Nov. 1, 2002
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami University (7-2-0, 4-1-0 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) hockey team squeeked by a tough Bowling Green (2-6-0, 0-5-0) squad tonight in Goggin Ice Arena by a 3-2 decision. The pivotal play of the game came midway through the third period when senior goaltender David Burleigh (North Vancouver, B.C.) successfully defended a penalty shot, which would have tied the game at 2-2.
After a scoreless first period that featured nothing more than a single minor penalty on Miami, the Falcons picked up the first goal of the game at 9:53 in the second frame. Mike Falk slapped the puck into the back of the net for his second goal of the season, after Kevin Bieksa and Brian Escobedo found him wide open on the power play.
The Bowling Green lead was short lived, however, as the RedHawks' freshman Matt Davis (Rocky River, Ohio), last week's CCHA Rookie of the Week, scored his fourth goal in three games at 14:44 in the second period. Davis' third power-play goal of the season was assisted by junior Mike Kompon (Thunder Bay, Ontario) who upped his consecutive-games point-scoring streak to seven games.
Two minutes later at 16:40 the Red and White opened its first lead of the contest, 2-1, when senior Nick Jardine (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) found the back of the net for the fifth time this year. Working the 2-on-1 break, and credited with the assist, was freshman defenseman Andy Greene (Trenton, Mich.). Senior Chris Knupp (Crystal Lake, Ill.) added a very important third goal to the scoreboard for Miami at 5:55 in the third period. Earning assist's on Knupp's goal were senior Matt Medvecz (Kenosha, Wisc.) and Davis.
Knupp's goal turned out to be the game-winner as Burleigh saved the most exciting play in hockey, a penalty shot, at 9:59 in the third period. Already down on the penalty kill, Miami was whistled for interference with the puck in the crease, thus awarding the Falcons with a penalty shot. Darcy McConvey tried to sneak the puck past Burleigh on the low, blocker side but caught the outside of Burleigh's pads. The save turned out to be a big one as the Falcons narrowed the gap to 3-2 at 15:24 when Bieksa netted an unassisted goal.
Burleigh, in addition to the penalty shot, finished with 19 saves in the contest en route to earning his seventh victory of the season. In the defeat, BGSU's Jordan Sigalet stopped 27-of-30 Miami shots.
Miami and Bowling Green wrap up the weekend series tomorrow night, Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7:35 p.m. in Goggin Ice Arena. The RedHawks have now taken an early advantage in the fabled Ohio Cup.
