WMU had another player verbally commit to the program.  David Donnellan, a defenseman from the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) will join the list of recruits who have pledged to be Broncos.

David Donnellan

Photo Courtesy of Pointstreak.com

Donnellan is a good sized defenseman who can move the puck.  He has proven his offensive worth this year with 17 points in 31 games so far this year.

Here is the link to the story:

http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=2956

Here is how the rest of the future Broncos are doing this year:

Nick Pisellini:  24 games-9 wins-13 losses-1 overtime loss-3.53 goals against average-.885 save percentage.

Dennis Brown:  33 games-2 goals-20 assists-22 points

Dan Dekeyser:  14 games-1 goal-5 assists-6 points

Donnellan:  31 games-4 goals-13 assists-17 points

Jordan Gidaro:  25 games-8 goals-6 assists-14 points

Lucas Isley:  17 games-13 goals-8 assists-21 points

Ben Warda:  N/A

Dan Dekeyser

Photo Courtesy of USHL.com

Jordan Gidaro scored a goal in his only game since our last recruit update.  He is starting to figure it out offensively for Aurora (OJAHL).

Dennis Brown was scoreless for Omaha (USHL) in two games.  Brown was a -1 in the pair against Chicago (USHL).

Nick Pisellini played both games against Omaha, winning one and losing the other.

Lucas Isley is still out with a broken arm.  The timetable for his return is unknown.

Here is how the future Broncos are doing so far:

Dekeyser:  8 games-1 goal-3 assists-4 points

Gidaro:  25 games-8 goals-6 assists-14 points

Brown:  27 games-2 goals-16 assists-18 points

Pisellini:  20 games-9 wins-10 losses-1 overtime loss-3.35 goals against average-.890 save percentage

Isley:  17 games-13 goals-8 assists-21 points

Ben Warda:  N/A, Transfer

The Broncos could use the break right now.  The team is not clicking and maybe some time apart will be just what the team needs. 

I’m still a very strong believer in the fact that if Max Campbell can turn his offensive woes around, the Broncos will be a tough team to contend with.  Campbell is a goal scorer who is not scoring goals right now.  Campbell’s eight points have him ranked 6th on the team in scoring.  He is the biggest offensive game changer the Broncos have and he needs to start factoring into games or it could be a long second half for the Broncos.

Max Campbell

Photo Courtesy of mlive.com

Hope you all have happy holidays and I’ll still be here doing the recruit updates and any other Bronco news that necessary to put up here.

Nick Pisellini played in only one game since our last update and he gave up five goals on 29 shots in a losing effort for Chicago (USHL).

Jordan Gidaro has been acclimating himself nicely since his second trade this year.  Gidaro had a goal and an assist in three games this past weekend.

Dan Dekeyser is still out with an injury for Sioux City (USHL).

Lucas Isley is also still out with a broken arm for Bonneyville (AJHL).

This is what the recruits’ stats look like so far:

Brown:  25 games-2 goals-16 assists-18 points.

Pisellini:  18 games-8 wins-9 losses-1 overtime loss-3.38 goals against average, .889 save percentage.

Gidaro:  (Totals) 24 games-7 goals-5 assists-12 points

Dekeyser:  7 games-1 goal-3 assists-4 points

Isley:  17 games-13 goals-8 assists-21 points

Ben Warda: Transfer

It was a 0-0 game going into the third period, when Ferris got a breakaway goal from Casey Haines just 19 seconds into the third period.

At just past the half way point of the third period, Ferris scored two goals in less than two minutes.  Blair Riley and Mike Embach scored those two goals.

The Bulldogs were just faster in all facets of the game.  They were quicker to loose pucks, they out skated the Broncos, and their speed was clearly evident.

The only bright spot besides Riley Gill was the Bronco penalty kill.  Chris Clackson was unbelievable on the kill.  He lost his stick but still managed to block two shots, dive on a loose puck and throw it away. 

Chris Clackson

Photo Courtesy of mlive.com

The Broncos and Bulldogs will hit the ice again tonight at 5:05 ET in Big Rapids.

Ferris State is one of the surprise teams of the CCHA this year.  The Bulldogs are 11-3-2 overall and 6-2-2-2 in the CCHA, good enough for third place behind Michigan State and Miami.

Blair Riley is tied for the Nation’s lead in goals with 13.  Riley has 18 points in 16 games to lead the Bulldogs.  Cody Chupp has re-emerged this year as the offensive force he was two years ago.  Chupp has 16 points in 16 games.

Taylor Nelson has been a very pleasant surprise for coach Bob Daniels and the Bulldogs.  The sophomore goaltender is 8-1-1 with a 1.59 goals against average and .942 save percentage.

The Broncos have a little momentum after beating Alaska and then taking the Nanooks to a shootout in game two.  The Broncos were playing really well, especially in the transition game.  The Broncos made sure to use the Nanooks’ aggression as a weapon.  The Broncos created a lot of odd man breaks that lead to a seven goal weekend against one of the better defensive teams in the CCHA.

Jordan Collins, usually a defensive force, was on the prowl offensively last weekend as he scored three goals and added an assist.

Jordan Collins

Photo Courtesy of Western Herald

The defense scoring for the Broncos is key.  Tyler Ludwig had eight goals and 29 points last season, and he notched his first goal this season.  His offensive production from the blue line was missing in the early portion of the season, and if he can keep it up, then the Broncos will be in good shape.

Trevor Elias was great in game two against Alaska.  He used his speed to split two defenseman and score a breakaway goal against Scott Greenham.

The Broncos played good hockey last weekend, so if that same style of play transfers over to this weekend, then I like their chances this weekend against Ferris State.

Nick Pisellini lost both of his starts this past weekend for Chicago (USHL).  He gave up eight goals on 61 shots for the weekend.

Nick Pisellini

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com

Dennis Brown went scoreless in two games for Omaha (USHL).

Lucas Isley is still out.  He has a broken arm and apparently the hit Isley took that broke his arm was a dirty hit.

Dan Dekeyser is still out for Sioux City (USHL).

Here’s how the Broncos are doing so far:

Gidaro: (Totals) 21 games-6 goals-4 assists-10 points

Pisellini:  17 games-8 wins-8 losses-1 OT loss-89.2 save percentage-3.29 goals against average

Brown:  22 games-2 goals-11 assists-13 points

Isley:  18 games-13 goals-8 assists-21 points

Dekeyser:  7 games-1 goal-3 assists-4 points

Ben Warda: Transfer n/a

Alaska jumped out to a 2-0 lead late in the first period.  Trevor Elias put the Broncos on the board when he flew up the middle on a breakaway and deked Scott Greenham right out of his pads.

Trevor Elias

Photo Courtesy of mlive.com

New found goal scorer Jordan Collins netted his third goal of the weekend with a wicked slap shot high past Greenham’s blocker.  Collins had two goals in his career coming into this weekend, but scored three against the Nanooks.

Alaska scored a power play goal to make it 3-2, but Chris Clackson answered right back when he shot a rebound past Greenham after a scrum in front.

Elias scored again on a weak, wobbly wrist shot that fooled Greenham with 4:41 to play. 

WMU had the lead but gave it up with 15.9 seconds to play when Joe Sova blasted a slap shot past Riley Gill.

The overtime went back and fourth, but it settled nothing so the teams went to the shootout.

Max Campbell, Greg Squires, and Derek Roehl all missed in the shootout while Alaska’s Andy Taranto beat Gill with a wrist shot in the second round.

The Broncos played well, but they could not hold on when it mattered.  I was very impressed with their effort both nights, as was coach Jim Culhane afterwards both nights.

The Broncos will play a home-and-home with Ferris State next weekend.

Here is my full recap at Inside Hockey:

http://www.insidehockey.com/columns/5210

The Broncos played great hockey and had a stand out effort from Riley Gill in net.  Gill stopped 33 shots in the winning effort.

Riley Gill

Photo Courtesy of Western Herald

Jordan Collins netted two and Tyler Ludwig  scored the other for the Broncos.  J.J. Crew had two assists as well.

Here is the link to the full recap on Inside Hockey:

http://www.insidehockey.com/columns/5189

The Broncos and Nanooks play again tomorrow night, 7:35 ET at Lawson.  Come tomorrow night and check out the Broncos.

The Nanooks play a very New Jersey Devils-Esq style of defensive hockey.  Scott Greenham was the CCHA Goaltender of the Month in October and freshman forward Andy Taranto was November’s CCHA Rookie of the Month.

I personally think this is a terrible match up for the Broncos right now.  Their offense is out of sync and the Nanooks are a great defensive team.  Alaska likes to play stout defense and jump on mistakes.  The Broncos aren’t playing the most pristine hockey right now, so Alaska could have a field day.

Goaltending has not been the problem with the Broncos this year.  Riley Gill has been more than solid and Jerry Kuhn has been good when called upon.  The guys in front of Gill and Kuhn need to alleviate some of the pressure. 

The offense especially can take care of that pressure by keeping the puck in the opponents territory and creating scoring chances. 

Max Campbell is having a bit of a down year and I think some of that has to do with the graduation of Patrick Galivan, but Greg Squires is just as creative in the offensive zone.  The two should be creating more offense than they are.

Here are some highlight of the Nanooks against Notre Dame earlier this season.