Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – Western Michigan scored two powerplay goals and hung on for a 2-1 win over the No. 4 Omaha hockey team on Friday night at the CenturyLink Center.

The loss dropped the Mavericks to 16-8-3 overall and 10-6-1-1 in the NCHC, tying them with Miami for second place.  Western Michigan improved to 12-11-4 overall and 5-8-4-3 in conference play, putting it in a tie with St. Cloud State for sixth place.

Western Michigan took the lead during a power play midway through the first period.  Frederik Tiffels threw the puck out of the left corner to Colton Hargrove.  He fired a shot just inside the right post before Ryan Massa could recover for his team-best 12th goal of the year.

The Broncos doubled their lead on another powerplay late in the second period.  Tiffels again was the setup man.  He found Taylor Fleming alone at the right post and he snapped home his second goal of the year at 19:19.

In the third, the Mavericks got on the board during a late power play and with Massa pulled for yet another attacker.  Jake Guentzel dove at the rebound of a shot by Ian Brady, poking the puck past goaltender Frank Slubowski at 18:05.

Massa stopped 27 in the loss while Slubowski had 30 in his first start since Nov. 14.

Western Michigan won in Omaha for the first time since February of 2009 when both teams played in the CCHA.

The series concludes on Saturday at 7:07 p.m.