Miami RedHawks (4-10-2) vs.
#6/6 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (8-5-2)
Friday, Jan. 29 | 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 30 | 5:00 p.m.
Goggin Ice Arena (Oxford, Ohio)
All-Time Series vs. UMD: 5-22-2 (Lost last meeting, 2-4, on Dec. 8, 2020)
WATCH | GAME NOTES (PDF) | @MiamiOH_Hockey
OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University ice hockey team continues the 2020-21 season this week as the RedHawks take on Minnesota Duluth at home.
THE SERIES: The Bulldogs have the advantage in the all-time series is by a 22-5-2 margin. The 'Hawks are 1-9-0 in the last ten games against the Bulldogs, and the series this weekend are the third and fourth meetings of the two teams so far in the 2020-21 season.
ABOUT LAST WEEKEND: Miami continued the regular travel portion of the schedule with a road trip opening series to Minnesota to take on Saint Cloud State. The RedHawks were swept on the weekend, with the Huskies finding the right times to capitalize on both nights at home. Rourke Russell scored his first goal on the weekend in the first game, with St. Cloud responding with four more to follow to seal them the win. The RedHawks offense was able to see small bursts on Saturday, with Jack Clement and Derek Daschke getting a piece of the action. But, the Huskies offense exploded after the RedHawk goals, as they scored six unanswered to secure the victory.
ABOUT MINNESOTA DULUTH: Duluth continues their season with an 8-5-2 record. Duluth hosted the Western Michigan Broncos last weekend, sweeping the Broncos by a combined score of 9-2. This is the first meeting between the RedHawks and Bulldogs since early December in the NCHC Pod. Senior forward Nick Swaney leads the team in scoring with 18 points on six goals and a team-best 12 assists. Junior forwards Noah and Jackson Cates aren't far behind, with 12 points each. Jackson Cates has tied the team-lead in goals, with seven. Senior forward Kobe Roth also ties the team-lead in goals, with seven goals and also has three assists on the season. Freshman Wyatt Kaiser, a Chicago draft pick, leads all defenseman with seven points, all of which are assists. Junior Hunter Lellig and freshman Connor Kelley are the lone defenseman to light the lamp for the Bulldogs this season. UMD ranks 24th in the nation on scoring offense at 2.87 goals per game. Defensively, Minnesota-Duluth ranks ninth the nation in goals allowed per game, allowing 2.20 goals per game. Sophomore Ryan Fanti has started in 12 of the team's 15 games this season. Fanti has a 6-4-2 record, a 2.38 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Freshman Zach Stejskal has started in three games with a 2-1-0 record, a .944 save percentage and a 1.30 goals against average. UMD's power play currently ranks 23rd in the nation at 20 percent (12-for-60).
QUITE A DEBUT: With sixteen games on the docket so far this season, all seven of the RedHawk rookies saw action in at least one game. Drazner, Barbolini, Rydqvist, and Cassetti have all scored their first career goals so far this season, and Drazner and Barbolini both have assists to go with their goals. With his .937 save percentage and 2.07 GAA, Persson is one of the top-ranked rookie goaltenders in NCAA Division 1 hockey, ranking second among freshmen goaltenders in both statistical categories. Persson was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for Dec. 14, Dec. 21, and Jan. 4, along with being named December's Goaltender of the Month for the NCHC.
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 that's 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 four teams ranked in the USCHO.com poll, and two more receiving 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 RedHawks have already seen two victories over a ranked teams this season, getting a 1-0 win over #17/RV Omaha on Dec. 12, and a 3-0 shutout victory over #8/7 Denver on Dec. 17.
RACKING UP THE SAVES: Miami freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson racked up 37 saves in Friday's 3-2 loss at SCSU, one save shy of his career high. It was his fourth straight game with at least 31 saves. He has only allowed more than three goals in one start this season. His 325 saves this season are second in the NCHC along with his 2.07 goals-against average. His .937 save percentage tops the NCHC, with the statistic also being eighth-ranked nationally.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: Both Miami goals Friday came from the defense, with goals from senior Rourke Russell (his first of the season and only the third of his career), and junior Bray Crowder. Russell also added an assist on Crowder's goal for his first two points of the season. Of Miami's 31 goals this season, 14 have come from defensemen (45.2%), with seven different Miami blue liners finding the back of the net already. The 14 goals from defensemen is the NCHC lead and tops the NCAA.
BACK BEHIND THE BENCH: Chris Bergeron (Miami '93) continues his tenure, and is on second season as a head coach. After starting fresh in Oxford, Bergeron and his staff finished the 2019-20 season (his first) with a 8-21-5 overall record.Before returning to Oxford, Bergeron went 171-154-44 in nine seasons as Bowling Green's head coach, leading the Falcons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1990 in his final season in 2018-19. BGSU posted 20 or more victories in Bergeron's final five seasons at the helm. Prior to going to Bowling Green, Bergeron spent 10 seasons as an assistant coach at Miami and helped the Red & White go an astounding 226-139-37 during his tenure. The RedHawks qualified for six NCAA Tournaments and reached the Frozen Four in Bergeron's last two seasons as an assistant, including a national runner-up finish in 2009. As a player, Bergeron spent two years as team captain and helped Miami capture its first CCHA title in 1992-93, posting 61 of his 120 career points that season.
The 2020-21 Miami ice hockey season is proudly sponsored by Kroger and Cintas.
