By Bob Miller/Western Michigan Beat WriterCollege hockey pollsters just may have more insight into the relative early season strengths of Western Michigan and Union College than many are willing to credit them with given the earliness of the season.
USCHO ranked Union College 11th and Western Michigan 12th heading into their two-game weekend series in Schenectady, N.Y.
The result of that series? Two ties, supporting the poll rankings and proving there really isn't much to chose from between the two combatant teams. Both games saw the Broncos score goals to even the score with the resultant overtimes failing to provide a winner each night.
In Friday night's opener, forward Greg Squires did all the damage for the Broncos as two of his three shots in the game found the back of the net.
Squires evened the score two separate times, first in the opening period and then again at 12:47 on an unassisted rink-long rush in the third period to help preserve the 2-2 tie for Western Michigan.
Nick Pisellini protected the Bronco cage with 30 saves.
Western Michigan twice took the lead in Saturday night's rematch, only to see Union fight back and forge ahead, 3-2. True to Friday night's form, Western Michigan knotted the proceedings on Chase Balisy's third period power play effort at 8:04.
Danny Dekeyser and Shane Berschbach had staked the Broncos to a pair of one-goal first period leads that the Dutchmen managed to overcome before Balisy's third period heroics.
Pisellini chipped in 27 saves Saturday.
The still-undefeated Broncos (2-0-2) open the CCHA portion of their schedule this coming weekend with the long trip to Fairbanks, Ak., for two games with the Nanooks.
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