OXFORD, Ohio - Despite an impressive 49 saves from Ludvig Persson, the Miami hockey team came up short against No. 8/9 Minnesota Duluth Friday night by a score of 3-1.
 
Chase Pletzke scored his sixth goal of the year for the RedHawks (6-23-2, 3-17-1), while Blake Biondi led UMD (16-13-4, 9-8-4) with two goals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• 17:38 1st (UMD 1-0) | The game's first penalty led to the game's first goal late in the opening period. With only seconds remaining on a UMD power play, Biondi passed across the RedHawks' zone to Dominic James, who sent the puck deeper to Quinn Olson. Olson flicked it back to Biondi, whose shot over Persson's shoulder secured a 1-0 lead for the visitors.
• 9:40 2nd (UMD 2-0) | UMD picked up another goal midway through the second period. After killing a Miami power play, Matt Anderson took the puck for the Bulldogs and sent it to Wyatt Kaiser. Kaiser returned the favor in a two-on-one break, with Anderson making the deep shot to put UMD up 2-0.
• 13:08 2nd (Miami 2-1) | Miami quickly rallied and responded to pull within one. With the puck locked up against the wall in the RedHawks' zone, Derek Daschke knocked it loose for PJ Fletcher to rush it down the ice. In a 2-on-1 break, Fletcher found Pletzke with a perfectly timed pass, and Pletzke tapped it home to finish the play.
• 18:24 2nd (UMD 3-1) | The Bulldogs struck once more before the end of the second period. After a series of passes around the RedHawks' zone, Darian Gotz moved the puck across to Kaiser, who got a shot off in front. Biondi was set up in front of Persson and deposited the loose puck in the net. Based on a Miami challenge, officials reviewed the play for potential goaltender interference, but the call on the ice ultimately stood.

 
GAME NOTES:

• Miami held UMD to one power play goal in five attempts; the RedHawks were 0-2 on the man advantage.
• Daschke picked up his team-leading 24th point of the season (3-21-24).
• Fletcher has tallied points in four of the last five games.
• Persson was named the NCHC Second Star of the Game.
• This was the third time in Persson's career that he has made at least 49 saves vs. UMD. His season high is 50 against the Bulldogs last month, while his career high is 55 in Duluth on Feb. 6, 2021.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks and Bulldogs conclude their two-game series Saturday, Feb. 26 at 5:05 p.m. in Cady Arena as Miami celebrates Senior Night.