Lawson Ice Arena, Kalamazoo MI, 13 Oct 1994
St Francis Xavier   1  2  2 -- 5
Western Michigan    1  3  2 -- 6
 
WMU opens the 1994-95 season with a victory.
JR Kyle Millar [6-3 210] centers the #1 line and
gets a hat trick in his first game for the Broncos
[he transferred, but from where?].  Millar scored
back-to-back goals so fast in the 2nd period
that before WMU thought to take the puck out
of the game [for his 1st WMU goal], he had
already notched his 2nd.  So, and interesting
souvenir for Mr Millar...the puck that he scored
his first two goals with.
 
The X-Men were a spirited [read: chippy] bunch
that were enjoyable to watch.  I was impressed
with Western's composure.  Past Bronco teams
wouldn't have taken the cheap stuff that St Francis
was delivering, and it would have been an all
out slugfest.
 
I predicted a 10-3 WMU win before the game and
if each team had average goaltending it would
have been 10-3.  Stanley Leduc was dynamite
in net for the X-Men [and more hot headed than
Blaine Lacher].  Brian Renfrew was no more
effective than a well placed mannequin for WMU.
I believe the announced shot totals were 41-18
favoring Western.
 
Quick summary:  SF scored first, WMU scored
with :08 remaining in the 1st just after SF returned
to full strength.  WMU zipped of three more in the
2nd [Millar, Millar and a sweet shot by FR point
man Steve Duke, who quarterbacks the #1 power
play] to go up 4-1.  I commented to a friend that
I had seen WMU lose a 4-1 lead at home before
[Merrimack! :-]  Sure enough, it became 4-3, then
5-3, then 5-4.  SF finally tied it with a few minutes
remaining, but Mike Whitton jammed in the winner
with :37 remaining in regulation.
 
Shawn Zimmerman was credited with the other
WMU goal.
 
Western Michigan lines are given below:
  F  Chris Brooks-Kyle Millar-Brian Gallentine
  F  Mike Whitton-Jamal Mayers-Tony Code
  F  Derek Innanen-Jeremy Brown-Carlin Nordstrom
  F  Matt Cressman-Shawn Zimmerman-Joel Irving
  D  Darren Maloney-Steve Duke
  D  Brent Lovett-Jeff Rucinski
  D  Brendan Kenny-Misha Lapin
  G  Brian Renfrew
 
Next up: York at Michigan tonight!
 
 
John Haeussler
Univ of Michigan
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