OXFORD, Ohio – Three times Miami took the lead and on each occasion, Colorado College matched that tally.
Then the Tigers took their first and only lead of the game in the closing minutes of regulation and held on for a 4-3 win over the RedHawks at Cady Arena on Saturday.
That completed a series sweep by CC, which extended its winning streak at Goggin Ice Center to five, dating back to 2017.
Colorado College entered the weekend in seventh place in the NCHC, two points ahead of last-place Miami, but with the six points this weekend the Tigers pulled into a tie for sixth, eight points up on MU.
RECAP: Miami took the lead just 1:50 into the first period when John Sladic fired a shot on net from the blue line and Colorado College goalie Dominic Basse allowed a huge rebound, which Jack Olmstead pitchforked in on his backhand from the right faceoff circle.
But 92 seconds later, the Tigers’ Hunter McKown went top shelf on Miami goalie Ludvig Persson on a 2-on-1 to tie it.
The RedHawks went up, 2-1 with 12:34 left in the first period when P.J. Fletcher drove the net and had a pass partially deflected to teammate Joey Cassetti, who whipped the puck into the back of the cage.
With 55 seconds left in the opening stanza, Colorado College tied it when a failed clearing attempt was snagged by Bryan Yoon at the right point, and he saucered the puck toward the net where Ray Christy belted it home after it hit a body at the top of the crease.
Miami went back ahead, 3-2 with 8:57 to play in the middle stanza when Red Savage fed a pass through traffic in the slot to Fletcher, who rifled a one-timer home on the power play.
But 22 seconds later, the Tigers evened it up when a shot by Christy was kicked out into the slot for a wide-open Nicklas Andrews tap-in.
Colorado College scored the decisive goal with 6:31 left when Jordan Biro skated behind the net and left the puck for Christy, who was skating in the opposite direction. Christy was able to stuff it past Persson on the short side to make it 4-3.
STATS: Olmstead, who had one career goal in three seasons between Michigan and Miami entering 2021-22, scored his fourth goal in six games.
For Fletcher, it was his third tally in six contests, and he also added an assist, giving him eight points in seven contests.
Cassetti snapped a five-game scoreless drought and is tied for third on the team with five markers.
— Derek Daschke picked up two assists, giving him six points in his last six games – all on helpers.
— Sladic’s assist was his first point of the season.
— After five games of at least 20 shots on goal, it was back to the teens for Miami, which was outshot, 32-17. In 20 games this season, the RedHawks have failed to reach 20 SOG nine times.
— One remarkable stat considering MU’s record: This team has scored twice in the first period six of the last seven games, yet it’s 2-4 in those contests.
THOUGHTS: Miami only seems to have two different game templates right now: Blowout loss and excruciating loss.
Friday was the former, Saturday the latter.
For the second time in five nights, RedHawks fans saw their team lead a lot more than they trailed only to have both contests end in ‘Ls’ against opponents in the bottom half of the PairWise. On home ice, where Miami is now 1-8-1.
— You know what? The music at the rink was actually pretty good this weekend. More rock, less badness. Kudos to the DJ!
LINEUP CHANGES: Two members of the top line from Friday were scratched, and the other didn’t play most of this game.
Chase Gresock appeared to suffer another injury and is out indefinitely. Ryan Savage is out with an upper body injury. Michael Regush, who had played in all of the first 19 games, also sat.
Thomas Daskas returned after not dressing on Friday, and semi-regulars Scott Corbett and Brian Silver were also in the lineup.
Coach Chris Bergeron also shook things up on defense, as Robby Drazner sat for the first time this season, and Hampus Rydqvist was also out after playing in nine straight games.
Andrew Sinard and Alec Capstick took their spots.
In net, Henrik Laursen shifts into the backup role indefinitely with Logan Neaton injured. The freshman has not logged a Division I minute.
GRADES
FORWARDS: D. Cassetti finished with three shots. No other forward recorded more than one, and as a unit this corps finished with 10. So that’s 12 forwards, 10 SOG. But they did score all three goals. Red Savage and Fletcher have seemingly improved each game, and Olmstead is having a solid run during his senior season. Matt Barry was the center for both of Colorado College’s first-period goals and was benched for the final 40 minutes.
DEFENSEMEN: B. This corps did a decent job for the most part, and many of Colorado College’s 32 shots were low-percentage chances from the outside. Capstick and Sinard were both solid in returning to the lineup.
GOALTENDING: D+. It was a somewhat typical game for Persson this season: He didn’t stop enough of the good-but-not-great scoring chances, like we have been talking about for months here. The first goal was an absolute snipe, the second was more of a loose puck situation, the third was on a huge rebound and the decisive goal came when Colorado College ran hockey’s version of the reverse behind the net, and Persson didn’t see the transition and was beaten easily on the short side. With Neaton sidelined, Persson will be logging a lot of minutes this winter.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall record: 4-15-1. A .225 winning percentage.
League record: 1-9. Three conference points. Ranking: Eighth of eight (sixth and seventh have 11 points apiece).
The final 14 games of this regular season schedule are a meat grinder, with the most winnable games being against these Tigers in their loud new building at an altitude of 6,600 feet, followed by a visit to a top-10 power for an NCHC Tournament opening-round series.
With injuries to key players piling up.
This could be a rough two months for Miami hockey.
View From the Glass 