Miami Student

Issue date: 4/1/08 Section: Sports

Justin Vaive struggles toward the puck Sunday night against BC. He and the RedHawks came up just short.

Justin Mercier and the RedHawks congratulate goalie John Muse and the BC Eagles on their overtime victory.

The RedHawks finished the season one goal away from their first ever appearance in the Frozen Four.

Playing for the regional championship and a trip to college hockey's promised land, the Miami University ice hockey team saw its season come to a screeching halt Sunday night in Worcester, Mass. at the hands of the Boston College Eagles. The Eagles defeated the 'Hawks 4-3 in overtime. This marked the third consecutive year that the Eagles knocked the RedHawks out of the national tournament. It was also the first time this season that Miami did not end up on the winning side of an overtime affair or a game in which they scored first.

Miami battled fiercely to save the season, desperately searching for any opportunity to bury the puck into BC's net. The 'Hawks dominated the overtime period, out-shooting the Eagles 10-4. Blast upon blast was fired at the BC goal, each one coolly being turned aside by Eagle keeper, freshman John Muse. Time continued to tick painfully off the clock, no longer limiting the game's length but now serving as a nagging reminder of all the missed chances that could have ended it.

The RedHawks won every battle in their final period except the one that mattered most: the score. With the fate of two hockey nations hanging in the balance, Eagles freshman Joe Whitney dove as a spread-eagle across the ice, his outstretched stick knocking the puck past Miami goalie Jeff Zatkoff to give Boston College its eighth trip to the Frozen Four in 12 years.

Skating for the last time in a Red and White uniform, senior captain and Hobey Baker finalist Ryan Jones scored the team's third goal Sunday evening, finishing the season with a career-high 31 goals. He ranks second on the school's all-time scoring list with 90 during his four years at Miami.

In an emotional press conference after the game, the senior captain reflected on what his final season at Miami meant to him.

"I came back to play with a bunch of guys that I love and that's what I did this year," Jones said. "I can't even put it into words what it meant for me to come back this year. Even though we lost, I think these guys are champions. We took the program a long way and I'll be the first alum to call when they go to the Frozen Four."

Miami head coach Enrico Blasi had nothing but praise for the team leader who is one of 10 finalists for the sport's most prestigious award.

"He has the respect of the school, the program ... not just respect, but love," said head coach Enrico Blasi. "He hasn't missed a game, he's played hurt. He's done everything a player's ever asked to do. What he's left is contagious."

The Minnesota Wild draftee is certainly not ready to hang up his RedHawk jersey, as he reportedly wore it Sunday to the post-game press conference.

"I can't even think about taking this jersey off right now," Jones said. "I'm not sure I want to play for a team other than Miami this year."

To get to the regional final, the No. 1 seeded 'Hawks downed the Air Force Academy Falcons the night before. The RedHawks came out flying as freshman Tommy Wingels netted the puck past the glove hand of the Falcon's goaltender Andrew Volkening just 19 seconds into NCAA tournament action.

On the power play early in the second period, the Red and White worked the puck around the offensive zone, patiently waiting for the strike that would give them a commanding 2-0 lead. A few crisp passes landed the puck on sophomore Jarod Palmer's stick with Volkening scrambling to get into position. He didn't make it. His flailing outstretched stick did, however, miraculously redirect Palmer's confident shot away from the net.

Moments later, the power play ended and Air Force's Derrick Burnett beat Zatkoff, tying the game 1-1. This was followed by another Air Force goal just five minutes afterward to give them the lead.

"It went the way we thought it was going to go," Blasi said. "We knew how well Air Force can play and it was no absolute surprise to us. It could have gone either way. This time of year that's the way it goes and you hope to be on the winning side of it."

The way things went in this game, it often appeared that this would not be the case for Blasi's crew. Later that period, the RedHawks got their second look at an open net scoring chance. This time not even Volkening's stick managed to get between the MU forward and his shot. This time, 'Hawks senior Nino Musitelli just missed.

Stumbling out of its miserable second period, Miami figured to have seen all the bad luck it could take. An agonizing 12 minutes went by before the 'Hawks had a little charity come back their way. Air Force sent a sixth man out onto the ice, giving Miami two minutes with a man advantage.

A minute and a half into the power play, freshman forward Carter Camper picked up a loose puck off of a deflected Alec Martinez shot and tallied the equalizer, making the score 2-2 and giving the RedHawks new life.

In overtime, junior forward Justin Mercier was Justin-credible, pushing a shot past Volkening to claim Miami's narrow victory and send them to the school's second consecutive regional final.

"We pretty much stayed quiet and let (the players) do their thing," Blasi said. "We've been in this (overtime) situation before; our guys had a sense of confidence. There hasn't been any panic in this team all year. You see it in our leadership. They don't crack under pressure. You've just got to go out there and play."

The RedHawks channeled their confidence into Sunday's game. Once again they dominated almost all of the action. Once again they were caught in a heart-stopping overtime affair.

Playing without senior forward Nathan Davis, who was out with a shoulder injury from the night before, Miami swarmed the Eagles' zone early and took a 2-0 lead on goals by Palmer and Musitelli.

Then it happened.

The two minutes from just before the 17 minute mark until just before the 19 minute mark were two minutes that every RedHawk fan wants to forget, but will probably remember forever.

In these two minutes, Boston College scored three goals, turning Miami's two goal edge into a deficit in the blink of an eye.

"It all happened so fast," Zatkoff said.

The devastated RedHawks went from being in complete control of the game to desperately scrambling for their tournament lives.

"We wanted to stay away from a run-and-gun game," Jones said. "We wanted to control the game along the boards and we did that for two periods tonight. When we got away from that they scored three goals."

Refusing give up without a fight, Jones forced an extra stanza after sliding the puck through Muse's legs. For 12 minutes the 'Hawks put everything they had left on the ice, out-shooting BC 10-4.

However, it was BC's Joe Whitney that ultimately punched the Eagles ticket to the Frozen Four in Denver where they will meet the University of Wisconsin, Notre Dame University and the University of North Dakota.

The loss is truly heartbreaking; this year's RedHawk squad had the school dreaming of a national championship. However, because of his team's effort this season, Blasi showed no signs of regret now that it is over.

"Any time you win 33 games, you're doing something right," Blasi said. "I'm as proud of this team as if they'd won the national championship."

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