Colorado College Tigers vs. Western Michigan Broncos

Game Notes: Colorado College
Dates: Friday, March 2 / Saturday, March 3
Time: 7:37 pm / 6:07 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Venue: Broadmoor World Arena (7,380)
Radio: KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 FM / 1240 AM
TV: None
Live Streaming: NCHC.tv
Records: Colorado College 13-14-5, 7-11-4-3 NCHC | Western Michigan 14-16-2, 9-12-1-0 NCHC
Rankings: Colorado College rv/-- | Western Michigan rv/rv
Series: Western Mich. leads 9-5-4
First Game: 12/20/02, CC won 8-4
Last Game: 1/20/18, CC won 6-5 (ot)

This Weekend
Colorado College wraps up the 2017-18 regular season this weekend against the Western Michigan Broncos at The Broadmoor World Arena. The games will be broadcast in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM, and 1240 AM, as well as streamed live at NCHC.tv. The teams split a pair of overtime games in January and are tied for fifth place in the NCHC.

Last Time Out
The Tigers collected two of a possible six points last weekend at Omaha ... On Friday, Tristan Keck, Zach Jordan and Teemu Pulkkinen each scored a goal and added two assists  to lead Omaha to a 4-2 victory. The Tigers, who trailed 4-0 after two periods, mounted a comeback with a couple of goals in the third but fell just short. Keck opened the scoring just 3:58 into the contest with a wrister from the right circle that got by Alex Leclerc and snuck inside the far post. Less than four minutes later, Keck found Jordan behind the Tiger defense and he fired a shot from the same spot and it was 2-0 at the 6:36 mark of the opening period. Pulkkinen, who assisted on Keck's first goal, made it 3-0 with a power-play goal at the 4:31 mark of the second period, prompting CC head coach Mike Haviland to pull Leclerc (14 saves) in favor of Alec Calvaruso. Lukas Buchta scored on a rebound while the teams were playing 4-on-4 to make it 4-0 at the 12:24 mark of the middle frame, with Keck and Pulkkinen each collecting his second assist of the contest. The Tigers showed some fire late in the second and kept it up in the third period with a pair of goals, but couldn't complete the comeback. Trevor Gooch cut the lead to 4-1 just 2:24 into the third with his 11th goal of the season, then Christiano Versich made it 4-2 at the 10:55 mark as he took a pass from Tanner Ockey in the right corner, wheeled around to the high slot and beat a screened Evan Weninger with a wrist shot. Calvaruso, who finished with 25 saves, kept the Tigers alive with 11 in the final period, including a couple from point-blank range ... On Saturday, Calvaruso made a career-high 34 saves in his second career start and Nick Halloran scored the game-tying goal in the third period of a 2-2 tie. Mason Bergh scored in the 3-on-3 overtime period to give CC the extra point in the NCHC standings. Ockey opened the scoring with a goal just as a Miami penalty was expiring. Versich wheeled around to the slot and sent a shot to the net that Ockey deflected between the legs of Weninger with 1:46 remaining in the first period. Ben Israel also collected an assist. The Mavericks responded with a pair of goals in the middle frame. Steven Spinner collected the puck after Calvaruso made a save, moved behind the net and fired a shot the Calvaruso stopped, but knocked the rebound home to make it a 1-1 game at the 11:44 mark. Keck scored his second goal of the weekend late in the period with a shorthanded breakaway. Keck flipped the puck to himself twice to get behind the Tiger defense and slipped a backhander between Calvaruso's legs with 1:07 left in the period. Calvaruso kept the Tigers in the game in the third period and his efforts were rewarded as the Tigers evened it up with 6:13 left in the final frame. Halloran fired a shot from the left circle that was saved by Weninger, but the puck stayed loose in front of the net and a clearing attempt went off an Omaha player's skate and back into the net. Halloran was credited with the unassisted goal, his team-high 19th of the season. Gooch had a breakaway in the final seconds of regulation, but had to pull up and sent a slapshot from the high slot that missed the net by inches as the horn sounded.
 
Up Next
Colorado College will play in the first round of the NCHC playoffs, March 9-11. The Tigers can finish anywhere from fourth to seventh in the final standings. CC finished seventh in the first year of the NCHC and eighth each of the last three seasons.  

For the Record
Colorado College is 13-14-5 overall and 7-11-4-3 in the NCHC following its series at Omaha ... Western Michigan is 14-16-2 overall and 9-12-1-0 in league play after getting swept, 8-0 and 6-1, at home to Minnesota Duluth last weekend. The Tigers and Broncos each have 28 points and are tied with Omaha for fifth place in the NCHC.
 
The Coaches
Mike Haviland (Elmira College, '90) is in his fourth season at the helm of the Tigers. He led the Tigers to the Florida College Hockey Classic title last season. Haviland came to Colorado College after serving one year as head coach of the Hershey Bears (AHL) and was an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008-12, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2010 … Andy Murray (Brandon University, '72) is in his seventh season at Western Michigan and has a 117-113-34 record at the school. In his first year with the program, Murray led WMU to its second CCHA Tournament Championship as the Broncos defeated Michigan, 3-2, in the CCHA final. Murray has 10 years of NHL head coaching experience, spending six seasons at the helm of the Los Angeles Kings and four with the St. Louis Blues.

Scouting the Broncos
Dawson DiPietro leads Western Michigan in scoring with 33 points (13g,20a), followed by Wade Allison with 30 (15g,15a) and Hugh McGing with 28 (9g,19a). Goaltender Ben Blacker has a 12-12-2 record, along with a 3.29 goals-against average and an .890 saves percentage in 2017-18.

On the Air
All CC games in 2017-18, home and away, will be broadcast live throughout Southern Colorado on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM, as well as 1240 AM, featuring Ken Landau with the play-by-play. The pregame show begins 37 minutes prior to the start of the game. The broadcasts also can be heard worldwide via the Internet ... Select games, including this Friday, also will be available on KSBV 93.7 FM in Cripple Creek, Divide, Buena Vista, Monarch and Leadville.

Saturday Success
With their 2-2 tie last Saturday at Omaha, the Tigers are now 9-4-3 on Saturday this season. All four losses were against ranked teams and seven of the nine wins have been by one goal.

Very Defensive in 13 Wins
In their 13 victories this season, the Tigers have allowed just 20 goals, including three shutouts, which are the most in one season since 2010-11 (5).

Halloran Holds on to NCHC Scoring Lead
Halloran, who was held pointless Friday night for just the fifth time in his last 22 games, continues to hold the top spot in the NCHC scoring race with 42 points. He is fifth  in the country in scoring.

Fastest to 13 Wins in Six Years
With their victory at Denver on Feb. 17, the Tigers achieved their 13th win of the season, more than the team's win total in each of the last four seasons, and earlier than any season since the 2011-12 campaign. It was also CC's seventh league victory, the most in one season since joining the NCHC in 2013-14.

Bergh and Halloran Nominated for Hobey Baker Award
Mason Bergh and Halloran are among 74 student-athletes nominated for the 2018 Hobey Baker Award. The Hobey Baker Award is presented annually to the collegiate hockey player who best demonstrates strength of character both on and off the ice, contributes to the integrity of his team and displays outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Colorado College has had two winners since the first Hobey Baker was awarded in 1981, Peter Sejna (2003) and Marty Sertich (2005).

Several Career Highs This Season
Seven Tigers, Halloran (42), Bergh (34), Trey Bradley (25), Westin Michaud (22), Gooch (18), Kristian Blumenschein (13) and Israel (11), have posted a career-high in points this season.

Most Goals Since 2013
Colorado College has scored 90 goals this season, the most in one campaign since scoring 133 in 2012-13.

Halloran Fastest to 40 Points in 12 Years
Halloran reached the 40-point mark in 28 games, the fewest by a Tiger since Brett Sterling needed 27 during the 2005-06 campaign. He is the first Tiger to score 40 points in a season since Rylan Schwartz (53) and Alexander Krushelnyski (43) in 2012-13.

Still Undefeated When Leading After Two
The 1-0 victory at Denver on Feb. 17 improved CC's record to 11-0-1 when leading after two periods this season.

First 1-0 Victory in Over Seven Years
CC's victory over Denver on Feb. 17 was its first 1-0 win since Oct. 23, 2010 at
Minnesota State. It also marked the first shutout in a true road game for the Tigers since a 3-0 victory at Wisconsin on Nov. 3, 2012.
 
No Seniors This Season
Colorado College is one of only two Division I programs in the country without a senior on the 2017-18 roster. Boston College is the other. However, BC does have a graduate student on its roster this season.

5 with 20
After having just one player reach the 20-point mark each of the last three seasons, five Tigers have reached that plateau this season, the most since seven players hit the mark in the 2012-13 campaign.

Tigers Continue to Receive Votes in USCHO.com Poll
Colorado College received one vote in this week's USCHO.com poll, good for a tie for 26th place. The Tigers remain tied for 23rd in the latest PairWise rankings.

Another Tough Schedule
After playing the second-toughest schedule in the country last season, the Tigers are at it again this year. Five of Colorado College's 13 opponents this season played in the NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament last season and 16 of CC's 34 regular-season games are against teams ranked in the top 20 of this week's USCHO.com poll.

Most PPG in Three Years
The Tigers' three power-play goals vs. Miami on Jan. 26 were the most in one game since scoring the same amount in a 4-1 victory at UConn on Jan. 6, 2015.

Outstanding in One-Goal Games
Following the 1-0 victory at Denver on Feb. 17, the Tigers are 8-3 in one-goal games this season. That is the most one-goal victories in a season since winning 11 during the 2012-13 campaign.

Fastest Two Goals in Six Years
The two goals in 17 seconds by Michaud and Halloran on Dec. 16 against Arizona State were the fastest by Colorado College since Nov. 25, 2011, when Nick Dineen and Ryan Schwartz scored 16 seconds apart in a 7-6 loss at North Dakota.

Halloran Repeats as NCHC Player of the Month
Halloran was named the NCHC Player of the Month for January, becoming the first player in NCHC history to be named the sole Player of the Month in consecutive months. Denver's Joey LaLeggia was the co-Player of the Month in February of 2015, then won the award outright the following month. Halloran was named the Player of the Month for December after racking up eight points in six games, helping the Tigers post a 2-1-3 record during the month. In January, he led the NCHC by averaging 2.00 points per game, tied for the league lead with seven assists and 12 points, and tallied three points in half of the six games.