Miami RedHawks (4-12-2) vs.
#5/6 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (10-5-2)
Friday, Feb. 5 | 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 6 | 5:00 p.m.
AMSOIL Arena (Duluth, Minn.)
All-Time Series vs. UMD: 5-24-2 (Lost last meeting, 3-6, on Jan. 30, 2021)
WATCH | GAME NOTES (PDF) | @MiamiOH_Hockey
OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University hockey team continues the 2020-21 season this week as the RedHawks take on the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth on the road in Minnesota for a rematch of last weekend's series.
ABOUT LAST WEEKEND: Miami continued the regular travel portion of the schedule with a home series with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The RedHawks were swept on the weekend, with the visitors finding the right times to capitalize on both nights in Oxford. Michael Holland scored the first goal of his young career in the Friday game, with Duluth responding with one more to follow to seal them the close win. The RedHawks offense was able to see small bursts on Saturday, with Casey Gilling getting his first of the season and Matthew Barbolini getting a piece of the action. The Bulldog goals from earlier in the game proved to be the difference-maker, as they got the win by a 6-3 margin.
ABOUT MINNESOTA DULUTH: Duluth enters the weekend with a record of 10-5-2. Duluth traveled to Oxford to take on Miami, winning the series by a combined 8-4. This is a rematch series against the RedHawks and Bulldogs, as this is the fifth and sixth time the two teams have faced each other this season. Senior forward Nick Swaney leads the team in scoring with 21 points on seven goals and a team-best 14 assists. Junior forwards Noah and Jackson Cates aren't far behind, with 12 points each. Jackson Cates has the team-lead in goals, with eight. Senior forward Kobe Roth, Cole Koepke, and Swaney are second on the team in goals, with seven. Freshman Wyatt Kaiser, a Chicago draft pick, leads all defensemen with eight points, all of which are assists. Junior Hunter Lellig and freshman Connor Kelley are the lone defensemen to light the Bulldogs' lamp this season. UMD ranks 22nd in the nation on scoring offense at 3.00 goals per game. Defensively, Minnesota-Duluth ranks 9th in the country in goals allowed per game, allowing 2.18 goals per game. Sophomore Ryan Fanti has started in 14 of the team's 17 games this season. Fanti has an 8-4-2 record, a 2.33 goals-against average, and a .908 save percentage. Freshman Zach Stejskal has started in three games with a 2-1-0 record and a .944 save percentage, and a 1.30 goals-against average.
QUITE A DEBUT: With 18 games on the docket so far this season, all seven of the RedHawk rookies saw action in at least one game. Holland, 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 .936 save percentage and 2.06 GAA, Persson 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 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 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 one 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 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 ranked teams this season, getting a 1-0 win over #17/RV Omaha on December 12 and a 3-0 shutout victory over #8/7 Denver on December 17.
HARD WORK, REWARDED: Miami freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson racked was named to the Mike Richter Award watch list, being one of seven freshmen named to the list. The Mike Richter Award is the award for the nation's top goaltender and is in the eighth year of existence. Persson, along with Matt Barry and Derek Daschke, was named to the Hobey Baker Fan Vote, where fans can vote at hobeybaker.com/vote among other players from across the NCAA.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: With injuries in the Miami lineup, defenseman Bray Crowder saw time as a forward in Saturday's game against Duluth. Of Miami's 35 goals this season, 14 have come from defensemen (40.0%), with seven different Miami blue liners finding the back of the net already. The 14 goals from defensemen are second in the NCHC and are third 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 BowlingGreen'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.
The 2020-21 Miami Hockey season is proudly sponsored by Kroger and Cintas.
