Jan. 8, 2011
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 7/8 Miami hockey team led 2-0 heading into the third period but Ohio State scored five unanswered goals, including a pair of empty-netters late, to shock the RedHawks and hand them a 5-2 defeat Saturday night at Value City Arena, completing a weekend sweep. Miami (11-8-3, 8-6-2-1 CCHA) has now dropped three straight for the first time since January of 2009, which included its last CCHA sweep at the hands of Michigan, and was swept by the Buckeyes (12-8-1, 7-6-1-1 CCHA) for the first time since October of 2004.
The RedHawks scored both goals on their first two power plays and finished the game 2-for-4 with a man advantage. Ohio State got on the board with its own power play goal and ended the night 1-for-3. The Buckeyes also outshot Miami, 34-25, including 14-6 in the fateful third period. RedHawk junior goalie Connor Knapp made a Miami season-high 29 saves in the losing effort while OSU's Cal Heeter stopped 23 shots.
After failing to score the entire game for the first time all year Friday night, Miami jumped in front 1-0 on the power play with 4:49 left in the first period as junior forward Alden Hirschfeld lit the lamp for the ninth time this year. The RedHawks quickly set up the shell with a man advantage and junior defenseman Cameron Schilling fed Hirschfeld, who beat Heeter stick side from the circle to Heeter's right just 16 ticks into the power play. The goal came on just the RedHawks' second shot of the game but Miami took the lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 11-5 in the opening frame.
The 'Hawks went up 2-0 early in the second period again scoring on the power play, although no one seemed to realize it until the goal was reviewed for several minutes. Senior forward Andy Miele ripped a shot from inside the blue line that beat Heeter but appeared to go off the post or just wide. After play was stopped a minute later, officials went to the monitor and determined the puck actually went inside the post and through the net, giving Miele his 11th tally of the year at 2:48 of the second stanza. Senior captain Carter Camper earned the first assist, giving him a nation-best 25 on the year, with the pass to Miele while sophomore Reilly Smith also earned a helper.
The Buckeyes cut the deficit in half just 2:21 into the third period with a power play goal of their own. With Miami already a man down, a RedHawk lost his stick allowing Danny Dries to send a cross ice pass to a waiting Sergio Somma at the doorstep, as he put the puck in the net. OSU then drew even at 2-2 just under three minutes later as Brandon Martell one-timed a laser past Knapp near-post, stick-side while the teams were skating four-on-four. John Albert set up the tying score.
Ohio State then grabbed its first lead of the game, 3-2, 9:55 into the final frame. After the Buckeyes won a faceoff in the Miami end, Somma fed a streaking Albert down the left side, as he snuck behind the RedHawk defense and quickly fired a wrister from just above the circle that snuck past Knapp five-hole.
Miami nearly tied it with two minutes to play as Camper weaved through traffic and got the puck through Heeter's legs but it trickled an inch wide of the goal. The 'Hawks then pulled Knapp with 1:30 to go and seconds later Albert broke up a pass and skated in for an empty-net goal. Dries tacked on a second empty-netter with 33 ticks left to arrive at the 5-2 final.
The RedHawks look to rebound as they continue CCHA action next weekend, returning home for the first time in over a month by hosting Bowling Green Jan. 14-15. Puck drop Friday is set for 7:35 p.m. while Saturday's game is at 7:05 p.m. Miami swept the Falcons in Bowling Green earlier this season (Nov. 19-20).
--MURedHawks.com--
