KALAMAZOO, mich. – Western Michigan will square off with No. 12 Boston College in the opening round of the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off on Dec. 28. The two teams will hit the ice at 8:30 PM ET at Fiserv Forum. The winner will play either Lake Superior State or No. 2 Wisconsin.
LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos collected a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over No. 4 Minnesota Duluth back on Dec. 6. The win was WMUS 10th of the season.
William Whitelaw stole the show, scoring twice, including the game winner in overtime. Zack Sharp provided the othre tally in the game for the Brown and Gold. In net, Hampton Slukynsky made 18 saves and notched an assist on the game-winning goal.
WILL THE THRILL
Joining the program this season, junior forward William Whitelaw has started to find his footing in the Brown and Gold. The rosemount, Minn. native has seven points on four goals and three assists over his last six games. He has at least one point in five of his last six games.
That includes a two-goal outing, including the game winner, against No.4 Minnesota Duluth back on Dec. 6. For his efforts, the Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick was named the NCHC Forward of the Week on Dec. 9.
Whitelaw leads the Broncos in points (15) and goals (9) this season, while chipping in six assists. he is +6 with three game-winning tallies.
SWEDISH SUPERSTAR
Swedish blue liner Samuel Sjolund is taking the next step in his career, spearheading a strong defensive core in his senior season. Despite losing his partner to injury earlier this season, Sjolund has kept producing, entering the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off with 13 points on three goals and 10 assists.
Sjolund is averaging a point per game over his last seven games, handing out seven helpers in that stretch. He has at least one point in four of his last five outings.
The Stockholm native is up to 60 points on 10 goals and 50 assists in his career. The veteran defenseman is just four games away from 100 in his career.
Western Michigan Broncos Set to Face Boston College Eagles in Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off
Milwaukee, WI – december 27, 2023 – The No. 7 Western Michigan University (WMU) Broncos will face off against the Boston College (BC) Eagles today in the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee,Wisconsin. This marks the second all-time meeting between the two programs, with Boston College winning the first contest 4-2 last year in Chestnut Hill.
The Broncos (10-6-0) are coming off a strong stretch, fueled by a potent offense that averages over 3.50 goals per game. WMU was the nation’s top-scoring team last season and consistently ranks among the leaders in shots per game. Forwards Cole Whitelaw and Ethan Valente are key contributors to the Bronco attack, with Whitelaw recording nine goals on 76 shots and Valente netting eight goals on 56 shots.
Sophomore goaltender Hampton Slukynsky has been instrumental in WMU’s recent success. Slukynsky is 5-1-0 in his last six outings, boasting a 2.32 goals-against average (GAA) and a .900 save percentage. Overall this season, the Los Angeles Kings draft pick has a 10-6-0 record with a 2.83 GAA. He is quickly climbing the WMU record books, currently leading the program in career GAA and ranking fifth in save percentage, and is just one win shy of entering the program’s top 10 in career victories.
Boston College enters the game with a 10-5-1 overall record and a 7-3-0 mark in Hockey East play,having won eight of their last nine games. The eagles’ offense is led by James Hagens and Dean Letourneau, who have combined for 35 points (19 goals and 16 assists). Though, Hagens will be absent from today’s game as he is currently competing with Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
In net for the Eagles is Louka Cloutier, who holds a 10-3-1 record with a 2.01 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He has recorded two shutouts and made 314 saves this season.
western Michigan has established itself as a consistent national contender, making four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and remaining ranked in the top 20 as October 11, 2021.
game details:
* Teams: Western Michigan Broncos vs. Boston College Eagles
* Date: December 27, 2023
* Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
* Time: [Game time to be added – source needed]
Keep reading