RedHawks Fall 5-4 in OT

Tuesday, January 4

Oxford, Ohio

6:05 p.m.

Miami University

4-13-1

Mercyhurst

5-11-4

OT 1

Mercyhurst

Miami (OH)

1/4/2022 9:07:00 PM | Hockey

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - In their first contest of 2022, the Miami University hockey team dropped a 5-4 decision in overtime to the visiting Mercyhurst Lakers Tuesday night. Red Savage sparked Miami to a 2-0 first-period lead with a pair of goals, but the Lakers scored twice in the final two and a half minutes of the third period to rally from a 4-2 deficit and force the extra session.

Rylee St. Orange's goal 1:48 into overtime was the difference, lifting Mercyhurst (5-11-4) past the RedHawks (4-13-1) despite 37 saves from Miami's Ludvig Persson.

Dylan Moulton had a trio of assists for the RedHawks, posting a career-high three points.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

6:08 1st (Miami 1-0) | Miami claimed the first goal of the game early in the first period, moving the puck from Derek Daschke to Matthew Barbolini and then to Red Savage, who took a shot that was deflected by Mercyhurst's goalie. Savage quickly recovered and landed his second shot to earn the RedHawks a 1-0 lead.
8:39 1st (Miami 2-0) | Miami picked up a second goal only a few minutes later. A pass from Moulton to PJ Fletcher resulted in a wide shot that Red Savage retrieved. Savage slid the puck past Mercyhurst goalie Hank Johnson to grab his second goal of the period.
9:39 1st (Mercyhurst 2-1) | Mercyhurst promptly responded, winning the faceoff and moving the puck into Miami territory. Dalton Hunter passed to Marko Reifenberger and drew Persson away from goal. Reifenberger's shot was blocked, but Noah Kane came up with it and fired it into the net, cutting Miami's lead to 2-1.
13:49 2nd (Mercyhurst 2-2) | The Lakers tied the game midway into the second period, as Pierce Crawford took the faceoff victory and quickly sent the puck to Dante Sheriff, who flicked it in to even the score at 2-2.
17:05 2nd (Miami 3-2) | After Mercyhurst was whistled for a pair of penalties, Miami regained the lead only seconds into a 5-on-3 power play. Thomas Daskas set up Moulton, who fed Fletcher on the far side of the goal for a one-time blast to give the RedHawks a 3-2 advantage.
10:32 3rd (Miami 4-2) | Miami doubled its lead in the third period. Following a pass from Moulton to Daschke, the captain took a long-range shot toward the goal. After a brief struggle in front of the net, Barbolini was able to tip the puck in to put Miami up 4-2.
17:40 3rd (Mercyhurst 4-3) | The Lakers began their rally with 2:20 to play in the third period. A pass from Owen Norton to Noah Kane around the back of the net in the Miami zone found its way to Crawford, who hit it just inside Miami's net. A video review of the play gave Mercyhurst the goal, cutting Miami's lead to 4-3.
18:02 3rd (Mercyhurst 4-4) | Mercyhurst equalized the score with less than two minutes remaining. With an extra attacker on the ice for the Lakers, Austin Heidemann grabbed the puck following the faceoff and passed it back to Cade Townend for the game-tying score.
1:48 OT (Mercyhurst 5-4) | Mercyhurst claimed victory in the three-on-three overtime period, moving the puck from Townend to Kane, and finishing with St. Onge slipping it into the goal to pick up the 5-4 win.

GAME NOTES:

Bray Crowder made his season debut for Miami.
Red Savage, Fletcher, and Barbolini matched their career high with two-point nights
With two points tonight, Daschke now has a team-best 14 on the year (2-12-14).
Red Savage became the fifth different RedHawk to score two goals in a game this season, joining Chase Gresock, Chase Pletzke, Jack Olmstead and his brother Ryan Savage (who did it twice).
The teams ended up tied in faceoff wins, both taking 33 across the game; Monte Graham won 10 of his 15 draws to lead the RedHawks.
Miami earned the only power play goal of the game, going 1-4 on power play opportunities while Mercyhurst ended up 0-2.

UP NEXT:
Miami resumes NCHC play this Friday and Saturday when Colorado College comes to Oxford for a weekend series. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Steve "Coach" Cady Arena.