Going into the game against Michigan Sunday night, I turned to my WMSR counterparts Patrick Murray and Matt Rust and simply said, "This game is going to go one of three ways. Either Miami University is going to blow out Michigan and make a huge statement. Michigan is going to rout Miami on their way to their tenth National Championship or we're going to get a classic."

Miami nation, the RedHawks delivered a classic. In what was one of the greatest Miami hockey games of all time, the first time the 'Hawks have ever played in double overtime, Miami exercised the first of their demons, defeating Michigan for the first time in the postseason and returning to the Frozen Four for the second straight year.

As soon as Alden Hirschfeld slipped the winning goal past elation ensued. The hundreds if not thousand-plus RedHawk fans that had traveled to Fort Wayne neutralized the Wolverine crowd. The atmosphere as a result was not like the CCHA tournament, which felt like a home game for Michigan. It was an ambience that made it feel as though Miami could not lose. This felt like a Frozen Four game, and for Miami they are getting a chance at one, and if they played the same way as Sunday night, two.

Cue another demon. With all the talk about Miami returning to Frozen Four, the realization set it in — the RedHawks are going to have to beat Boston College (BC) to make the National Championship. For three straight years, BC knocked Miami out of the tournament, and without the Eagles in the way, the 'Hawks made it to the National Championship. It seems only right, however, that if the 'Hawks are going to bring home the hardware it is going to happen against the team that has been the thorn in its side.

And, at the risk of looking ahead, if the RedHawks can defeat BC, they'll return to the National Championship for another shot at the biggest trophy in college hockey against either Wisconsin or upstart Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). If it's RIT, the Red and White have dashed upstart dreams in the past — see Miami v. Michigan Sunday night. But if it's Wisconsin, the RedHawks' NCAA history can come full circle.

The first time Miami played in an NCAA tournament, they played Wisconsin in Detroit. The Badgers defeated the Red and White three to one in a game featuring current RedHawk Head Coach Enrico Blasi. Again, looking ahead, at the risk of being too optimistic, the stars seem to be lined up for Miami to exercise every demon it has faced in the history of the program.

If one takes a look at this season, they see a RedHawk squad that has dominated the CCHA. But if one looks a little closer, this is a team that finally swept Michigan in Ann Arbor, won the conference well before the season concluded, and didn't lose a CCHA series if shootouts are not counted. In addition, a team that had always been criticized for having a bad non conference schedule, the RedHawks faced NCAA tournament teams, St. Cloud State University, North Dakota, Bemidji State University and New Hampshire, going 3-1-2.

Miami now stands to face two teams, should Wisconsin win as expected (although in this tournament nothing ever goes as expected), the Red and White will have to face two teams it has never beaten in the tournament, and it will be crowned National Champions.

If Sunday is any indication, RedHawk fans may have no nails left by the time this season ends, but hopefully as many of them as possible will fill Ford Field and watch Miami exercise their final demon, and win the National Championship for the first time in the history of the university.