Nov. 26, 2011

Box Score
Highlights

DENVER - Junior forward Reilly Smith scored two goals and senior Cody Reichard provided strong goaltending to lead the Miami University hockey team to the 2011 Denver Cup Classic title as the RedHawks scored three unanswered goals to top host and No. 9/10 Denver, 4-2, Saturday night at Magness Arena. With the victory, Miami (8-6-2) extended its unbeaten streak to a season-long eight games while defeating the Pioneers (6-4-3) for the third straight time and evening the all-time series with its future conference member (NCHC) at 4-4-0.

The first period was a penalty parade as the two teams combined for nine infractions and 18 penalty minutes. After coincidental penalties just nine seconds into the game, Denver jumped on Miami with a goal off the ensuing faceoff. Shawn Ostrow won the draw back to Chris Knowlton, who one-timed a laser past Reichard to put the Pioneers up 1-0 just 11 ticks into the contest.

The RedHawks responded 3:30 later when Smith found the back of the net on the power play for his team-leading 10th goal of the year. After taking a feed from freshman forward Austin Czarnik, Smith skated between the circles and fired a low rocket that DU goalie Juho Olkinuora got a piece of but the puck still found its way into the net to even the game at 1-1. Czarnik then made it 2-1 RedHawks with his fifth goal of the year as he gathered a loose puck at the blue line, cut across the crease and beat Olkinuora back-hand, five-hole with 7:51 left in the frame. It was his third straight multi-point game.

Miami then added to its lead 10:48 into the second period as Smith scored his second goal of the night and 11th of the year. Junior defenseman Garrett Kennedy sent the puck along the blue line to senior defenseman Cameron Schilling, who blasted a shot from the point that deflected off Smith's chest and beat Olkinuora glove-side, top-shelf to put the `Hawks ahead 3-1. The two-goal lead was short-lived however, as 1:19 later the Pioneers got one back to cut Miami's lead in half at 3-2. Drew Shore dug the puck out of the corner for DU and centered to a wide open Ty Loney camped in front of the net for the easy putaway.

With 12:50 left in the third period, Jason Zucker was taken down on a breakaway off a slash by senior defenseman Will Weber and the Pioneers elected to take the penalty shot. Reichard was up to the task however, stoning Zucker with his left leg pad to keep the `Hawks up by one. The Pioneers continued to pressure the `Hawks, but Miami and Reichard did not fold, stopping all 10 shots DU fired in the final frame.

With less than two minutes to play, Denver pulled Olkinuora in favor of the extra attacker. With 1:33 remaining, senior forwards Patrick Tiesling and Trent Vogelhuber both battled for a puck in the Pioneer zone near the blue line and Vogelhuber was finally able to clear it toward the other end. It trickled and rolled for several seconds but finally found its way into the empty net before DU could catch up to it, securing the 4-2 victory. Tiesling picked up the assist on the clinching goal, Miami's first empty-netter of the year.

The Pioneers outshot Miami, 34-28, despite the loss but Reichard made a season-high 32 saves, one shy of his career high, including the penalty shot, to earn his sixth win of the year and 50th career win, which is third all-time at Miami. The RedHawks finished 1-for-4 on the power play, scoring on the man advantage for the third straight game, while going 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. Olkinuora, who shut out Princeton Friday in the Denver Cup Classic, finished with 24 stops.

The Denver Cup Classic title is the second in program history for the `Hawks, also winning the tournament in 1997, which was the only other time Miami had beaten the Pioneers in Denver. Smith was named tournament MVP while Reichard, Schilling and Czarnik were all named to the All-Tournament Team along with Smith.

The RedHawks return to CCHA action next weekend when they travel to Marquette, Mich. for a two-game series with Northern Michigan Friday and Saturday. Puck drop both nights is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.