Miami Ohio University Athletics
No. 1/2 Miami Hosts Bemidji State in Season Opener
10/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Oct. 6, 2011
THE GAME
No. 1/2 Miami begins the 2011-12 season Friday and Saturday with home contests against Bemidji State out of the WCHA. Miami is coming off a 23-10-6 campaign, which saw it capture its first Mason Cup for winning the CCHA Tournament and make its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Miami returns 16 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished in third place in the CCHA during the regular season with a 16-7-5-2 record. The 'Hawks downed Windsor on Sunday, 4-1, in its lone exhibition of the season, led by two goals from senior co-captain Alden Hirschfeld. Senior goalies Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp split time in net while Miami went 2-for-5 on the power play.
Bemidji State opens the 2011-12 season this weekend as well, after going 15-18-5 a year ago, including 8-15-5 in WCHA play, which landed them in 10th place, where they were picked to finish again in 2011-12. The Beavers did make the WCHA Tournament semifinals however a year ago, and return 20 players from that team. Leading the way for BSU is junior Jordan George, who paced the Beavers with 36 points a year ago, including 17 goals. Bemidji State topped Regina, 7-0, in its lone exhibition game last Sunday with George notching a goal and an assist.
THE COACHES
Enrico Blasi (Miami '94) is in his 13th season behind the RedHawk bench. He is a four-time CCHA Coach of the Year and was named National Coach of the Year in 2005-06. He stands 262-169-46 in 12 seasons at his alma mater, where he has now led Miami to seven NCAA Tournaments, including two Frozen Four berths, a National Championship game appearance, a pair of CCHA regular-season titles and the school's first ever Mason Cup last year. Blasi is the the winningest coach in school history.
Tom Serratore (Bemidji State '87) is in his 11th season at the helm of his alma mater. He has guided BSU to a 178-146-38 record while leading the Beavers to their first NCAA Tournament in 2005 and Frozen Four berth in 2009. BSU won five regular-season College Hockey America titles and three CHA Tournament titles under his watch (before moving to the WCHA). He is a five-time CHA Coach of the Year.
THE SERIES
The RedHawks are 3-1 all-time against the Beavers, all under head coach Enrico Blasi, but the squads have never met in Oxford. Miami beat BSU in Miami's first Frozen Four appearance in 2009 but suffered its only loss to Bemidji State the following year, again on neutral ice during the 2009-10 season.
QUICK HITS
- Miami returns 16 letterwinners from last year's team but loses five letterwinners from 2010-11, including a pair of All-Americans. The 2011 class accounted for 190 points last year (46 percent) while all of Miami's returning players combined totaled 222 points.
- The RedHawks open the 2011-12 season ranked No. 1 in the country in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason Poll, doing so for the second time in three years. Miami was ranked No. 1 for two weeks last year. The 'Hawks are also No. 1 in the College Hockey News Preseason Top 10 and are No. 2 in the USCHO.com Poll.
- Miami will unveil its 2011 CCHA Tournament championship banner prior to Friday's game.
- The RedHawks are 14-15-4 all-time in season openers and 22-9-2 in home openers. Miami is 4-0-1 in its last five season openers and has won each of its last nine home openers, last losing a home opener in 2001-02.
- Junior forward Reilly Smith is the leading returning goal-scorer in the nation. He tied for fourth nationally last year with 28 goals. Smith is also second among returning point-scorers in the NCAA after notching 54 points last year.
- Miami had four players named to the Preseason All-CCHA teams. Junior forward Reilly Smith was one of two unanimous First-Team selections while senior goalie Cody Reichard also earned a First-Team nod. Senior defensemen Will Weber and Chris Wideman made up the Second Team defensive corps.
- The RedHawks bring in a talented class of eight freshmen in 2011-12, three of which were already drafted in the NHL -- forwards Tyler Biggs (Toronto), Blake Coleman (New Jersey) and Jimmy Mullin (Tampa Bay).
UP NEXT
Miami hits the road for the first time in 2011-12 as the RedHawks travel to Hamilton, N.Y. to take on Colgate out of the ECAC on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15. Puck drop for both contests is set for 7 p.m. Miami is 1-1 all-time against the Raiders, last meeting during the 1998-99 season.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Saturday's contest against Bemidji State will be broadcast on the Ohio News Network (ONN), with Dave Allen and Neil Sika on the call, and will also be on radio on WKBV-AM (1490) and WMOH-AM (1450). Friday's game will not be on TV or radio. Both games will be streamed live on MURedHawks.com through the All-Access subscription package with Greg Waddell, the Voice of Miami Hockey, calling both games.
OPENING STATEMENT: The RedHawks are 14-15-4 all-time in season openers and 22-9-2 in home openers. Miami is 4-0-1 in its last five season openers and has won each of its last nine home openers, meaning the RedHawks are undefeated in home openers at Steve Cady Arena. Miami's last loss in a home opener was in 2001-02 to Merrimack. Under head coach Enrico Blasi, Miami is 7-3-2 in season openers and 10-2-0 in home openers.
EXHIBITION EXCELLENCE: Miami downed Windsor, 4-1, on Sunday in its lone exhibition. Senior co-captain Alden Hirschfeld tallied two goals in the game after recording a hat trick in Miami's exhibition win over Waterloo to start the 2010-11 season. He has three regular-season multi-goal games in his career, including one hat trick. The exhibition also saw Miami continue its strong power play, going 2-for-5 with a man advantage. The RedHawks ranked third nationally a year ago with a 24.7 percent conversion rate.
WHAT'S RETURNING: Miami brings back 16 letterwinners from its 2010-11 squad, including nine forwards, five defensemen and both goalies in seniors Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard. The RedHawks lose five letterwinners, however, including All-Americans Carter Camper and Andy Miele, who was Miami's first Hobey Baker Award winner. The 2011 class was the second winningest class in school history (108 wins) and accounted for 190 points (46 percent) of Miami's scoring in 2010-11, including three of its top four scorers, and 47 percent of the team's goals. All of Miami's returners combined totaled 222 points last year.
PRESEASON PICKS: Four RedHawks were named to the Preseason All-CCHA Teams, while no other team had more than two players on either squad. Junior forward Reilly Smith, who was tabbed First-Team All-CCHA last year, was one of two unanimous selections. Joining Smith on the First Team was senior goalie Cody Reichard, the 2010 CCHA Player of the Year, who was a Preseason First-Team All-CCHA recipient last year as well. Miami grabbed both defensive spots on the Second Team as senior defensemen Will Weber and Chris Wideman were both tabbed Preseason Second-Team All-CCHA. Wideman was a Preseason First-Team All-CCHA honoree last year and earned Second-Team All-CCHA accolades at the end of 2010-11.
GOING POLLING: For the second time in three years, Miami will start the season ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll, after finishing last year No. 8 in the country. The RedHawks earned 15 first-place votes in the USA Today Preseason Poll and totaled 453 points. CCHA rival Notre Dame is No. 2, earning four first-place votes and 427 points. Miami was also selected No. 1 in the College Hockey News Preseason Top 10 while the 'Hawks are ranked No. 2 in the USCHO.com Preseason Poll, where the Irish claimed the top spot. Miami did collect more first-place votes than Notre Dame, however, with 12 to UND's 11, but Notre Dame had 740 points to Miami's 722. The 12 first-place votes were the most of any team.
CONSISTENTLY AT THE TOP: Miami finished 2010-11 CCHA regular-season play with a 16-7-5-2 record, earning them third place in the standings. Miami has finished in the top three in the CCHA standings each of the last six years, something no other team in the league has done. During that stretch, the 'Hawks have won the regular-season title twice, finished runner-up once and have three third-place finishes. That trend is expected to continue in 2011-12 as Miami was picked to finish second in the CCHA in both preseason polls (coaches and media) this year while Notre Dame was picked first in each preseason poll.
WINNING WAYS: Miami has the best winning percentage among Division I college hockey teams over the last six years (since 2005-06), compiling a record of 158-62-27 (.694), ahead of Boston College, who has gone 157-68-21 (.681) during that span. CCHA foe Michigan ranks third over the last six years with a record of 164-76-15 (.673). The RedHawks have had at least 20 wins in each of the last six seasons, including a school-record 33 wins in 2007-08, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament each year as well. The six straight NCAA Tournament appearances ranks fourth among active streaks behind Michigan (21), New Hampshire (10) and North Dakota (9).
NATION'S TOP RETURNER: Junior forward Reilly Smith is the leading returning goal-scorer in the nation entering 2011-12 after leading Miami with 28 goals as a sophomore, which tied for fourth nationally. Smith is also second among returning point-scorers after totaling 54 points a year ago, as only Minnesota Duluth's Jack Connolly (59 points in 2010-11), had more points than Smith among returning players. Smith tied for seventh in the country last year in points en route to earning First-Team All-CCHA and All-America honors from College Hockey News (Second Team) and Inside College Hockey (Third Team).
CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN: Senior forward Alden Hirschfeld and senior defenseman Will Weber have been named co-captains for Miami for the 2011-12 season. Both were assistant captains on the 2010-11 squad. Hirschfeld has played in 93 career games as a RedHawk while Weber has suited up for 114 career contests.
FUTURE PROS: Although Miami lost a lot of talent from its 2010-11 squad, including three players who signed NHL contracts in Carter Camper (Boston), Pat Cannone (Ottawa) and Andy Miele (Phoenix), the RedHawks brought in a very talented freshman class of eight players. Included in that group is three players who were already selected in the NHL Draft. Forward Tyler Biggs was taken with the 22nd overall pick of the 2011 Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, forward Blake Coleman was selected in the third round of the 2011 Draft by the New Jersey Devils (75th overall) and forward Jimmy Mullin was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 in the fourth round (118th overall). In all, the RedHawks now have nine NHL-drafted players on their roster.
The complete release is available here.
--MURedHawks.com--
