Nov. 6, 2010
Box Score
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - Despite outshooting Ferris State, 37-19, and jumping out to a first-period lead, the No. 1 Miami University hockey team was forced to settle for a 1-1 overtime tie Saturday night at Ewigleben Ice Arena as the RedHawks ran into red-hot goaltending from FSU's Pat Nagle. The Bulldogs (5-3-2, 2-2-2-2 CCHA) earned the extra point in league play however, winning the shootout, 3-2, in five rounds, after knocking off Miami (5-2-3, 3-1-2-1 CCHA), 3-2, in regulation Friday.
For the second straight night Miami grabbed a 1-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game, as senior forward Pat Cannone collected his fourth goal of the year at the 8:56 mark of the opening period. Junior Alden Hirschfeld fired a wrister from just above the right circle that Nagle saved, but the puck dropped to his feet and Cannone poked in the rebound. Sophomore Curtis McKenzie also snagged an assist on the play.
The Bulldogs evened the contest just 1:51 into the second period as Cory Kane gathered a loose puck in the left circle of their offensive end, just after the 'Hawks had killed a penalty, that he blasted toward net and beat Miami junior goalie Connor Knapp five-hole.
Miami nearly went on top again midway thought the second stanza, as the RedHawks fired three shots on goal during a power play that were all saved by Nagle, as well as other blasts and close calls, including three shots that were blocked by FSU defenders and one that hit the post, keeping the game deadlocked. The Red and White finished the period with an 18-3 advantage in shots on goal, but Nagle continued to come up large as the two teams went into the second intermission tied at 1-1. The 18 shots on goal in the middle frame equaled Miami's total from Friday night's contest.
The RedHawks killed a 5-on-3 advantage for FSU midway through the third period to keep the Bulldogs scoreless in the final frame but Miami was unable to find the net either, as the game went into overtime, Miami's third extra session of the year.
The 'Hawks looked like they would win in the overtime period as Miami was on the power play and senior captain Carter Camper blasted a shot that deflected off an FSU defender and fluttered in the air over Nagle but the FSU net-minder reached back and knocked the puck over the goal with his glove while falling down in the closing seconds to force a shootout. Miami played to its third tie of the year and second in three games even though the 'Hawks outshot FSU, 6-3, in the extra session.
In the shootout, FSU scored on its first attempt while Miami's first shooter, sophomore Reilly Smith, hit the pipe on his backhand after he had Nagle beat. Both teams missed on their next shot while Knapp stopped Matthew Kirzinger in the third round allowing senior Andy Miele to step up and bury a wrister to extend the shootout to sudden death after tying it at 1-1 through three rounds. Both sides converted in the fourth round, including Cannone, while the Bulldog's Kyle Bonis scored to lead off the fifth round. Nagle then stoned Hirschfeld in the sudden-death round to give Ferris State the extra point in league play.
Nagle ended with 36 saves while Knapp finished with 18. Miami killed all four Bulldog power plays but the 'Hawks continued to struggle on their own man-advantage situations, going 0-for-6, despite getting off 12 shots on the power play, as Miami is now 0-for-13 in its last four games with a man advantage.
The RedHawks return home next weekend and look to rebound by hosting Alaska for a CCHA weekend series Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12-13. Puck drop is set for 8:05 p.m. Friday and 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Steve Cady Arena.
--MURedHawks.com--
