The No. 16/17 Colorado College Tigers travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a weekend series against the 12th-ranked Western Michigan Broncos, Jan. 26-27, at Lawson Arena. Friday's game is scheduled for 5 p.m. (MT), while Saturday's will begin at 4 p.m. (MT). The Tigers are coming off a weekend and season sweep over Miami at Robson Arena. Live streaming and live stats links can be found at CCTigers.com.

85 Years of CC Hockey
This season marks the 85th year of varsity ice hockey at Colorado College and 11th season as a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. CC was a charter member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (1951-52) for 62 seasons before joining the NCHC with seven other schools prior to the 2013-14 campaign.

How To Listen / Watch
Both games at Western Michigan will be broadcast live in the Colorado Springs area and Southern Colorado on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 FM / 95.5 FM / 1240 AM with the 'Voice of the Tigers' Ken Landau and streamed on NCHC.tv.

Last Time Out
Colorado College completed a season sweep over Miami University last weekend with a pair of victories at Robson Arena ... On Friday, Noah Laba and Tommy Middleton scored in the third period to lead a rally past Miami, 2-1. Kaidan Mbereko stopped 27 shots, including 16 in the second period. Matthew Barbolini opened the scoring for Miami at the 16:17 mark of the first period. Mbereko was stellar in the second period and kept the Tigers within reach. It appeared that Gleb Veremyev scored midway through the middle frame, but one of the referees blew his whistle just as the puck snuck out from Miami goalie Bruno Bruveris' pads and Veremyev knocked it in the net. Laba evened the score just 21 seconds into the third period with CC on the power play. Middleton then collected his second goal of the season with just 1:36 remaining in the third period. Laba got the puck in the neutral zone and sent it to Evan Werner, who found Middleton at the right circle and the junior from Midland, Mich., sailed a one-timer past Bruveris for the second game-winner of his career. Miami challenged the goal for possible offside, but after further review, the play stood and the RedHawks were assessed a delay of game penalty since they had taken their timeout earlier in the period. Bruveris was on the bench for an extra attacker for the final 1:26, but Miami could not get the equalizer ... On Saturday, Max Burkholder scored a goal and added two assists for a career-high three points in a 4-2 victory. Logan Will and Klavs Weinbergs each collected a couple of assists, with Veinbergs picking up the first points of his career. For the second consecutive game, Miami jumped on the scoreboard first when PJ Fletcher scored a power-play goal just 2:13 into the contest. The Tigers roared back with four straight goals, including one each by Laba and Burkholder later in the opening frame. Laba notched his team-high 11th goal and second of the weekend at the 6:50 mark. After Burkholder sent the puck toward the net from the right circle, Veremyev chipped the puck to Laba, who scored from the left post. Burkholder then scored his fourth of the season at the 9:22 mark with an outstanding individual effort. He gathered the puck at the right point, wheeled all the way around the net and went top shelf from the left circle past Bruveris. Jack Millar made it 3-1 at 14:31 of the second period with a blast from the slot after taking a pass from behind the net from Veinbergs, who was on his knees while he made the pass. Zaccharya Wisdom put the Tigers ahead by three at the 11:11 mark of the third period with a power-play goal. Burkholder's shot from the left circle was saved by Bruveris, but Wisdom was there for the rebound and scored his fifth goal of the season. Dylan Moulton closed out the scoring with a shorthanded goal with 2:45 remaining in the game.
 
Moving Up in the National Polls  
Following the sweep against Miami, Colorado College moved up in both Division I national polls this week. The Tigers are No. 16 in the USCHO.com poll and No. 17 in the USA Hockey / The Rink Live poll.  

Best Start in 12 Years  
Colorado College's 13-8-1 record after 22 games is the best since the 2011-12 season (started 13-8-1). The Tigers are tied for 13th in the country with 13 victories. Meanwhile, Jan. 20 is the earliest date CC has reached 13 victories since the '11-12 campaign (Jan. 13, 2012).  

The Coaches
Kris Mayotte is in his third season at the helm of the Tigers. He came to Colorado College after serving two years as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan. Mayotte was an assistant coach for Providence College when the Friars won the NCAA Division I title in 2015. In addition, he has won a pair of gold medals and a bronze in four stints as an assistant coach with Team USA at the World Junior Championships … Pat Ferschweiler is in his third season as head coach at Western Michigan after spending two seasons as an associate head coach with the program. Prior to rejoining the WMU staff, he spent four years as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings.
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Previous Meetings
Colorado College and Western Michigan have met 41 times, with WMU holding a 24-11-6 advantage in the series. The Broncos lead the series, 13-5-1, in Kalamazoo. However, CC swept WMU in the first round of the 2023 NCHC playoffs the last time the two teams met at Lawson Arena. Western Michigan swept the Tigers, 3-1 and 4-0, earlier this season at Robson Arena.

Three is the Number
The Tigers are 12-1 this season when scoring three or more goals. The only loss was a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Augustana. CC is 12-3-1 when it allows three goals or less.

Burkholder Named NCHC Rookie of the Week
Colorado College freshman defenseman Max Burkholder was named the KJ Branding NCHC Rookie of the Week following the Tigers' sweep over Miami. Burkholder had a big weekend at both ends of the ice, chipping in three points for CC while helping limit Miami to only three goals. After posting a +1 plus/minus in the Tigers' 2-1 win on Friday, Burkholder erupted on Saturday with a career-high three points for his first collegiate multi-point game. He dished out an assist on CC's first goal to tie the game, then scored a highlight-reel goal to put the Tigers up for good, 2-1, before picking up a primary assist on the Tigers' fourth goal to seal the 4-2 victory. Burkholder was tabbed First Star of the Game on Saturday.

Youngsters Scoring  
Freshmen and sophomores have combined for 44 of the team's 68 goals and 103 of the 174 points. 23 of CC's last 36 goals have been scored by freshmen or sophomores.  

Up Next
The Tigers return home for a weekend series against #15/14 St. Cloud State, Feb. 2-3, at Robson Arena.

Tiger Tales
Colorado College's 7-5 record after 12 conference games is the best as a member of the NCHC and best since the 2011-12 season (7-5) ... Last weekend's sweep over Miami was CC's fifth sweep this season, the most in one campaign since 2011-12 (5) ... The TIgers are 7-3 on the road, the best mark after 10 road games since the 2004-05 season (7-2-1) ... CC is second in the nation with a .553 faceoff winning percentage ... Logan Will is third in the NCHC with a .604 faceoff win percentage ... CC is third in the NCHC in blocked shots at 11.82 percent ... Noah Laba is tied for the lead in the NCHC and fourth in the country with four GWG ... Laba is tied for second in the NCHC and fifth in the nation with two shorthanded goals ... Laba is 11th in the NCHC with 11 goals ... Max Burkholder is tied for 10th in the league with three power-play goals ... Jack Millar is tied for fifth in the NCHC with 34 blocks, while Connor Mayer is seventh with 32.

Mbereko Named NCHC Goaltender of the Month For December
Colorado College sophomore Kaidan Mbereko was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Month. Mbereko started all four Colorado College games in December, posting a 2-1-1 record. He ranked third in the NCHC with a .926 save percentage and a 1.95 goals-against average during the month. Mbereko compiled 46 saves in a series with future NCHC member Arizona State to start the month. He racked up 34 stops, including 19 in the first period, in a 2-2 overtime tie on Dec. 1 for his second-highest save total of the season. His best outings came a week later, when he backstopped CC to a pair of 3-2 overtime wins at then-No. 1 North Dakota. Mbereko compiled 32 saves in the series opener on Dec. 8 before making 22 more stops in another overtime win a night later.

Three Future Tigers Sign National Letter of Intent
Three future Tigers recently signed a National Letter of Intent to attend and play hockey at Colorado College. The players are forwards Jordan Brisson (Chicago Steel – USHL),  Cooper Conway (Omaha Lancers - USHL) and Coy Pighin (Drumheller Dragons - AJHL).
This group joins six players, forwards Owen Beckner and Gavin Lindberg, defensemen Philippe Blais-Savoie, Ryan Koering and Fisher Scott, and goaltender Carsen Musser, who previously signed an NLI with Colorado College.

16 Televised Games This Season
Colorado College is excited to announce a new partnership with SOCO CW, which will televise 14 games during the upcoming 2023-24 season. SOCO CW is available to viewers throughout Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Southern Colorado. CBS Sports Network will televise two games nationally, Jan. 19 vs. Miami and March 8 vs. Denver.

Tigers Picked Seventh in NCHC Preseason Poll
Colorado College was picked seventh in the 2023-24 NCHC Preseason Poll.

1.    Denver – 199 points (11 first-place votes)
2.    North Dakota – 175 (12)
3.    St. Cloud State – 155 (2)
4.    Western Michigan - 126 (2)
5.    Minnesota Duluth – 123 (1)
6.    Omaha - 113
7.    Colorado College – 89
8.    Miami - 28