Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey


The Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Western Michigan University. The Broncos are a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. They play at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States.

History

The Broncos program began in 1973 and joined the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for the 1975–76 season. After ten seasons in the league Western Michigan won the 1986 CCHA Playoff Tournament and advanced to the school's first NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament in 1986. The 1986 season marked the program's first CCHA Tournament Championship and the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos entered the tournament in the West Regional against Harvard and lost the two-game aggregate series, being outscored 11–4 by the Crimson.
Western Michigan's next post season appearance came in 1994. Western Michigan received an at-large bid to the 1994 NCAA Division I Tournament and again fell in the first round with a 6–3 loss to Wisconsin.
The Broncos rebounded in the 1995–96 season after a sub-.500 season in 1994–95. Western Michigan received the program's second at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan lost again in the first round to Clarkson 6–1.
Under first-year coach Jeff Blashill, Western Michigan received an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, where they would lose their opening game 3–2 in double overtime to Denver. Denver scored two goals in the last 4:29 of the third period to force overtime.
In 2011–12, for the second consecutive season, Western Michigan had a new head coach and reached the NCAA tournament. Longtime National Hockey League coach Andy Murray was named as coach of the Broncos after Blashill left for the Detroit Red Wings. WMU finished tied for second in the CCHA and won the CCHA tournament, thereby receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Western Michigan lost in the first round of the tournament 3–1 to No. 1 seed North Dakota.
The Broncos joined the National Collegiate Hockey Conference starting in the 2013–14 season. The CCHA disbanded after the 2012–13 season, in part due to the addition of men's ice hockey to the Big Ten Conference.
Western Michigan won the 2013 four-team Great Lakes Invitational which was played outdoors at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Broncos defeated No. 3 Michigan 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals, and then claimed the championship by beating Michigan Tech 1-0, also in overtime. WMU won the 2014 Shillelagh Tournament with an 8–2 victory over No. 17 Union. The Broncos also defeated Ohio State in the first round of the tournament, 6–2.
In 2016-17, the Broncos followed up a disappointing 8-25-3 season with an impressive 22-13-5 and a 3rd place finish in the NCHC. Western Michigan was invited to the final Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena, where they defeated Michigan Tech in the championship. WMU has been invited to the GLI 5 times dating back to 1977, winning it 3 of those times. The Broncos were defeated in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Division I tournament by Air Force.

Season-by-season results

Coaching

The Broncos are coached by former Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues head coach Andy Murray. In his first season, he coached the Broncos to their second CCHA Tournament Championship in school history, as well as the school's fifth NCAA Tournament Bid.

All-time coaching records

As of the completion of 2018–19 season
† The 1998–99 season was coached by both Wilkinson and Culhane.

Statistical Leaders

Career points leaders

PlayerYearsGPGAPtsPIM
1982–1986157115178293
1986–199016582189271
1983–198716242199241
1986–1990159109125234
1978–1982138100125225
1974–197812992106198
1983–198716210491195
1992–199614757127184
1983–198612281102183
1978–19811308295177

Career Goaltending Leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 30 games played
PlayerYearsGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
2011–20159460214938152357.9092.34
1995–199636211023112915.9102.59
2007–2011633528162731582.9122.69
2012–20168643962537102024.9092.76
2015–2019522641251631282.9012.91

Statistics current through the start of the 2019-20 season.

Current roster

As of August 18, 2019.

Awards and honors

All-Americans

AHCA First Team All-Americans
AHCA Second Team All-Americans

Individual Awards

Player of the Year
Best Defensive Forward
Best Defensive Defenseman
Rookie of the Year
Coach of the Year
Ilitch Humanitarian Award
Most Valuable Player in Tournament
First Team All-CCHA
Second Team All-CCHA
CCHA All-Rookie Team

Individual Awards

Herb Brooks Coach of the Year
First Team All-NCHC
Second Team All-NCHC
NCHC All-Rookie Team
The following is a list of people associated with the Western Michigan men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame.
PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Bill ArmstrongLeft WingPHI1990–19910
Chase BalisyCenterFLA2017–20180
Mike BishaiCenterEDM2003–20040
Kevin ConnautonDefensemanDAL, CBJ, ARI, COL2013–Present0
Joe CorvoDefensemanLAK, OTT, CAR, WSH, BOS2002–20140
Jim CulhaneDefensemanHFD1989–19900
Danny DeKeyserDefensemanDET2012–Present0
Dan DorionLeft WingNJD1985–19880
Sheldon DriesCenterCOL2018–Present0
Patrick DwyerRight WingCAR2008–20150
Mike EastwoodCenterTOR, WPG, PHO, NYR, STL, CHI, PIT1991–20040
Ross FitzpatrickCenterPHI1982–19860
Scott Foster‡GoaltenderCHI2017–20180
David GoveCenterCAR2005–20070

PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Glenn HealyGoaltenderLAK, NYI, ', TOR1985–20011
Ron HooverLeft WingBOS, STL1989–19920
Glenn JohannesenLeft WingNYI1985–19860
Keith JonesRight WingWSH, COL, PHI1992–20010
Mark LetestuCenterPIT, CBJ, EDM, WIN2009–Present0
Jamal MayersRight WingSTL, TOR, CGY, SJS, '1996–20131
Griffen MolinoForwardVAN2016–20170
Jordan OesterleCenterEDM, CHI, ARI2014–Present0
Andy RymshaRight WingQUE1991–19920
Bernie SaundersRight WingQUE1979–19810
Paul SzczechuraCenterTBL, BUF2008–20120
Matt TennysonDefensemanSJS, CAR, BUF, NJD2012–Present0
Luke WitkowskiRight WingTBL, DET2014–Present0

‡Scott Foster played 14 minutes for the Blackhawks after being signed to a 1-day contract as an emergency backup due to injury.