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OXFORD, Ohio -- A rugged defensive performance by the Miami hockey team extended its winning streak to four games with a 3-1 win over No. 13/14 Denver on Friday night.

The RedHawks (10-11-3, 5-8-2-2 National Collegiate Hockey) blocked 24 shots and held the Pioneers (12-8-5, 8-5-2-0 NCHC) to just 21 shots on goal to move into a fourth-place tie in the NCHC standings. MU's four-game winning streak is a season high and its longest since the 2013-14 season.

After a nondescript first few minutes, Miami got the game's first power play at the 4:31 mark when Denver interfered with a player away from the puck. The RedHawks got a good look early in the man advantage on a Scott Dornbrock one-timer from the right circle that Evan Cowley turned away.

Shortly after Denver killed off the penalty, it took advantage of a Miami turnover to Troy Terry, who fed Danton Heinen alone atop the crease where he slipped a shot by Jay Williams at the 7:06 mark to make it a 1-0 game. Miami answered that just 1:30 later when tenacious work at the boards by Josh Melnick and Anthony Louis created possession for Louis at the left wing corner. Louis walked around the net and used impressive reach to slide a wrap-around by Cowley to tie it at 1-1. Scott Dornbrock also drew an assist on that play.

Both the quantity and quality of chances favored the Red and White over the first 10 minutes of the period as they held a 9-3 edge in shots on goal over the Pioneers. Sean Kuraly had a glorious transition opportunity of his about 12 minutes in as Zach LaValle dropped the puck to him down the left wing, where he drove the net only to be turned away by Cowley. Miami ended up with a 13-6 edge in shots on goal, but the score remained tied at 1-1 after 20 minutes.

Jack Roslovic nearly put the RedHawks on top early in the second period when Kiefer Sherwood fed him in by himself down the right wing. His high wrist shot eluded Cowley, but clanged off the post to leave it a tie game.

Roslovic kept his feet moving on a defensive zone clearance to draw a Denver penalty at the 5:30 mark. While Miami did maintain possession in the offensive zone, MU was unable to get many shots through traffic as DU once again killed the penalty off. The Pioneers went on a power play of their own with 7:29 left in the middle stanza and held offensive zone possession for nearly the entire man advantage. MU grinded through it, however, by blocking four of DU's five shot attempts.

Miami got a power play of its own late in the frame and took the lead for the first time as Roslovic flung a puck off Kevin Morris in the slot and the rebound sat loose for Roslovic to pounce on it and bury a shot through traffic with 2:24 to go until intermission. That snapped a six-game scoreless streak and also featured Dornbrock's second assist of the night.

With 1:08 to go in the second, Miami got whistled for a double minor, giving Denver a golden opportunity to tie things up on the power play. The RedHawks maintained their discipline in the lanes and skated to the dressing room with a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Another 2:52 remained on the double minor with a fresh sheet of ice for the Pioneers to work with at the start of the third. Williams and the penalty killing unit were both sharp with the former making three timely saves before a DU penalty negated the waning seconds of the back-to-back power plays. The RedHawks countered with their own man advantage, but could not add to their lead with the opportunity.

Both teams ultimately threw eight shots on goal in the third period and Williams had to make a couple stellar saves. A loose puck found Trevor Moore in the slot, where he turned and fired a shot that caught the inside of Williams' pad and started trickling towards the net, but the senior netminder calmly fell on the puck to force a whistle.

With time winding down, the Pioneers pulled Cowley for an extra attacker and got a clean zone entry and Will Butcher wired a shot on goal that Williams shrugged off. DU sent skaters crashing the net and Heinen made contact with Williams, who still made a tremendous stick save right at the goal line to keep the puck from crossing. Heinen was whistled for goaltender interference on the play with 41.3 seconds left and Miami was able to get a clean breakout with Matthew Caito getting the puck to his fellow point man Louie Belpedio in his own zone. Belpedio lofted the puck off the glass and over the defense to send Morris in on a breakaway on the empty net to put it away with 23 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

The RedHawks outshot the Pioneers 30-21 on the night and their defense blocked a season-high 24 shots, with Taylor Richart's eight leading the way. Miami also went 2-for-5 on the power play and killed off all three of Denver's man advantages. Williams finished with 20 saves to stretch his unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1) while Cowley made 27 saves at the other end.

Puck drops for Saturday's series finale at 7:05 p.m.