Jan. 29, 2005
Final Stats
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The Miami University RedHawks (11-13-4, 7-10-3 CCHA) made their head coach, Enrico Blasi, the second coach in Miami hockey history to win 100 games, as they downed Ferris State University (9-16-3, 4-13-3 CCHA), 5-3, on Saturday night, and completed the series sweep of the Bulldogs. The sweep was Miami's first one in conference action since taking two games earlier this season from Notre Dame and it was the RedHawks' first road sweep since winning a pair of games from Michigan State on Jan. 30-31, 2004. In the process, Miami extended its winning streak to three games.
Sophomore Marty Guerin (Lansing, Mich) became the first Miami player to reach double figures in goal scoring this season when he netted his tenth of the year at 4:42 of the first period, staking Miami to an early, 1-0 lead. With the RedHawks on the power play, junior Chris Michael's (Glenview, Ill.) shot from the right point ricocheted off the end boards and right onto Guerin's stick, who was stationed to the left of the Ferris State net.
The Miami penalty-killing unit earned its stripes in the second period as they killed off a pair of Ferris State power plays, allowing the RedHawks to keep their one-goal lead heading into the final 20 minutes. Sophomore Geoff Smith (Toronto, Ontario) and junior Matt Davis (Rocky River, Ohio) were particularly effective as the duo thwarted several FSU scoring opportunities.
Miami's lead was short-lived in the third period as Carter Thomsom beat freshman netminder Charlie Effinger (Belleville, Ill.) from the right faceoff dot at the 3:05 mark to tie the game, 1-1.
Shortly after the Ferris State goal, the RedHawks went on the power play and capitalized when sophomore Matt Christie (Ajax, Ontario) fed a Guerin who was streaking down the right wing and wired a wrist shot over the glove of FSU's Derek MacIntyre for his second goal of the night.
Miami's lead disappeared just 1:11 after Guerin's 11th goal of the year as the Bulldogs responded with one of their own, a power-play goal off the stick of Jeff Legue.
Freshman Nathan Davis (Rocky River, Ohio) became the second Miami player to record his tenth goal of the season when he took a pass from sophomore Andy Nelson (Superior, Wis.) just to the left of MacIntyre and redirected it into the net. The goal came with senior Chris Busby (Kenilworth, Ill) in the penalty box and was Davis' team-leading third shorthanded goal of the year.
Senior Todd Grant (Indianapolis, Ind.) added a bit of insurance for Miami with 3:32 left in the game when he picked up a loose puck at the top of the left circle and blistered a shot that made him the third Miami player to score for the tenth time this season.
Ferris State made it interesting when they scored with the goalie pulled at 19:28 but Miami's Ryan Jones (Chatham, Ontario) scored on an empty net just five seconds later to restore Miami's two-goal lead and secure head coach Enrico Blasi's 100th career victory as the bench boss of the RedHawks.
Effinger stopped 31-of-34 shots to pick up his third consecutive victory while MacIntyre stopped 16 of Miami's 21 shots. The RedHawks were 2-for-6 on the power play while Ferris State converted once in seven tries with the man-advantage.
Miami will continue its road trip next weekend when it travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a pair of games against Western Michigan University on Feb. 4-5.
Notes: JR Chris Michael extended his point-scoring streak to four games ... SO Marty Guerin registered the first two-game by a RedHawk since FR Ryan Jones netted a pair versus Michigan State (Jan. 8) ... Miami last swept a series at Ferris State during the 2001-02 season ... Enrico Blasi joins Steve Cady as the only coaches in Miami hockey history with 100 or more wins.
