Miami University
Windsor (exhibition)
No. 1/2 Miami Downs Windsor in Exhibition Opener
10/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Oct. 2, 2011
By Drew Davis
OXFORD, Ohio -Behind a three-goal second period, No. 1/2 Miami opened its 2011-12 season with a 4-1 exhibition win over Windsor Sunday afternoon at Steve Cady Arena. The RedHawks used two power play goals in just over a minute in the second period to break open a game that featured 21 penalties for 48 penalty minutes.
Senior co-captain Alden Hirschfeld lit the lamp twice to lead Miami in its first game action since last season.
"It was good to get out there and play a game," Hirschfeld said. "The team in general did a lot of good things today. We have a few things to work on in preparation for our game next week."
Head coach Enrico Blasi agreed the game was a good measure of what the team can work on and learn from moving into the regular season.
"We haven't had much time as a team together," Blasi said. "We've only had six practices, so it's tough to get everybody gelling and on the same page. This gives us an opportunity to get back to work and understand what we need to do. Right now our guys are eager to get going and we know it's going to be a bigger test for us next week."
Senior goaltenders Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp split time in net for Miami with Reichard starting and Knapp taking over at 10:05 of the second period. Reichard stopped seven of the eight shots he faced while Knapp shut out the Lancers during his time in goal with five saves.
The two teams racked up seven penalties in the first 12 minutes of the game before junior Curtis McKenzie found the back of the net on a breakaway off a pass from junior Steven Spinell for a 1-0 Miami lead.
The RedHawks found success on the power play early in the second period as senior Matt Tomassoni and Hirschfeld scored just over a minute apart with one-man advantages - Hirschfeld's coming 4-on-3.
Freshman Blake Coleman set up Tomassoni after taking over possession at center ice and carrying it into the Windsor zone. He found Tomassoni in the slot for a one-timer at 4:05 of the second period to put Miami up 2-0.
Hirschfeld added to the lead at 5:14 with a redirection from the Wideman brothers. Freshman Alex Wideman crossed to senior Chris Wideman, who sent the puck toward the goal and Hirschfeld, positioned in front of the crease, tapped the puck past Lancer goaltender Parker Van Buskirk.
Windsor senior Mark Thorburn put his team on the scoreboard 7:38 into the middle stanza on the power play with a shot from Reichard's right side that snuck just inside the post to cut the Miami lead to 3-1.
Hirschfeld added an insurance goal at 11:24 of the second frame when he took a pass from fellow senior co-captain Will Weber, got knocked off balance by a Windsor defender, regained his footing and wrapped around the net to fire a backhand shot into the goal for the 4-1 Miami advantage.
"It was nice to play against someone else after a couple months of practice," Weber said. "It was nice to see how all the freshmen were. There were a few nerves at the beginning but once they settled down they did a pretty good job."
The RedHawks led in shots by a wide margin, putting 51 on goal to the Lancers' 13. Miami was 2-for-5 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill.
Miami opens the regular season next Friday, Oct. 7 against Bemidji State at Steve Cady Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:35 p.m. while the 2011 CCHA Tournament championship banner will be unveiled prior to the game.
--MURedHawks.com--
