Recap: Miami hockey splits series with St. Cloud State in an action-packed weekend

After an unsuccessful road trip to Kalamazoo, the Miami University men's hockey team (8-4, 2-4 in conference play) found itself back on home ice for a weekend series against the St. Cloud State University Huskies (7-7, 2-4 in conference play) on Nov. 21-22. Both teams entered with a 1-3 record in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), and the split series left both teams toward the bottom of the conference at 2-4.

In game one at Steve “Coach” Cady Arena, the RedHawks drew a crowd of 3,642 fans, shattering recent attendance numbers. Celebrating the Cradle of Coaches, the RedHawks opted against the traditional Red and White, instead donning an all-black look.

Miami needed an overtime period to take the game against the Huskies’ offensive outburst, securing its eighth victory with a score of 6-5.

In the first period, Miami right defender Michael Quinn found the back of the net on a powerplay goal. The sophomore was assisted by senior forward Maximilion Helgeson and sophomore forward Casper Nassen.

At the top of the second period, freshman right defender Michael Phelan found freshman forward Ethan Hay for the second Miami goal of the night.

Three minutes later, junior forward and Seattle Kraken prospect Barrett Hall found the net unassisted to bring St. Cloud State back within one. As the battle continued, sophomore defenseman Finn Loftus got the puck to senior forward Grant Ahcan in front of the goal as the Huskies tied the contest with five minutes left in the second period.

With Miami’s energy sucked out of the barn, freshman forward David Deputy assisted freshman forward Kocha Delic for the RedHawks’ third goal of the game. The Ontario native’s goal did not come without controversy as a lengthy replay review for offside stalled the celebration.

In the final period of regulation, a brief scuffle erupted after Miami sophomore goaltender Matteo Drobac was knocked off his skates from behind by a Husky player. Once the ice settled, the pair of players for both teams were given two minutes for roughing.

With both teams down skaters, St. Cloud State sophomore forward Gavyn Thoreson put the puck past Drobac unassisted to even the score 3-3.

The RedHawks scored twice in quick succession. Helgeson found Deputy, who saw his puck pass the line for his first RedHawk goal. As bedlam erupted across the barn, sophomore defenseman Vladislav Lukashevich, a prospect for the Florida Panthers, sent another puck home just 19 seconds later.

Down two goals, the Huskies had no choice but to play with an empty net. Junior forward Tyson Gross found the back of the net to close the gap. One minute later and with five minutes on the clock, Thoreson buried another puck in the net to tie the game at 5-5.

The game was sent into sudden death overtime, but the period didn’t last for long. One minute and 20 seconds into the extra period, junior forward Matteo Giampa set off the final horn for the victorious RedHawks.

Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter

Both teams ended the game with six penalties, and Miami outshot St. Cloud State 68 to 49. The Huskies goaltender Yan Shostak finished with 28 saves while Miami’s Drobac saved 14.

Saturday’s game did not feature as much drama as the previous evening’s contest.

Ahcan broke open the score sheet as Gross and senior defenseman Cooper Wylie teamed up on the assist. St. Cloud State would hold the lead for the rest of the night.

Sophomore forward Austin Burnevik and senior forward Adam Ingram teamed up to find Hall as he put the second St. Cloud State goal past Drobac on a powerplay goal. Still down a man, the RedHawks surrendered another goal, this time from Gross.

Miami won the powerplay halfway through the second period. Delic and Deputy found Friday’s hero, Giampa, to put Miami on the scoreboard. Five minutes later, Deputy sent a puck of his own across the goal line courtesy of an assist from graduate student defenseman Owen Lalonde.

A stalemate ensued for the next 24 minutes of action. Miami would not find the net for the rest of the contest.

In the final minute of action, desperate to score, the RedHawks pulled the goalie and left an empty net with six skaters on the ice. After Miami lost possession, Ahcan scored an empty net goal to end the game with a final score of 4-2 and split the series.

The RedHawks will look to find their winning form against the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers. Miami will travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to compete in the Friendship Four tournament. In addition to RIT, the RedHawks will face either Sacred Heart University or Union College with the Belpot Trophy on the line.

@TheMeneghetti

meneghcj@miamioh.edu