Overtime haunted Miami once again.
Minn.-Duluth’s Jack Smith scored 2:02 into the extra session to lift the Bulldogs to a 3-2 win at AMSOIL Arena on Friday.
Of the RedHawks’ last 17 OT matchups that have ended in a decision, MU has won just one (.059).
These teams wrap up their season series at 7:07 p.m. on Saturday.
RECAP: Miami (3-26-2) opened the scoring 8:01 into the first period when Max Dukovac tracked down a loose puck at center ice, skated in with a defender draped to him and roofed a backhander over Minn.-Duluth goalie Adam Gajan.
But the Bulldogs’ Braden Fischer cashed in a rebound at the right side of the cage less than four minutes later, tying the score.
UMD (12-17-2) took the lead 1:52 after the equalizer on a major penalty, as Callum Arnott took a pass at the left side of the net, quickly turned and shifted from backhand to forehand and shoveled the puck just under the crossbar.
After a scoreless second period, the RedHawks tied it when Zane Demsey whipped a wrister from the blue line that Ryan Sullivan tipped home from the slot.
Then Smith took a saucer pass from Max Plante through traffic and pitchforked the puck past Miami goalie Bruno Bruveris 2:02 in overtime to win it.
STATS: Dukovac’s goal was his third of the season, with his last marker coming in the same state on Nov. 8 at St. Cloud State.
Sullivan scored for the sixth time in 2024-25, tying him with Colby Ambrosio for the team lead.
Defenseman Rihards Simanovics earned an assist, his fourth point of the season, with three coming in Miami’s last four games.
Blue line partner Demsey also picked up a helper, his first of 2024-25 and his second point.
— Miami fell to 1-16-25 in its last 42 overtime contests.
ANALYSIS: This was arguably Miami’s most consistent, 60-minute effort of the season.
The RedHawks were engaged from the opening puck drop and never let up.
MU took the early lead, and after allowing the next two goals, scored the tying goal after winning a hard-fought boards battle in the corner.
It definitely feels like the program, with its confidence level in the toilet in recent years, can build on this effort.
— We typically don’t talk about officiating, but Johnny Waldron appeared to get taken down in the first minute of overtime and no call was made. Power play minutes were 9-4 in favor of UMD.
— This game was on CBS Sports, and analyst David Starman talked about the Miami roster under coach Anthony Noreen, echoing what we have said in recent weeks:
“The way I see it…everybody here is on a one-year deal and they have to earn Year No. 2,” Starman said.
LINEUP CHANGES: For the first time this season, Noreen used his extra skater on a forward, dressing 13 forwards and six defensemen.
Defenseman Spencer Cox and forward Teodor Forssander were scratched in favor of Fs Tanyon Bajzer and Frankie Carogioiello.
Bruveris was in net for just the second time in Miami’s last eight games, and he stopped 38 of 41 shots.
STANDINGS: Miami remains tied with Northern Michigan for 62nd out of 62 in PairWise.
The RedHawks dropped to 0-21 in the NCHC but did earn a third league point by advancing to overtime. MU is ninth in the nine-team league and has clinched last place in the conference.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This season has always been about overhauling a cancerous culture of mediocrity, and this effort showed us that the program is making major strides in the right direction.
Clearly outgunned by a Minn.-Duluth team that boasts double-digit NHL draftees, Miami more than held its own against the Bulldogs in their own rink.
The RedHawks have never gone winless on the road for an entire season, but Saturday is their final away game and they’re 0-12-2 in road games this campaign.
Despite being eliminated from postseason competition, Miami still has plenty to play for in its final three games.
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