Miami University
Michigan
No. 18 Miami Blanked by No. 7/8 Michigan
2/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Feb. 4, 2012
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - In a very physical and penalty-filled game, No. 7/8 Michigan scored a goal in each period and the No. 18 Miami hockey team could not solve Wolverine netminder Shawn Hunwick as the RedHawks fell, 3-0, Saturday night at Yost Ice Arena. With the win, Michigan (17-9-4, 11-7-4-1 CCHA) completed a weekend sweep of Miami (15-13-2, 11-11-2-1 CCHA) after a 4-1 win Friday night. The RedHawks beat and tied UM in Oxford back on Nov. 11-12.
The teams combined for 27 penalties and 98 minutes in the game, including eight penalties for 38 minutes by each time in the final period. Miami went 0-for-6 on the power play for the second straight night, four of which came in the first period, while killing all five of Michigan's man advantages. Hunwick saved all 29 RedHawk shots to earn the shutout while Michigan put 32 shots on net and senior goalie Connor Knapp also finished with 29 stops.
Miami had an early chance to grab the lead as freshman forward Austin Czarnik intercepted a pass and had a breakaway but was slashed, preventing him from getting a good shot just 39 seconds into the contest. The RedHawks could not capitalize on the power play, however. After Michigan had a man advantage of its own because Miami was whistled for too many men on the ice, the `Hawks earned another power play. Senior forward Trent Vogelhuber had a great look on the doorstep but Hunwick slid over to make a sprawling save.
As the Miami man advantage was expiring, the Wolverines cleared the puck to center ice, which led to a 3-on-1 break. Luke Glendening carried the puck into the zone on the right side and crossed to Lee Moffie, who fired a wrister from the opposite circle that beat Knapp over his right shoulder, stick-side for a short-handed goal and a 1-0 Michigan lead 7:17 into the first period. The RedHawks earned two more power plays in the opening stanza and had several good looks but were unable to level the score. Knapp then made a big pad save on Zach Hyman on a one-timer from point-blank range late in the period to keep it a one-goal game.
The Wolverines doubled their advantage 3:13 into the second stanza as Moffie found the net for a second time. Six seconds after the `Hawks killed a penalty and with the puck already in Michigan's offensive zone, A.J. Treais centered the puck to Moffie in the slot where he ripped a one-timer in traffic that got by a screened Knapp.
Midway through the third period, the RedHawks appeared to cut the deficit in half. While short-handed, senior forward Matt Tomassoni gathered a clear at mid-ice and skated the other way during a Michigan line change on a breakaway. Tomassoni slid the puck underneath Hunwick's legs but it was fished out of the net by Michigan defender Jon Merrill on the goal line and play resumed. After a stoppage minutes later, the referees reviewed the play - twice in fact - but ultimately said the whole puck did not cross the line.
Minutes later with 6:16 left in the game, Michigan's Chris Brown skated between two RedHawk defenders with a nifty move and beat Knapp with a wrister, glove-side to make it a 3-0 contest. Miami pulled Knapp with 2:07 left in favor of the extra attacker but the Wolverines skated the other way off the ensuing faceoff. With a 2-on-1 and staring at an empty net, Travis Lynch unleashed a shot but junior defenseman Garrett Kennedy made a great block in the front of the open net to keep the puck out. After a RedHawk penalty, Knapp returned to net and with a minute to play a scrum at the net lead to lots of pushing and shoving, which resulted in nine penalties. The game finished with just three players per side on the ice as UM closed out the 3-0 victory.
Miami was shut out for just the second this season (Oct. 22 at Ferris State) and was swept for the fourth time this year, all in league play.
The RedHawks return home to start a five-game home stand beginning next weekend with a non-conference series against Alabama-Huntsville Feb. 10-11 at Steve Cady Arena.
--MURedHawks.com--
