Jason Polin scored twice and Cameron Rowe stopped 24 shots to lead No. 8 Western Michigan to a 4-1 victory over Colorado College Friday night in Kalamazoo, Mich.
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Stanley Cooley put the Tigers on the board with a power-play goal at the 4:38 mark of the first period. A shot by
Nicklas Andrews was knocked down in front of the net and Cooley gathered it, then beat Rowe from the slot.
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Polin, the nation's leading goal scorer, evened things up with a power-play goal of his own at 13:17 of the opening frame. He took a cross-ice pass from Ryan McAllister and sent a wrister from the left circle past Tiger netminder
Kaidan Mbereko (17 saves).
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The Tigers dominated the second period, outshooting Western Michigan, 15-7, but couldn't put the puck past Rowe and the game remained tied at 1-1 after 40 minutes.
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The Broncos put the game away with three goals in the third period, starting with Jack Perbix's game winner at the 9:14 mark. Perbix took a pass from Zak Galambos and beat Mbereko from the high slot to make it 2-1.
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Chad Hillebrand extended the lead at the 11:49 mark of the final frame and Polin sealed it with an empty-netter in the final minute.
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CC held a 25-21 advantage in shots and was 1-for-2 on the power play. Western Michigan capitalized on its only power-play opportunity of the game.
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The teams will battle again on Saturday, Feb. 18, beginning at 4 p.m. (MT).
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