OXFORD, Ohio – Mistakes with the puck proved costly for Miami as it dropped a 6-2 decision in its series opener against New Hampshire on Friday.
MU falls to 0-2 on the season with the setback.
The RedHawks got a power play less than three minutes into the contest and possessed in the offensive zone nearly the entire time, but the Wildcats (1-0) clogged up the shooting lanes for several blocks to keep it scoreless. A follow-up power play shortly after also had a minute of puck possession in the zone, but was likewise unable to connect as UNH had nine blocked shots in the first nine minutes of play.
Playing five-on-five UNH used its transition game to get dig MU into a hole. Kohei Sato was fed back door on a 2-on-1 rush at the 9:47 mark and Jackson Pierson was sprung for a breakaway goal 1:06 later to make it a 2-0 contest. The Wildcats would then convert on their first power play attempt as Benton Maass fired home a slap shot off a faceoff to put the Wildcats ahead 3-0 with 6:29 left in the opening frame.
After withstanding extended UNH territorial play, MU got on the board with 18.3 seconds left after
Monte Graham flung a shot that deflected off Mike Robinson and a UNH defender right to
Phil Knies in the crease. While he was tied up, the puck caromed off the junior forward and in for his first of the year to cut the gap to 3-1 at intermission.
While New Hampshire got the first few shots on goal in the second, Miami was able to get some zone time midway through the period, but a turnover at the offensive blue line left Sato alone for a breakaway goal that made it 4-1 at the 9:05 mark. Undeterred, the RedHawks grabbed one back after
Rourke Russell flipped a puck forward that
Karch Bachman turned on the afterburners to catch up to. Bachman then fed
Gordie Green, who also got a step on the defense for a backdoor goal to pull the RedHawks back within a couple at 4-2.
Miami got a power play chance to pull closer with 4:50 left and an early chance left a loose puck for
Ryan Savage in the slot that he fired wide. Despite the man advantage, the score remained 4-2 in the late stages. A late penalty by Miami proved costly however as Charlie Kelleher beat the buzzer with a shot to make it 5-2 after 40 minutes.
New Hampshire capped the scoring 9:47 into the third on a Jackson Pierson goal.
The Wildcats outshot the RedHawks 34-20 on the night and went 2-for-6 on the power play while killing off all four MU man advantages.
Ryan Larkin stopped 20 shots in two periods before ceding the net to
Ben Kraws, who stopped eight of nine third period shot in his Miami debut.
These teams wrap up the weekend series on Saturday with opening faceoff at 7:05 p.m.
