Jan. 29, 2010
Box Score | Notes
By Drew Davis
OXFORD, Ohio - Playing at home for just the second time since Christmas break, No. 1 Miami skated to a 4-1 victory over Western Michigan Friday night at Steve Cady Arena at the Goggin Ice Center.
Four different RedHawks lit the lamp, including two on the power play, and Cody Reichard stopped 18 of 19 shots on goal to run Miami's CCHA unbeaten streak to 17. Miami (17-4-6, 14-1-4-2 CCHA) holds a seven-point lead for first place in the CCHA standings while Western Michigan (6-14-5, 2-13-4-1) remains in 12th place after extending its winless streak to 10 games.
Miami took the early lead on a power play goal by Cameron Schilling at 8:23 of the first period. After a Western Michigan power play expired, the RedHawks won the faceoff and set up their power-play attack. Pat Cannone took the puck into the left corner and sent a pass back Carter Camper just in front of the blue line, where he sent a crossing pass to his right. Schilling settled the pass and sent a slap shot through traffic, just inside the right pipe for his second goal of the season.
At 14:03 of the opening frame, Miami extended its lead to 2-0 on an even-strength goal by Chris Wideman. The sophomore picked up the puck behind the Broncos' net and wrapped around to the left side of the goal. He fired a wrist shot past Gill, off the right post and into the net for his third goal of the season. Gary Steffes and Justin Vaive earned assists on the play.
Western's J.J. Crew stole the puck in neutral ice and tipped it to Luke Witkowski, who skated into the Miami zone and fired a wrist shot from between the faceoff circles, beating Reichard high, glove-side at 3:46 of the second period to cut the RedHawk lead to 2-1. Greg Squires picked up the second assist on the play. Crew and Squires each earned his 18th point of the season, tied for first on the team.
Late in the second period Miami retook the two-goal lead on a one-timer from Reilly Smith to Jarod Palmer at 18:25. The Broncos stopped a RedHawk attack, but struggled to clear the puck. Miele poked it away along the left boards to Smith, who sent a pass across the front of the net. Palmer, streaking up the ice, finished it off, beating Gill glove-side before he could get across the crease.
Midway through the third frame, Miele made a steal in neutral ice on the penalty kill and raced ahead on a breakaway. Squires chased him down to try to stop the 1-on-1 with the goalie, but tripped Miele in front of the net, giving him a penalty shot at 10:23 of the third period. On the penalty shot, Miele weaved his way toward the net, veering to his right just in front of the crease to take a backhand shot. Gill stuck with him throughout the play and made a sprawling save to keep the score 3-1 in favor of Miami.
At 19:21 of the final period, Camper tacked on one more for the RedHawks when he lifted a backhand shot from just outside the crease that hit a Western Michigan defender and landed in the net. Wideman and Tommy Wingels earned assists on the power play goal.
Miami took a season-high 43 shots while holding Western Michigan to just 19.
"It was a good effort all around tonight," Head Coach Enrico Blasi said. "We made good decisions in all three zones. Every team comes after us and Western Michigan had its chances. Cody made some big saves early, just like he has done all year."
The RedHawks face Western Michigan in the series finale Saturday at 5:05 p.m. at Steve Cady Arena. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Detroit and Fox College Sports Atlantic and will also be tape-delayed on Fox Sports Ohio at 11 p.m.
