Nov. 19, 2010
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The No. 6 Miami hockey team scored three goals in the second period to break a 1-1 tie and held off a feisty Bowling Green squad in the final frame for a 4-3 victory Friday night at BGSU Ice Arena. With the win, the RedHawks (7-3-3, 5-2-2-1 CCHA) improved to 7-0-0 when scoring at least four goals this year while winning their eighth straight over the Falcons (5-8-0, 2-7-0-0 CCHA) and 15th game in the last 16 meetings with BGSU.
The game had a distinct Miami feel to it as the `Hawks faced their former assistant coach Chris Bergeron, who is in his first year at the helm of the Falcons, for the first time. Bergeron assisted under Miami head coach Enrico Blasi for 10 years and played with Blasi for three years at Miami.
Sophomore forward Reilly Smith matched his career high with three points, the third time he's done so this year, while senior forward Andy Miele dished out a pair of helpers to tie classmate Carter Camper for the national lead with 17 assists. A pair of defenseman also tallied goals for Miami, including sophomore Joe Hartman, who tied a career high with two points.
Miami continued its trend of starting strong as the RedHawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead for the 10th straight game off the stick of Hartman. Smith sent in a blast that ricocheted behind the net and around the boards to Hartman, who fired a shot through traffic that found the twine at 4:46 of the opening period. It was Hartman's first tally of the year while Miami scored first for the 11th time in 13 games this season.
The Falcons evened the contest at 1-1 16:22 into the first frame as Brett Mohler intercepted a pass across the blue line while the `Hawks were on the power play and went the other way on a breakaway, beating junior goalie Cody Reichard below his left arm. The short-handed goal was the third given up by Miami on the year.
Just 28 ticks into the second period, a defenseman again put the RedHawks on top, as junior Will Weber -- in only his third game back from a severe neck laceration - lit the lamp to put Miami up, 2-1. He scored his first goal of the year on a laser from just inside the blue line that snuck under the crossbar.
Miami maintained its lead by killing a five-minute BGSU power play after junior Matt Tomassoni was given a game misconduct for checking from behind. The Red and White then upped its lead to 3-1 at 13:34 of the second stanza when Smith beat Falcon goalie Nick Eno five-hole after receiving a long pass from sophomore Steven Spinell. It was his ninth goal of the year, already topping his freshman year total.
The `Hawks continued to pour it on in the second period as senior Pat Cannone registered his sixth tally of the year at 17:51 of the second, just 15 seconds into a power play. Quick passing allowed the goal to happen as Miele fed Smith, who faked a shot and found a wide-open Cannone for a 4-1 Miami advantage.
Mohler cut the BGSU deficit to two with his second goal of the game 7:12 into the third period. The Falcons took advantage of a delayed penalty as Cameron Sinclair sent in a shot that hit the post with the extra skater and Mohler was there to slam home the rebound. The `Hawks were able to kill the ensuing penalty however.
Bowling Green then pulled Eno with 1:48 left on the clock and punched in a goal with just two ticks to play when James McIntosh poked home a rebound after a scramble in front of the net. The Falcons were unable to get another shot off however, as Miami pulled out the 4-3 win.
Reichard made 21 saves to earn his sixth win of the year and 35th of his career moving him into sole possession of fifth all-time at Miami while Eno finished with 23 stops. The RedHawks outshot BGSU, 27-24, despite being outshot themselves in two of three periods.
The RedHawks go for the sweep of the Falcons Saturday night when the two sides square off again at 7:05 p.m. at BGSU Ice Arena.
--MURedHawks.com--
