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ESTERO, Fla. – Unexpected offensive contributions and a stifling defensive performance paved the way for the No. 6 Miami hockey team’s 3-0 victory over Cornell in the consolation game of the Florida College Hockey Classic on Monday.
The RedHawks (12-6) got goals from Kevin Morris, Taylor Richart and Devin Loe while allowing just 15 shots on goal to snap a small two-game losing streak to earn a third-place finish in the holiday tournament.
Miami’s special teams got the game started on the right foot. A Big Red penalty at the 2:06 mark led to a power play goal just 50 seconds later when Austin Czarnik fed Riley Barber at the goal line, who in turn centered to Kevin Morris in the slot. Morris flung a shot that slid through traffic and in for his second goal of the season to stake MU to an early 1-0 lead.
The RedHawks threatened for more over the next few minutes in a period that they held an 11-6 edge in shots. Cody Murphy had two strong wrist shots from the left faceoff circle that Hayden Stewart stopped to keep it a one-shot game.
A big opportunity came Miami’s way midway through the period as Jacob MacDonald and Madison Dias took penalties just 1:08 apart to give the Red and White a two-man advantage. Despite several dangerous scoring opportunities, the Big Red managed to escape any further damage in keeping it a 1-0 contest.
At the end of a shift late in the frame, Czarnik fed Taylor Richart to start a 3-on-2 rush. Lugging the puck into the slot, Richart wristed a shot that took a bounce and fooled Stewart for his first-career goal with just 1:42 remaining in the opening stanza. Czarnik’s helper was his 107th-career assist, which tied Dan Boyle for the third most in Miami history. Richart’s tally sent the Red and White into the locker room with a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.
Miami continued to control play in the second period, owning an 8-4 edge in shots in the middle frame. After killing off 40 seconds of a carryover Big Red power play, Louie Belpedio fed Alex Wideman, who tipped the puck to Blake Coleman up the left wing to start a 2-on-1 from Cornell’s blue line. Coleman swung the puck over to Devin Loe at the right circle, where he beat Stewart five-hole for his first goal of the year to make it 3-0 and chase Stewart from the crease just 1:36 into the second. The Red and White killed off one more Big Red power play in the period to take a 3-0 lead into the locker room after 40 minutes of play.
After seeing a two-goal lead slip away in the third period yesterday, the RedHawks locked down defensively for the third period, allowing just five shots on goal. Miami had a couple opportunities on the power play in the frame, but nothing got past reserve goalie Mitch Gillam and Williams stopped all five shots he faced to record his third shutout of the year.
The RedHawks outshot the Big Red 26-15 for the evening, marking the fourth time this season they allowed less than 20 shots on goal. MU also went 1-for-5 on the power play while killing off both Cornell man advantages to finish a perfect 10-for-10 in the tournament. Williams stopped 15 shots to improve to 12-2 this year while Stewart (10 saves on 13 shots) and Gillam (13 saves) combined for 23 saves on 26 shots.
Miami returns to the rink on Jan. 2 when it starts a two-game series at Rensselaer. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
