KALAMAZOO, MI –– Western Michigan hockey is headed to the National Championship for the first time in program history.

The game played out in St. Louis, but back home in Kalamazoo, the stands at Lawson Ice Arena were full and buzzing.

The Broncos defeated the defending champion, Denver, 3-2, in double overtime on Thursday, April 10.

The game was also the first visit to the Frozen Four in program history.

After splitting through four games in the season, which included a double-overtime win in the NCHC tournament final, Western Michigan and Denver were poised for a battle.

Despite taking a dominant 2-0 lead in the second period, Western sputtered out in the third, allowing Denver to find the back of the net twice.

Tie game after three periods.

Fans in Lawson went from celebration mode to the harsh awakening that their 2-0 lead was gone and the next goal was winner-take-all.

“We’re on edge all night… nobody can get control of the puck it was break-in-break-out,” Tyler Plassman said.

A back-and-forth overtime period, where each offense traded quality shots on goal and goalkeepers traded incredible saves, couldn’t decide this one either.

Western Michigan and Denver were headed to the territory that was all too familiar, reminiscent of the NCHC final.

The ‘Lunatics’ didn’t falter.

“They don’t give up and they never quit,” Patrick Nash said. “They don’t get down on themselves and it showed there in letting in two goals. But nothing fazes them.

In double overtime, it ended quickly.

Western Michigan forward Owen Michaels scored 26 seconds into the fifth period.

It was his second goal of the game.

413 miles away, the ‘Lawson Lunatics’ erupted as if it were a packed house and the players were celebrating on the ice right in front of them.

“Man are we excited to go to St. Louis on Saturday,” Plassman said.

For many ‘Lunatics’, former ‘Lunatics’ and fans alike, this feels like a team of destiny.

“They’re unstoppable,” Nash said. “We’ve come this far and we have no reason to stop. We just keep pushing and now, we’ve got one game left. Let’s go win this whole thing.”