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With just three weeks left in regular season play and a fierce resolution to win every remaining contest, the No. 6/7 Miami University men's ice hockey team (16-8-4 overall, 14-5-3-1 CCHA) takes to the road this weekend to play two of its three remaining away games against Lake Superior State University (9-13-8, 6-10-6-1).
"Our team's pulling together here and we're about ready to make a big run for it," junior Gary Steffes said. "The last couple weekends definitely got us going here."
The RedHawks' 8-34-4 record in Sault Ste. Marie should serve as a cautionary reminder to the Brotherhood that this series is not to be taken lightly, despite the fact that the Lakers currently rank ninth in the conference. Having a weekend off and then immediately going on the road could make this series a trap for the Red and White. However, senior captain Brian Kaufman is confident that the team will find success in Michigan this weekend.
"I think (having the weekend off) will help," Kaufman said. "We had some guys who were banged up a little bit, had a little sickness going through the team, and that week off came at a perfect time. We were able to get rest and get back to our game."
Recent seasons have shown that road woes against the Lakers may be a thing of the past for the Red and White. Blasi's boys have not lost in Sault Ste. Marie since Nov. 10, 2006, and last year the 'Hawks won both games in Steve Cady Arena by a combined score of 11-1. Additionally, Miami enters the series on a five-game winning streak.
"Lake Superior is a very hard-working team," Steffes said. "For 60 minutes they're going to work as hard as they possibly can. It doesn't matter how the game's going, it doesn't matter who's losing-they're gonna work hard. We have to be ready, we have to be motivated, and we have to be ready to work hard … Any team in this league's going to be a dangerous team, so we have to be ready and we have to be motivated."
The RedHawks offense is red hot, led by sophomore Hobey Baker Award Candidate Carter Camper. The forward from Rocky River, Ohio is averaging 1.3 points per game and his 17 goals put him second in the CCHA and tied for seventh nationally. Camper is also tied for eighth in the NCAA in overall scoring with 35 points.
Adding fuel to the fire, sophomore forward Pat Cannone is averaging 1.04 points per game, and senior Justin Mercier is just two points shy of becoming the 42nd member of Miami's 100-point club. The forward from Erie, Penn. only needs those two points and one win to become the first player in Miami history to record 100 wins and 100 points.
Senior Troy Schwab leads the Lakers in scoring with 25 points and assists with 16 to his name, while sophomore Rich Schofield, who notched a goal against the University of Michigan last weekend, boasts a team-best plus-14 rating and leads the team in power play goals with five.
Miami's man-advantage unit ranks 13th in the NCAA, and the RedHawks have several capable contributors who have been racking up the power play points in 2008-09. Camper sits atop the CCHA in power play points with 19; Cannone trails closely behind with 18, and freshman Chris Wideman and junior Jarod Palmer are tied for sixth with 13 apiece.
Miami's defense is firing on all cylinders as well. The Red and White's penalty kill ranks second in the country with a success rate of 90.1 percent (164/182), ensuring that the Brotherhood's net is protected even when they are outnumbered. This is of utmost value to the 'Hawks, as Miami ranks fifth in the nation in penalty minutes, averaging 20.2 minutes per game. The RedHawks are making efforts to reduce the number of penalties they take, however, in order to keep the game flowing and reduce some of the pressure on the PK unit and the goalie.
"It's gotta come from the fact that guys are prepared to be emotionally disciplined and to stay within limits," Steffes said. "It's definitely a mental part of the game that we have to improve on."
Miami's defensemen are also valuable on the offensive. Wideman is fifth in the CCHA in defenseman scoring with 19 points to his name-all assists. No other freshman defenseman in the country has more assists.
Junior defensemen Steven Kaunisto and Simon Gysbers also post points for the Lakers. Kaunisto ranks eighth in the conference with 18 points, and Gysbers sits in ninth place with 17. "They're a great team defensively," Kaufman said. "They block the shots. They work very hard, and especially in their own place up there they come out with a lot of energy … We have to match their intensity."
Finally, the Brotherhood's last line of defense-freshman goaltender Connor Knapp-has risen tremendously this season to fill the skates left for him by Jeff Zatkoff. Knapp's 1.9 goals against average is not only good for eighth in the nation, it has also earned him the distinction of having the second best seasonal GAA in Miami hockey, ranking only behind Zatkoff's last season between the pipes.
Meanwhile, junior LSSU net minder Pat Inglis is posting a 2.51 GAA and a .923 save percentage while filling in for injured first string goalie sophomore Brian Mahoney-Wilson.
The puck is slated to drop at 7:05 p.m. both Feb. 13 and 14 in Sault Ste. Marie as the RedHawks continue their quest for a dominant regular season finish and a bid at a post-season title.
