Veteran WMU hockey team looks to make noise vs. MSU in third straight NCAA trip

Three. That's the number that stood out most when players from Western Michigan saw the unveiling of the NCAA hockey tournament bracket. There are three teams from Michigan in the four-team regional.

But there's a bigger three, as far as the Broncos are concerned.

This is WMU's third straight trip to the NCAA tournament, a first in program history.

"I love program firsts, and we've done a lot of them over the last three years, and this is just another one," Western Michigan head coach Pat Ferschweiler said. "It's the next expectation of the program, to come here and make the NCAA Tournament.

"We stepped right in and picked up where we left off."

Western Michigan (21-15-1) will open the NCAA Tournament against in-state rival Michigan State (24-9-3), at 5 p.m. Friday at the Centene Community Ice Center, the practice facility of the St. Louis Blues, in Maryland Heights, Mo. The winner faces Michigan or North Dakota in Sunday's regional final, for a trip to the Frozen Four.

The Broncos, ranked No. 13/14 in the national rankings, haven't played Michigan nor Michigan State this season.

The regional is sold out, given the arena's small capacity (3,100ish), and the three Michigan teams, plus a North Dakota team that has an avid fan base, drawing the largest average home attendance in the nation.

"Three Michigan teams in one bracket, it doesn't happen often," senior forward Luke Grainger said. "I mean, we're excited we're in that bracket. Obviously, you want to play the best teams.

"Obviously, there's some rivalry."

Western Michigan faces a tall task in taking on a resurgent Michigan State program, which carries the top seed in this regional. But the Broncos have an intangible they like: experience, and veterans. Western Michigan is an older team, both with players who've been in the program for the past two NCAA Tournament runs, and a stable of significant transfers, including starting goalie Cameron Rowe, who came from Wisconsin.

At WMU's Senior Day, it celebrated 15 players, about half the roster.

That includes forward Sam Colangelo, a transfer from Northeastern. He's tied for ninth in the nation with 23 goals; also with 23 goals is WMU junior forward Dylan Wendt (Grand Haven).

"With age and experience comes calm, and I like calm," said Ferschweiler, in his third season at the helm. "I think calm succeeds when perceived pressure is on. Our guys are equipped to handle any situation."

That includes trying to get pucks past Michigan State's highly acclaimed goaltender, Trey Augustine. Western Michigan has the nation's ninth-ranked scoring offense; Michigan State's is seventh.

Grainger has 14 goals and a team-best 33 assists; forward Alex Bump, a finalist for freshman of the year, has 13 goals, and junior forward Matteo Costantini, a transfer from North Dakota, has 10.

WMU, which actually won two games against Lindenwood earlier this season in the rink that is housing this regional, lost in the regional final two years ago, and lost in the first-round game a year ago.

"Obviously, not the result we wanted last year," said Grainger, whose team suffered an early exit in the NCHC tournament, but now considers that potentially a good thing, as it gave the Broncos' injured players time to get healthier heading into the regional. WMU will have had 12 days off between games. "We've gotta go there and make a statement, and win a hockey game."

NCAA Tournament

SOUTH REGIONAL: WESTERN MICHIGAN VS. MICHIGAN STATE

▶ Face-off: 5 p.m. Friday, Centene Community Ice Center, Maryland Heights, Mo.

▶ TV: ESPNU

▶ Records: Western Michigan 21-15-1; Michigan State 24-9-3

▶ Next: The winner advances to face Michigan or North Dakota in Sunday's regional final.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984