NCHC Pod Week 2 Matchups
Miami RedHawks (0-3-0, 0-3-0 NCHC) vs.
#3/3 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (3-0-0, 3-0-0 NCHC)
Tuesday, Dec. 8 | 8:35 p.m.
Baxter Arena (Omaha, Neb.)
All-Time Series vs. Duluth: 5-21-2 (Lost last meeting, 5-3, on Dec. 6, 2020)
WATCH | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES | @MiamiOH_Hockey
Miami RedHawks (0-3-0, 0-3-0 NCHC) vs.
#9/8 Denver Pioneers (0-3-0, 0-3-0 NCHC)
Thursday, Dec. 10 | 4:35 p.m.
Baxter Arena (Omaha, Neb.)
All-Time Series vs. Denver: 12-19-3 (Lost last meeting, 7-0, on Feb. 22, 2020)
WATCH | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES | @MiamiOH_Hockey
Miami RedHawks (0-3-0, 0-3-0 NCHC) vs.
#18/RV Omaha Mavericks (2-2-0, 2-2-0 NCHC)
Saturday, Dec. 12 | 9:05 p.m.
Baxter Arena (Omaha, Neb.)
All-Time Series vs. Omaha: 25-20-7 (Lost last meeting, 2-1 (OT), on Dec. 5, 2020)
WATCH | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES | @MiamiOH_Hockey
OXFORD, Ohio. – The Miami University ice hockey team continues the 2020-21 season this week as the RedHawks take on nationally-ranked Minnesota Duluth, Denver, and Omaha in the NCHC Pod, with the first game of the trio scheduled for December 8.
ABOUT LAST WEEK: Miami started the season with one of the toughest opening schedules in the country, which included two nationally-ranked powerhouses. After being shutout by #1 North Dakota on opening night, the RedHawks saw themselves in a close game with the host Mavericks, with Scott Corbett getting the first Miami goal of the season to bring a close game into a sudden death 3-on-3 overtime, where Omaha scored eleven minutes in to get the win. Miami ended the weekend with a well fought game against Duluth, where goaltender Ben Kraws saved 37 shots and the RedHawk offense saw a thrilling first period that ended in a 2-2 tie after twenty minutes of play. Derek Daschke, Bray Crowder, and Monte Graham all saw the score sheet against the Bulldogs.
ABOUT MINNESOTA DULUTH: The Bulldogs opened up the 2020-21 season ranked third in the USCHO.com poll and were picked to finish third in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll. UMD went 3-0-0 in the first week of action in the NCHC Pod, and saw wins against Omaha, Denver, and Miami. Considered one of the top teams in the NCAA for the past five years, the Bulldogs return Junior forwards Noah Cates (14g, 19a, 33p in 2019-20) and Cole Koepke (16-17-33) from 2019-20, who were named to the Preseason All-NCHC team. After losing starting goaltender Hunter Shepard to graduation, UMD has looked to goaltender Ryan Fanti to take up more minutes in net, as he has started all three games on the UMD schedule so far this year. Being offensively led by three upperclassmen so far in Kobe Roth (4g-1a-5p), Nick Swaney (0g-5a-5p), and Cates (1g-3a-4p), the Bulldogs also currently have 8 NHL draft picks on their roster.
ABOUT DENVER: The Pioneers opened the 2020-21 season picked to finish second in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll. Denver went 0-3-0 in the first week of Pod play, losing to conference foes like UMD (1-2 L), North Dakota (3-4 OTL), and St. Cloud (3-4 L). To start the season, Denver's offense is highlighted by two rookies, Carter Savoie (4g-1a-5p) and Mike Benning (0g-5a-5p). Denver's star goaltender returns for another season with the top-ranked Pioneers, Magnus Chorna currently has a 3.37 GAA and .880 save percentage in his three starts so far this season. Denver returns only two of their top five scorers from 2019-20, who combined for 153 points on 47 goals and 106 assists. Denver currently has nine NHL draft picks on their star-studded roster.
ABOUT OMAHA: The Mavericks opened the 2020-21 season with four games on the schedule in week one and were picked to finish sixth in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll. Omaha went 2-2-0 in the first week of Pod play, and routed Western Michigan by scoring ten goals (W 10-3), and scored eleven seconds into overtime to get a second win on the season over Miami. The Mavericks has relied on the play of starting goaltender sophomore Isaiah Saville, as he returns for their junior season and has started all of Omaha's games so far. Omaha also returns all five of their top five scorers from 2019-20, who combined for 114 points on 49 goals and 65 assists. Jason Smallidge, Chayse Primeau, Martin Sundberg, and Matt Miller all have five points in 2020-21, with Smallidge getting all five points in the win against Western Michigan. Omaha currently has 3 NHL draft picks on their roster.
QUITE A DEBUT: With three games on the docket for the first week of action, all seven of the RedHawk rookies saw action in at least one game. Defenseman Hampus Rydqvist had seven shots on goal during his first NCAA week, and goaltender Ludvig Persson saw his first start in net. In his start against Omaha, Persson made 27 saves in a thrilling overtime loss against the Mavericks. Freshman forward Matthew Barbolini has seen time on the top line for the RedHawks, and got his first NCAA point from a secondary assist in the game against Duluth.
MAKING SPECIAL TEAMS, SPECIAL: One spot Miami looks for a resurgence is in its penalty kill as it ranked 54th out of 60 teams nationally last season with a 75.4 percent kill rate. Even though the RedHawks didn't see success on the PK, Miami did see success with the man advantage on the power play. Miami's power-play conversion rate in 2019-20 of 23.9% was ranked in the top-10 nationally, doing better than nationally-ranked conference foes like Denver and North Dakota.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMPS HERE: Continuing his success on the blue line from his rookie campaign in 2018-19, junior defender Derek Daschke solidified his presence on the RedHawk blueline. Surpassing his point total from his freshman year by one point (10-13-23 in 2019-20), Daschke has seen action on the top pairing of all three of Miami's game so far in 2020-21, and ties the lead in points, goals, and assists after one week of play.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: After a large senior class graduation and a bunch of other departures, there are many holes in the Miami lineup, and thats where the big freshman class comes in. With three forwards, three defenders, and one goaltender, the freshman class for 2020-21 is one of the most geographically diverse classes in Miami history. The rookie class includes:
- Robby Drazner: Defender/Buffalo Grove, Ill. (Nanaimo Clippers, BCHL)
- Hampus Rydqvist: Defender/Gothenburg, Sweden (Maryland Black Bears, NAHL)
- Michael Holland: Forward/Charlotte, N.C. (Boston Jr. Bruins, NCDC)
- Brian Silver: Forward/Lake Bluff, Ill. (Omaha Lancers, USHL)
- Dylan Moulton: Defender/Nolensville, Tenn. (Green Bay Gamblers, USHL)
- Matthew Barbolini: Forward/Williamsville, N.Y. (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
- Ludvig Persson: Goalie/Hindas, Sweden (Lone Star Brahmas, NAHL)
TOUGH COOKIES TO CRACK: With the NCHC sporting three teams ranked in the preseason USCHO.com poll, and two more recieving votes, the RedHawks figure to once again play one of the most difficult schedules in the country this season. The league is also already home of the past four national champions, which means that its success will come down to how it performs against the top teams in the nation. Last year, the Red & White played 11 games against teams that finished in the top 15 (2-8-1) and 16 against teams that finished in the top 20 (3-11-2). Miami met the #1 and #3 ranked teams in the country in the first week of action.
The 2020-21 Miami Hockey season is proudly sponsored by Kroger and Cintas.
