Miami Post Game Notes vs. Western Michigan
1/22/2012 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Jan. 21, 2012
Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 
Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012
Oxford, Ohio - Steve Cady Arena
Miami Hockey Postgame Notes
Junior forward Reilly Smith scored at 12:13 of the first period to extend his season-long point streak to five games, tying the longest by a Miami player this season. During that span, he has six goals and two assists. Smith leads both the RedHawks and the CCHA with 18 goals and now has 99 points in his career. His next point will make him the 47th player in Miami history to reach the 100-point mark.
Smith's first period goal was the game-winner, his seventh of the season, tying Brian Savage, Ryan Jones and Justin Mercier for second on the Miami all-time single-season list. He is just one game-winner away from tying the Miami single-season record with Tim Leahy, who tallied eight in the 1996-97 season. Smith also moves into a tie for third on the Miami career game-winning goals list with 11, trailing only Andy Miele with 12 and record-holder Ryan Jones with 21. Smith has scored the last four game-winning goals for Miami, all coming in the last five games, and now leads the nation by himself with seven game-winning goals this season.
Senior goaltender Connor Knapp has now won six starts in a row, dating back to Dec. 9, 2011 against Ohio State. Knapp earned his second shutout of the season and 10th of his career, turning aside all 22 shots he faced Saturday. Knapp hasn't allowed more than one goal in his last five games, giving up just three, during which he has a .977 save percentage, a 0.60 GAA and both his whitewashes. He now ranks first in the CCHA and second in the country with a 1.77 goals-against average this season.
With the win Saturday, Knapp now has 39 victories, moving him within one win from tying Richard Shulmistra, who played from 1990-94, for fourth all-time at Miami in career goalie wins as Knapp already ranked fifth.
Knapp also recorded an assist on freshman forward Jimmy Mullin's goal early in the third period. It was the third of his career, tying him for second among goaltenders all-time at Miami, and first of the season.
Freshman forward Jimmy Mullin is now riding a career-long four-game point streak after scoring a breakaway goal at 4:33 of the third period Saturday. Mullin has recorded three goals and three assists during the four-game span.
Freshman forward Cody Murphy picked up his second career assist on Miami's third goal Saturday. It was his first point in Steve Cady Arena as he played his first game at home since injuring his leg in his first collegiate game back on Oct. 8.
Miami improved to 8-6-1 against ranked foes this year and has five victories over top-10 teams, including the sweep of No. 8 Western Michigan. Miami has also beaten No. 4/5 Michigan, No. 9/10 Denver and No. 4/4 Ohio State for its other top-10 wins.
The RedHawks won their 10th straight game when leading after two periods, as they led 1-0 after 40 minutes Saturday, and are 10-1-0 on the season when leading heading into the third period.
The win on Saturday gave Miami its first sweep at home of the season and third sweep overall, all coming in league play. The RedHawks also swept Alaska Nov. 4-5 and No. 15 Michigan State Jan. 6-7, both on the road. Miami is 5-1-0 in the month of January, including two sweeps, and now sits in a tie for second place in the CCHA standings.
Miami scored first off the stick of junior Reilly Smith in the first period, as the RedHawks have now done so in 18 of 26 games this year, improving to 12-5-1 when scoring first.
With the sweep this weekend, Miami has now won 12 of the last 13 meetings with WMU in Oxford, going 12-0-1 with the tie coming last season. The RedHawks are also now 12-1-2 overall against the Broncos over the last five season.
--MURedHawks.com--
