ST. CLOUD, Minn.— Led by four goals from Nolan Walker, sixth-ranked St. Cloud State skated away from their home rink with an 8-2 conference victory over the Miami RedHawks on Saturday night in Minnesota.

The second period started as a game of back and forth amongst the conference foes, with Miami responding to the Huskies' pair of goals in the first with a couple of their own in the second period, with RedHawk goals from Derek Daschke and Jack Clement. However, St. Cloud responded relatively quickly to Miami's offensive effort and regained their lead that they never gave up again. With the win, the Huskies improve to 11-6-0 (11-6-0-2-2-0 NCHC) on the season, while the RedHawks fall to 4-10-2 (4-10-2-0-1-0 NCHC).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• 5:22 1st (SCSU 1-0) | Just two seconds out of a time out, the hosts got the first goal of the game to give them an early lead. Joe Molenaar got the puck from the face-off to give Huskies possession, and Ondrej Trejbal shot it from the point to try and get it in. Jared Cockrell got his stick on the rebound and got it in past Ludvig Persson to make it a 1-0 game. 
• 7:12 1st (SCSU 2-0) | Veeti Miettinen was up top, and Walker moved around to get a chance to extend the Husky lead. Nick Perbix was able to set up a screen in front, and Walker was able to get the puck in right over the blocker to give St. Cloud their second goal of the period on the power play.
• 9:56 2nd (Miami 2-1) | With the Huskies called for a penalty; the RedHawks were ready to get their first goal of the game. Matt Barry and Casey Gilling passed the puck back and forth on the Miami offensive end, and Gilling attempted to get a shot on goal, but his play was blocked in front. Derek Daschke got his stick on the rebound, drove it home from the point to get the RedHawks on the board.
• 10:55 2nd (Miami 2-2) | Barry got the puck to the offensive end, and David Hrenak saved his initial shot. Jack Clement got his hand on the rebound on the other side, and he was able to score on a wide-open net from the right point, as the St. Cloud goaltender was out of position. Clement's goal, his second on the season, tied the game at two.
• 11:09 2nd (SCSU 3-2) | Just seconds after the Miami tying goal, the Huskies got the lead once again. Micah Miller got the puck from a turnover on the other end and found an open Walker at his left. Walker took his time with the shot from the top of the left circle but got it in past Persson, just over the glove.
• 12:20 2nd (SCSU 4-2) | Zach Okabe was in front and faked a shot attempt to try and sneak it in past the RedHawk defense. Walker got his stick on the puck in front, got it in to give the Huskies a 4-2 lead on the power play. 
• 12:40 2nd (SCSU 5-2) | Spencer Maier was alone in the right circle and saw an open Sam Hentges in the slot to pass it over. Hentges was able to get a clean shot in past Persson to extend their lead.
• 4:23 3rd (SCSU 6-2) | Okabe won the face-off, and Veeti Miettinen got his stick on the puck. The Finnish phenom was able to bomb the puck in from the top of the circle to increase the Husky advantage.
• 6:28 3rd (SCSU 7-2) | Miller got the puck from a teammate who was behind the net and passed it quietly to Walker directly in front. Miller brought it in past Kraws for his fourth of the game.
• 16:35 3rd (SCSU 8-2) | Miller sped down the right-hand side and found Chase Brand all alone in front of the goal, who put it away to finish the game's scoring.

GAME NOTES:

• The shot margin was close all game, by a 33-32 margin in Miami's favor. Ryan Savage had the Miami lead in individual shots on goal, with eight.
• The Huskies had the advantage in blocked shots with 14, to Miami's seven.

WHAT'S NEXT:

The RedHawks continue the 2021 portion of the schedule with a home series against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Puck drop for the first game of the series on January 29 is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Goggin Ice Center in Oxford.

The 2020-21 Miami ice hockey season is proudly sponsored by Kroger and Cintas.