to cut into the Broncos' lead but every time they touched the puck a Western player was there to force the issue. Tim Washe was very conspicuous with several hard hits in the third but the Spartans refused to quit. Near the middle of the period, a turnover by Western at the own blue line allowed Michigan State to finally establish some zone time and eventually Nash Nienhuis was able to fire the puck past a screened Cameron Rowe to cut the lead to 1. WMU got right back to its high-pressure game after the goal and tried to regain their 2-goal lead but the Spartans had regained their footing and the two teams started exchanging scoring chances. With about six minutes to play, Bump got on a partial break from center ice but Augustine stood tall and made the save. After the play, an earlier hit by Washe was reviewed for a major penalty (contact to the head) but the officials decided against leveling an infraction. Once play resumed, the two goaltender both committed turnovers after handling the puck that led to scoring opportunities but neither surrendered a goal. With under three minutes to play, a second goal got behind Augustine after a save but MSU managed to clear the puck away. Moments later, after Augustine was pulled for an extra attacker, Rowe made a save but could not freeze the puck. The loose biscuit dribbled just to the side before being cleared by Western. Michigan State managed to prevent an attempt on their open goal and then raced up the ice. With less than a minute left, Artyom Levshunov skated the puck up the right side of the ice and, as he was approaching the goal line, he found Karsen Dorwart alone in front of the goal for the tying marker. The final 55 seconds passed to no effect and overtime was needed to settle the game. The play settled down once overtime began with both teams playing a bit more hesitantly on their forechecking. The result was that though each team could now get into the offensive zone, much of the play was restricted to the perimeter. However, as play wore on, Michigan State began to turn zone time into scoring opportunities and Rowe was forced to stop several good chances. Western, conversely, was unable to get anything going offensively and didn't get a single shot on goal through eight minutes of play. Near the middle of the period, a Jeremy Davidson took a seemingly harmless shot on goal from the half wall but it deflected off of Hilsendager's stick past Rowe for the winning goal. |
| 38 | 14 | 34 | 48 | 21 | |||
| 38 | 23 | 21 | 44 | 10 | |||
| 38 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 23 | |||
| 38 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 27 | |||
| 38 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 18 | |||
| 38 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 44 | |||
| 29 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 12 | |||
| 38 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 39 | |||
| 36 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 14 | |||
| 38 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 10 | |||
| 38 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 8 | |||
| 38 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 27 | |||
| 37 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 34 | |||
| 33 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 19 | |||
| 38 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 23 | |||
| 38 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | |||
| 24 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 27 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | |||
| 22 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | |||
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 28 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |||
| 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 136 | 249 | 385 | 393 |
|---|
| 38 | 2286:10 | 21 | 16 | 1 | 94 | 872 | 3 | .903 | 2.47 | ||
| Empty Net | - | 20:41 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | |
| Total | 38 | 2306:51 | 21 | 16 | 1 | 97 | 872 | 2 | .900 | 2.52 |
|---|
See main article: 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey rankings.
| Poll | Week | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 (Final) | ||
| USCHO.com | 12 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | – | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | – | 14 | |
| USA Today | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 12 | – | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | |
| Luke Grainger | NCHC Scholar-Athlete of the Year | [9] |
| Luke Grainger | NCHC Second Team | [10] |
| Alex Bump | NCHC Rookie Team | [11] |
See main article: 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
| 6 | 175 | † | Pittsburgh Penguins |