For the majority of the NCHC’s existence, Miami and Colorado College have been the league doormats, as one or the other has secured last place all 10 seasons, and they have nailed down both the seventh and eighth slots each of the past four.
But while the teams have shared a misery-loves-company track record the past few seasons, Colorado College owns a nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) vs. Miami dating back nearly four years.
Like the RedHawks, the Tigers shined in non-conference play early this season but were swept in their conference-opening series last weekend.
VFTG takes a brief look at the series:
WHO: Colorado College (5-3) at Miami RedHawks (4-3-1).
WHERE: Cady Arena (3,049), Oxford, Ohio.
WHEN: Friday and Saturday — 7:05 p.m.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Colorado College leads, 17-11-4.
COLORADO COLLEGE RADIO: Both nights — KRDO-FM (105.5), Colorado Springs, Colo.
MIAMI RADIO: None.
STREAMING: NCHC.tv ($).
NOTES: Colorado College won five straight to start the season — sweeping Union and Long Island at home and beating Air Force two weeks ago before falling at home to first-year D-1 program Augustiana.
Then reality set in last week, and the Pioneers came away with 6-1 and 5-1 wins in a home-and-home series to begin NCHC play.
Colorado College has seen amazing balance in scoring this season, with 11 players averaging a half point or better per game and 19 players earning at least two points in the team’s first eight games.
Six-feet-4 sophomore Gleb Veremyev has been the big story offensively for the Tigers, as he leads the team in points at 4-4-8 despite recording just seven last season and not being a big scorer at USHL Lincoln.
Logan Will (2-4-6) and freshman Evan Werner (4-2-6) are also off to hot starts for Colorado College.
Two more rookies — Zaccharya Wisdom and Drew Montgomery — as well as senior Stanley Cooley, have already notched five points.
On defense, Jack Millar is 1-4-5 and freshman Max Burkholder already notched a pair of power play goals.
Blueliners Nicklas Andrews, Connor Mayer and Ethan Straky have also dressed for all eight Colorado College games and have at least three points.
Logging all but 10 minutes in net for the Tigers, Team USA and Lincoln product Kaiden Mberko’s save percentage is just .892, and he has surrendered 14 goals on 96 shots (.854) in his last three starts.
Amazingly, it’s been over six years since Miami has beaten Colorado College on home ice. The RedHawks are 0-6-1 vs. CC at Cady Arena since Nov. 3, 2017.
Tigers assistant Peter Mannino, who spent 2018-19 at Miami before Enrico Blasi and the entire coaching staff was released, is 3-0-1 in this building since moving to CC.
While last Saturday’s 6-0 loss is certainly not all on goalie Bruno Bruveris, Logan Neaton should end up between the pipes for one of both of these games.
After dropping a pair in St. Cloud last week, Miami is 1-15-2 (.071) in its last 18 games vs. league opponents.
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