Box Score Nov. 17, 2017 Box Score | PDF Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio -- Despite peppering the opposing net with shots and rallying from a deficit early in the third, a pair of late goals by No. 14/15 Minnesota Duluth sent Miami to a 3-1 loss in the team's series opener at Steve `Coach' Cady Arena on Friday night.
UMD (6-5-2, 2-3 National Collegiate Hockey) snapped a 1-1 tie with two goals 1:16 apart late in the third as MU (4-6-1, 1-3-1-0 NCHC) is now winless in its last three.
The RedHawks recorded some early zone pressure with a traffic in front of Hunter Shepard. With the UMD goaltender down, a Louie Belpedio blast got through the bodies and went off the post. MU actually jumped out to an 8-1 shot advantage on the night and drew a penalty to go to work on a power play with 8:28 left in the opening frame. Miami pressured throughout that man advantage, with Casey Gilling nearly putting it on the board as he got fed below the dot for a shot that rang off the crossbar. Despite the pressure, UMD killed the penalty to keep the contest scoreless late in the frame.
A Miami turnover ended up in its net as Jared Thomas' shot from the slot just squeaked in to put Minnesota Duluth on top 1-0 with 5:27 left in the opening stanza. The Red and White finished with an 11-4 shot advantage in the opening 20 minutes, but still trailed by one at the break.
UMD started getting some more pucks to the net and nearly went up 2-0 as a point shot by Nick Wolff went in through traffic, but officials immediately waved it off due to interference, a call that held up to a replay review. The Bulldogs went on their first power play with 8:25 gone by in the middle frame, but the Red and White kept them from putting on much pressure as they remained within a goal.
The Bulldogs got another power play with 7:10 to go, but the Red and White killed it off again, drawing a penalty late in the man advantage to get a chance to tie it up. UMD did not allow a shot over that power play and then killed off a follow up MU power play shortly thereafter to maintain a one-goal lead through two periods.
Miami snapped a streak of 18-straight scoreless power plays to tie it up early in the third. After a couple near misses, Louie Belpedio corralled a puck at the point and centered it to Carson Meyer, who roofed home his second goal of the season, evening the score 3:46 into the period. Karch Bachman also picked up an assist after coming close to scoring on a couple shots during that power play.
The RedHawks at one point had a 13-2 shot advantage in the third period as they peppered Hunter Shepard in an attempt to take the lead. UMD digHowever, a Miami penalty with 6:45 left allowed Minnesota Duluth to go back on the attack and Thomas one-timed a cross-ice pass into the net to put UMD on top again with 5:09 remaining. The Bulldogs added an insurance tally 1:16 later when Scott Perunovich also blasted in a point shot to put them on top by two.
Miami got an offensive zone faceoff and pulled Ryan Larkin for an extra skater with 3:09 left. While it generated some quality chances, it was unable to draw closer as it dropped the series opener.
The Red and White finished with a 29-19 shot advantage and went 1-for-5 on the power play while the Bulldogs finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage. Larkin finished with 16 saves for MU while Shepard stopped 28 shots for UMD.
These teams wrap up their weekend series on Saturday night with the puck dropping at 7:05 p.m.
