Oct. 18, 2002

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. - The Miami University (3-2-0, 0-1-0) hockey team dropped its Central Collegiate Hockey Association opener this evening at Nebraska-Omaha (2-1-0, 1-0-0), 3-2, when the Mavericks scored the game-winner in the final minute of the game. Playing in the Omaha Civic Auditorium, also known as 'The Bullpen', the RedHawks out shot UNO 34-25, recording their fifth straight game in which they out shot their competition.

Miami wasted little time taking a 1-0 lead in 'The Bullpen' when junior Mike Kompon (Thunder Bay, Ontario) won a face-off in the Maverick's end, and freshman Pat Levendusky (Greensburg, Pa.) finished it off with a shot over the shoulder of UNO goalie Dan Ellis. Levendusky's fourth goal of the season, at 1:09 in the first period, was assisted by Kompon after the face-off win.

In the midst of killing its second penalty, Miami junior Greg Hogeboom (Etobicoke, Ontario) decided to give his team a 2-0 advantage at 16:22 in the first frame. Hogeboom broke out of the RedHawks' zone with the puck and instead of flipping the puck down the ice on the penalty kill, he made a rush at the UNO goal. His first shot was saved by UNO's Ellis but Hogeboom made the most of the rebound by putting it in the back of the net for a short-handed goal, his third goal and Miami's first short-handed goal of the season.

The Mavericks crept back into the game, 2-1, when David Morelli squeeked a shot through the five-hole of senior goalie David Burleigh (North Vancouver, B.C.). Burleigh, who was named the Perani Cup Third Star of the game, recorded 24 saves in the game. The RedHawks had just finished killing their fourth penalty of the game Morelli scored his first goal of the year at 8:45 into the second period. Also credited with assists on UNO's first goal were Anthony Adams and John Thomas.

A quick goal only 33 seconds into the third period by the Mavericks' David Brisson, his first of the year, knotted the game at 2-2. Brisson broke into the RedHawks' zone on the left wing and scored from just inside the face-off circle. Setting up Brisson for the goal, and earning the assist, was Joel Andresen.

At one point in the third period the Mavericks were skating on the power play for 2:27, which included 27 seconds of 5-on-3 action. The Red and White penalty-kill unit, however, killed its fifth and sixth penalties of the game, respectively, to keep it a 2-2 contest.

With a power play coming at 2:04 in the third period, the RedHawks pushed for the go-ahead goal but instead got burned when UNO broke out on a 2-on-1 break. Scotty Turner put the game-winning goal into the net with 31 seconds showing on the scoreboard to give UNO the 3-2 victory. Assisting on the game-winner for the Mavericks was Brisson.

The RedHawks seek the weekend split tomorrow night, Oct. 19, at 7:05 p.m. as they wrap up their series with Nebraska-Omaha.