Oct. 22, 2011

Box Score

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - Despite outshooting No. 14 Ferris State 27-22, the No. 7/10 Miami hockey team was undone by penalties and hot goaltending from Bulldog netminder C.J. Motte as FSU topped the RedHawks 2-0 Saturday night at Ewigleben Ice Arena. With the win, the Bulldogs (6-0-0, 2-0-0 CCHA) completed the weekend sweep of Miami (2-4-2, 0-2-0 CCHA) while remaining undefeated on the year.

Ferris State scored both goals on the power play, taking advantage of its eight man-advantage opportunities, while the RedHawks received just three power plays but could not convert. The two sides combined for 88 penalty minutes with Miami being whistled for 59 of them. Motte made 27 saves to pitch his second straight shutout while senior goalie Connor Knapp finished with 20 stops for the `Hawks.

The teams played a scoreless opening period, as Miami was held without a goal in the first 20 minutes for the first time all season. Neither side capitalized on their lone power play opportunity of the frame but the `Hawks started the second stanza on the man advantage after some pushing and shoving to end the first period.

Seconds into the second period Miami was called for a penalty however, which resulted in a brief power play for FSU once the Bulldogs returned to full strength. While a man up, the Bulldogs were able to slip the puck through Knapp's pads but junior defenseman Steven Spinell was able to clear it off the goal line before it crossed to keep it scoreless.

The game remained very physical in the middle stanza as the two sides combined for 55 penalty minutes in the period. Miami had two players given game misconducts (Garrett Kennedy and Curtis McKenzie) while FSU's Matthew Kirzinger also received a game misconduct in the period. Knapp made two big saves on a Bulldog breakaway while Motte barely tipped a blast from freshman Blake Coleman with his glove with the sides skating 4-on-4, again keeping the game knotted at 0-0.

Just as the RedHawks were about to kill their first five-minute major, Travis Ouellete found the back of the net on a wrister off a feed from TJ Schlueter to break the deadlock 11:16 into the second period. The contest remained a one-goal affair heading into the final frame.

Miami came out battling in the third period, putting the pressure on the Bulldogs but each time Motte had an answer. With 4:18 remaining in the game, senior Trent Vogelhuber was given a game misconduct - the third RedHawk to be sent to the showers early - putting FSU on the power play the remainder of the contest. The `Hawks generated several opportunities despite being short-handed, including multiple hard wristers from junior Reilly Smith, but Motte gloved the puck on each.

The Bulldogs then made it 2-0 with 1:33 to go when Cory Kane tallied his second goal of the year with the man advantage. Knapp was pulled with 1:22 to play in favor of an extra attacker but Miami was unable to get on the scoreboard and was shut out for the first time since Jan. 7, 2011 at Ohio State.

The RedHawks were swept for the first time since that same OSU series Jan. 7-8, which was also part of Miami's last three-game losing streak. The `Hawks have now started league play 0-2 for the first time since 2000-01.

After a pair of consecutive road series, Miami looks to get back on the winning track when it returns home to host Lake Superior State Thursday and Friday, Oct. 27-28 at Steve Cady Arena with both games set to start at 7:35 p.m.