Oct. 27, 2006
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio - A three-goal second period that included freshman Gary Steffes' (Grand Blanc, Mich.) game-winner at the 17:11 mark propelled the Miami University hockey team to a 4-3 win over Bowling Green on Friday night. The RedHawks (5-2-0, 2-1-0 CCHA) came from behind twice in the game to defeat the Falcons (2-2-1, 0-1-0 CCHA) and extend their winning streak over BGSU to five games.
Bowling Green struck first at the 7:12 mark of the first period as Derek Whitmore capitalized on an odd-man rush and beat goaltender Charlie Effinger (Belleville, Ill.) with his sixth goal of the year.
Sophomore Alec Martinez (Rochester, Mich.) responded on the power play for Miami midway through the period as his wrist shot from the point found its way through a screen and over the shoulder of Eddie Neville at the 13:07 mark of the first. Junior Nathan Davis (Rocky River, Ohio) and sophomore Brian Kaufman (Shoreview, Minn.) earned assists on the goal after Davis won a faceoff to the right of the BGSU net and moved the puck to Kaufman.
Early in the second period, Bowling Green took its second lead of the game on an even-strength goal by Tomas Petruska that was assisted by Jonathan Matsumoto and Michael Hodgson and made it 2-1.
Miami drew even again later in the second as Ryan Jones (Chatham, Ontario) skated in down the left wing and beat Neville with a wrist shot that snuck inside the near post at the 7:57 mark. Jones' fourth tally of the season was assisted by Davis and senior Marty Guerin (Lansing, Mich.).
Sophomore Raymond Eichenlaub (Wilmette, Ill.) gave the RedHawks their first lead of the night with his second goal of the season at 11:12 of the second on a goal that was not counted until it was reviewed on video by referee Steve Piotrowski. Senior Matt Christie (Ajax, Ontario) found sophomore Bill Loupee (Bloomfield, Mich.) streaking through the neutral zone before he gained the BGSU blueline. After carrying the puck to the top of the right circle, Loupee slipped the puck through his legs to Eichenlaub, who wired a wrist shot off the cross bar and in for a 3-2 Miami advantage.
With time winding down in the second, Steffes doubled Miami's lead on his third goal of the season. Sophomore defenseman Kevin Roeder (Glenview, Ill.) sent a shot on goal from the center point that was stopped by Neville, but Loupee picked up the rebound and fed Steffes in the slot who lit the lamp at the 17:11 mark.
Bowling Green came out flying and scored the only goal of the third period at the 6:43 mark as John Mazzei converted a goalmouth scramble that saw three different Falcons take swings at the puck before beating Effinger.
The Falcons outshot Miami 15-7 in the third period but the RedHawks held the overall advantage, 45-30. Effinger made 27 saves and improved his record to 3-1-0, while Neville turned away 41 shots in a losing effort and dropped to 1-1-1.
Miami and Bowling Green complete the two-game Central Collegiate Hockey Association series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The game is sold out but is being televised live by the Ohio News Network (ONN).
NOTES: Nathan Davis recorded his team-best fifth multi-point game of the season in just seven games ... head coach Enrico Blasi's next CCHA win will give him 100 for his career ... Effinger's victory was the 19th of his career ... Bill Loupee had two assists, giving him the first multi-point game of his career ... Steffes has a goal in three of Miami's last five games.
