The Western Michigan University hockey team’s success has been long-awaited as they won their conference, the “Frozen Faceoff,” the Penn Rose cup, and now the national championship.
This was the team’s first appearance in the “Frozen Four,” which is the hockey equivalent of the “Final Four” in March Madness – where the last four teams compete for the national title.
In their first Frozen Four appearance, the Broncos had to face off against the reigning champions, the Denver Pioneers. The Broncos, however, weren’t fazed, as the Pioneers are in the same conference as them, and Western was familiar with their play.
After a long-fought battle, Western walked away after beating the Pioneers 3-2 in double overtime, sending them to their first-ever National Championship game against the Boston University Terriers.
The Broncos had a strong opening, scoring on their very first shot. After that, a hard-fought battle commenced until the 3rd period, when the Western floodgates opened. The Broncos scored three unanswered goals, beating the Boston Terriers with the final score of 6-2, winning their first-ever national championship.
The Broncos returned to Kalamazoo as heroes. Fans gathered around Lawson Ice Arena, the Broncos’ home rink, as the team rolled up in limousines –- showing up in style to showcase their hard-earned trophy. As the team arrived, Captain Tim Washe hoisted their trophy high. Champagne was sprayed about before the players shared a celebratory drink.
After their initial return celebration, Western also held a celebration rally at Read Fieldhouse. The event was free to enter and featured the Broncos, as well as coaches, cheerleaders, and mascots. The stadium was nearly filled with adoring fans, eager to celebrate the Broncos’ historic win.
“My son took classes here, and my daughter takes classes here, so we decided to walk across the street and join the festivities,” Kalamazoo local Jonathan Hannon said. “I’m a big hockey fan, and my little daughter is as well, so we follow them throughout the season and the playoffs, and we’re happy they won the title.”
Hockey fans and Kalamazoo citizens joined together to celebrate the team’s victory. The event brought the city unity and national attention.
“It’s really exciting for the city,” Loy Norrix sophomore Indigo Barsy said. “I feel like Kalamazoo isn’t talked about much nationally, so it’s cool that the Western team could go out and do so well, getting the whole hockey world talking about Kalamazoo and these guys’ potential NHL careers.”
The rally was a testament to this newfound pride in Kalamazoo, with fans turning up in record numbers to celebrate this unprecedented victory.
“I think it’s a reason for us to celebrate something good that happens in Kalamazoo,” said Hannon. “It puts Kalamazoo on the map as a great city to live in and a great city to be in.”
