Western Michigan Makes a Statement with Road Sweep Over North Dakota

The narrative surrounding Western Michigan under head coach Pat Ferschweiler continues to defy expectations—no matter how much talent departs, the Broncos seem to come back even stronger.

After their commanding performance in Grand Forks last weekend, the question arises: Is this the best team of Ferschweiler’s tenure?

WMU traveled to Ralph Engelstad Arena and emerged with a statement sweep over North Dakota, securing victories in two vastly different matchups.

On Friday night, the Broncos needed some late-game heroics. Just minutes after the Fighting Hawks took a third-period lead, sophomore Alex Bump responded with the equalizer, sending the game to overtime. It didn’t take long for Bump to make his mark again—just seconds into OT, he buried his second goal to lift Western Michigan to a thrilling 3-2 victory.

Saturday’s contest, however, told a different story. The Broncos struck early with goals from Ty Henricks and Owen Michaels, controlling the pace throughout. They dominated the shot count 42-25, and another two-goal performance from Bump sealed an emphatic 5-1 win.

The sweep marks Western Michigan’s growing success at “The Ralph,” having now swept North Dakota twice in the past three seasons.

Ferschweiler credited the team’s attention to detail as a key factor in their weekend success.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with our squad this weekend,” Ferschweiler said. “[North Dakota] came out and made it hard on us early in the first period [on Saturday], and I thought we responded extremely well.”

The two wins propelled the Broncos to second place in the NCHC standings, sitting just one point behind Arizona State for the top spot. WMU’s recent run has been impressive, with five wins in their last six outings—their only stumble coming against Michigan State in the Great Lakes Invitational final.

While Lawson Ice Arena is notorious for its raucous home crowd, Western Michigan is proving that success isn’t confined to home ice. The Broncos previously swept top-ranked Denver and Colorado College at home, but the road triumph over North Dakota solidifies their strength in any environment.

Bump’s Big Weekend and Team Depth Shine

With four goals and an assist in the series, Bump earned NCHC Forward of the Week honors for the second time this season.

“I thought far and away, no disrespect to any North Dakota player, that he was the best player on the ice both games,” Ferschweiler said. “The offense he generated, his calmness, his elusiveness—but hidden inside all that is his compete. Alex Bump’s a big-time player.”

However, Bump wasn’t the only Bronco making waves. Goaltender Cameron Rowe stopped 29 of 31 shots on Friday night, earning him NCHC Goaltender of the Week recognition for the third time this season.

Offensively, Western Michigan’s depth is proving to be a formidable asset. Liam Valente extended his point streak to four games with goals in both contests, tallying five goals and six points over the last two weekends. Contributions from Szydlowski, Valente, and Zach Nehring showcase the team’s scoring depth, with nine players already reaching double-digit points this season.

Bump leads the team with 20 points, followed closely by Michaels and Valente with 16 each, demonstrating a balanced offensive attack that opponents struggle to contain.

Goaltending Excellence: A Dual Threat in Net

Perhaps the Broncos’ biggest strength lies between the pipes. Instead of leaning on a single netminder all season, Ferschweiler has the luxury of a formidable tandem in Rowe and Los Angeles Kings prospect Hampton Slukynsky.

Slukynsky, who made 23 saves in Saturday’s victory, leads the NCHC in save percentage (.943) and ranks second in goals-against average (1.73). Rowe is right behind him with a 1.83 GAA and a .931 SV%, positioning him among the conference’s top goaltenders.

Together, they’ve formed one of the most dominant goalie duos in college hockey this season.

Looking Ahead: Broncos Ready for Miami

Western Michigan returns home this weekend for a two-game set against Miami. Despite facing a team that sits at the bottom of the conference standings, Ferschweiler isn’t taking anything for granted.

“It’s a group that likes to come to the rink every day. I think we’re going to like to come to the rink this week to prepare for Miami. Those are the two most important games on our schedule…that’s how we’re going to treat Miami.”

With their latest success, WMU has climbed to fifth in the national Pairwise rankings, putting them in prime position as the season progresses.