Miami RedHawks (5-15-2) vs.
Western Michigan Broncos (8-11-3)
Friday, Feb. 26 | 6:05 p.m.
Lawson Arena (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Sunday, Feb. 28 | 2:05 p.m.
Steve "Coach" Cady Arena (Oxford, Ohio)
All-Time Series vs. WMU: 70-71-13 (Tied last meeting, 3-3, on Jan. 9, 2021)
WATCH | GAME NOTES (PDF) | @MiamiOH_Hockey
OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University hockey team ends the 2020-21 regular season this week as the RedHawks take on Western Michigan for a home-and-home series against the Broncos.
ABOUT LAST WEEKEND: Miami continued the regular travel portion of the schedule with a home series on February 12 -13 that brought the Huskies of Saint Cloud to Oxford. The RedHawks split the weekend, with the RedHawks capitalizing at the right moments on Friday to upset the No. 6/7 Huskies by a 3-2 score. Casey Gilling, Alec Capstick, and John Sladic were able to add to their goal totals in game one, with Gilling's goal being the eventual game-winner. The RedHawks offense only saw two goals on Saturday, with Dylan Moulton getting the first goal of his career. Senior goaltender Grant Valentine also got action in net for the first time this season, stopping 28 shots to keep the game close on senior night.
ABOUT WESTERN: The Broncos come to Oxford after sweeping a home series against the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth by scores of 4-0 and 4-1, respectively. Currently, junior Drew Worrad leads the team in scoring with 20 points on four goals and 16 assists on the season. Seniors Ethen Frank and Josh Passolt are second on the team scoring, with Frank holding the team-lead in goals, with 11. The Broncos are an assist heavy squad and have five players with at least ten assists on the season, led by Worrad's 16. Cole Gallant has 12, Ronnie Attard has 11, and Passolt and Paul Washe have 10. WMU has been averaging 2.91 goals per game, which improved with their sweep of the Bulldogs. Defensively, Western Michigan allows 3.64 goals per game. Senior Austin Cain has been the starter in net for WMU, having started in 11 of the 22 games this season, including two games against the RedHawks this season. He holds a 4.05 goals-against average and a .868 save percentage. Freshman Alex Aslanidis saw action in the other games against Miami and has a 5-3-1 record, with a .882 save percentage and 3.03 GAA. Aslandis and Attard both earned NCHC Weekly honors after they swept Duluth.
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. Holland, Moulton, 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 .935 save percentage and 2.24 GAA, Persson is one of the top-ranked rookie goaltenders in NCAA Division 1 hockey, ranking second among freshmen goaltenders in save percentage. Persson was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for 12/14, 12/21, and 1/4, along with being named December's Goaltender of the Month for the NCHC.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: After a significant 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:
- Hampus Rydqvist: Defender/Gothenburg, Sweden (Maryland Black Bears, NAHL)
- Robby Drazner: Defender/Buffalo Grove, Ill. (Nanaimo Clippers, BCHL)
- 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 challenging schedules in the country this season. The league is also already home to the past four national champions, which means its success will come down to how it performs against the nation's top teams. 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 three victories over ranked teams this season, getting a 1-0 win over #17/RV Omaha on December 12, a 3-0 shutout victory over #8/7 Denver on December 17, and a 3-2 victory over #6/7 St. Cloud on February 12.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: Of Miami's 42 goals this season, 16 have come from defensemen (38.1%), with eight different Miami blue liners finding the back of the net already. The 16 goals from defensemen are second in the NCHC and are fourth in the NCAA.
BACK BEHIND THE BENCH: Chris Bergeron (Miami '93) continues his tenure and is on the second season as a head coach. After starting fresh in Oxford, Bergeron and his staff finished the 2019-20 season (his first) with an 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 last five seasons at the helm. Before going to Bowling Green, Bergeron spent ten 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.
