OXFORD, Ohio — The Miami University hockey team battled to a 3-3 tie with Minnesota Duluth 3-3 Friday night at Steve "Coach" Cady Arena. PJ Fletcher scored two goals for the RedHawks, who move to 5-8-2 (0-6-1 NCHC). Ben Steeves led the Bulldogs (4-8-4, 1-5-1 NCHC) with a pair of goals. UMD prevailed in the shootout to earn an extra point in the conference standings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• 0:18 1st (Miami 1-0) | The RedHawks got started quickly, getting on the board during the game's opening shift. Jack Clement held the puck in at the right point and flung a shot in front, where Fletcher was able to knock it in and grab an early 1-0 Miami lead.
• 1:05 1st (Miami 2-0) | Less than a minute later, John Waldron doubled the lead to 2-0 off a pass from Dylan Moulton, who won the puck in his own end and flipped it ahead to start a 2-on-2. Waldron exploded past the final defender to bury a shot and give Miami a two-goal lead.
• 1:44 2nd (UMD 2-1) | Steeves halved the RedHawk margin to 2-1 by redirecting an Owen Gallatin shot in close. Aiden Dubinsky made a pass along the blue line to Gallatin to start the play for the Bulldogs.
• 4:51 2nd (UMD 2-2) | Four seconds into the game's first power play, Steeves scored again to tie the game at 2-2. Matthew Perkins won the faceoff to Aaron Pionk, who set up the one-timer from Steeves.
• 4:06 3rd (UMD 3-2) | Cole Spicer gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game after Luke Bast poked the puck forward to start a break for UMD. Blake Biondi relayed it to Spicer, who grabbed it along the right boards and skated into the offensive zone before finishing with a shot past Logan Neaton.
• 5:30 3rd (Miami 3-3) | The Red and White found an equalizer less than 90 seconds later. Fletcher started a 4-on-2 break and sent a long pass the width of the ice to Clement. Clement dropped the puck off for a trailing Raimonds Vitolins, who connected with Fletcher on a backdoor pass near the goalpost as Fletcher tapped in the game-tying goal.

 
GAME NOTES:

• Minnesota Duluth's Steeves and Quinn Olson were the only players to convert in the shootout.
• Fletcher's first-minute goal was the first time the RedHawks have scored in the opening minute since the 2021-22 season and Miami's earliest goal in a game since Devin Loe set the program record at the 0:11 mark on Nov. 30, 2013 at Bemidji State.
• Fletcher scored two goals in a game for the first time since Feb. 18, 2022 and matched his career-best rating with a +2.
• Clement matched his career high with two assists; he recorded the fourth multi-point game of his career and second of this season.
• Moulton's assist was his first of the season.
• Waldron lit the lamp for the second consecutive game.
• Fletcher was named the Second Star of the Game and Clement earned Third Star honors.
• The RedHawks won 38 of the 61 faceoffs, led by Vitolins' 70% efficiency (14 of 20).
• Five Miami skaters finished +2 in the game: Matthew Barbolini, Clement, Fletcher, Moulton and Vitolins.
• Neaton made 27 saves for the Red and White.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
The RedHawks and Bulldogs conclude their series Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7:05 p.m. in Oxford.