Miami snapped its program-worst 23-game losing streak that dated back to Oct. 26.
But the RedHawks’ winless string continued, as they tied Minn.-Duluth, 1-1 at AMSOIL Arena on Saturday, with the Bulldogs earning the extra league point on a shootout win.
MU (3-26-3) finished 2024-25 winless on the road for the first time in school history.
The RedHawks wrap up their season at home against Western Michigan next weekend.
RECAP: Minn.-Duluth (12-17-3) took the lead 7:35 into the first period when Anthony Menghini flipped a puck from the left half wall into the slot and Dominic James was somehow able to deflect it past Miami goalie Bruno Bruveris.
Following a scoreless middle frame, the RedHawks generated the equalizer with 11:01 left in regulation when Raimonds Vitolins threaded a pass to Casper Nassen, who buried a wrister, top shelf, glove side from the right side of the net.
Both goalies stopped breakaways, with UMD’s Adam Gajan denying Miami’s Matt Choupani in overtime.
The Bulldogs’ Aaron Pionk won the extra shootout point in the ninth round. Nassen found the net in the third round, the lone Miami scorer in penalty shots.
STATS: Nassen — a freshman — snapped a 10-game point drought and is now tied with Ryan Sullivan and Colby Ambrosio for the team lead with six goals.
Vitolins earned the primary assist, his 13th point of the season, fourth-best on the RedHawks.
Freshman Michael Quinn also picked up a helper, as he leads all defensemen with 12 points. He has points in three of his last four games.
— Bruveris snapped a personal 12-game skid, stopping 26 of 27 shots for his best statistical performance of the season (.963). He also was 7-for-9 in the shootout.
— So the losing streak officially ended at 23 games, but the winless string is extended to 24 games. Miami’s last win was Oct. 26 vs. Lindenwood. This was the first time since that win that MU held an opponent to fewer than two goals.
The RedHawks finish the season 0-12-3 on the road.
— Miami had lost 24 straight March games, so the RedHawks also snapped that skid but extended its winless string to 25 in the third month of the year.
MU’s last March win was on March 10, 2018 in a best-of-3 NCHC Tournament series at St. Cloud State, which the Huskies won, 2-games-to-1.
ANALYSIS: For months we’ve been basically doing template write-ups and trying to alter the verbiage to rewrite the same storyline.
“Yes, the team is getting better. No, the scoreboard isn’t reflecting that. But Miami is getting close. Wait until that 2025-26 class gets here, I’ll tell you what. Just a few more rakes to the face and one more long off-season.”
In retrospect, maybe we should’ve used ChatGPT to make the same prose sound more original.
Now we are finally seeing tangible proof that the RedHawks are moving the mercury.
And yes, the Bulldogs are seventh in the conference, but this was senior weekend — which always give the home team an additional bounce — and UMD entered this series with a chance to move up in the standings and improve its conference tournament seed.
Minn.-Duluth needed six points this weekend and Miami ended up stealing two.
It’s a tie and just one point in the standings following an overtime loss on Friday, but this weekend may have finally been the bounce we’ve been looking for after hitting rock bottom.
— Miami finished with one goal but had a number of quality scoring chances, include the above-mentioned breakaway by Choupani in overtime.
Full credit to Minn.-Duluth: Gajan was studly and showed why he’s the Chicago Blackhawks’ second-round pick and possible goalie of the future for that NHL franchise.
And the Bulldogs played tight defense — Miami truly had to earn every inch of ice this weekend.
— This was one of the best overall defensive efforts of the season by Miami. Very few players out of position, sticks and bodies in lanes all game, good job shutting down potential scoring chances. Dylan Moulton played one of his best games of the season. Bruveris was in the zone, allowing just one goal on either a ridiculous skill play or a fluke — replay never gave a clear shot of what body part or piece of equipment the puck hit. One of the best efforts of Bruveris’ career.
— Another too many men penalty. Seriously. It’s the 32nd game of the season. That’s the fifth too many men minor Miami has taken this season and the second in four games, plus last week the RedHawks played with four skaters at even strength for at least 10 seconds.
— Just to nitpick a little bit: Miami should’ve pulled Bruveris with 1.3 seconds left in regulation and an offensive-zone draw. It’s not possible for an opponent to win a draw and score into an empty net at the other end of the ice in less than 2.5 seconds. There’s absolutely nothing to lose by putting a sixth skater on the ice in that situation.
LINEUP CHANGES: None. Miami went with 13 forwards and six defensemen again.
Goalie Ethan Dahlmeir didn’t make the trip, and defenseman Spencer Cox was scratched for both games, although it’s unclear if either or both were injured or they were just coach’s decisions.
Dahlmeir started both ends of last weekend’s series vs. Denver, and Cox had dressed for 13 consecutive games.
STANDINGS: Despite the tie, Miami remains tied with Northern Michigan for 62nd out of 64 in PairWise.
The RedHawks earned their fourth league point and second in as many nights. They finished with seven points in NCHC play last season.
FINAL THOUGHTS: For the first time in a long time, it doesn’t feel like Miami is intimidated by anyone.
AMSOIL has been a death trap for the RedHawks since the NCHC was formed, but Miami stood with Minn.-Duluth for 127 minutes and didn’t buckle.
The Bulldogs won Friday on a highly-skilled pass and resulting shot, and they only scored once in 65 minutes on Saturday.
Two weeks ago, Miami scored four third-period goals at Colorado College and came within a late disallowed goal of winning.
Denver, the defending national champion, swept Miami in Oxford, but the RedHawks were able to hang with the Pioneers for much of the weekend.
Miami’s season ends next weekend. An 0-20 start to the league slate ensured that.
But while the RedHawks’ final two home games won’t matter in the standings, if they continue this trajectory, it could lure even more talent to Oxford for subsequent seasons.
It could also solidify jobs for those already on the roster with remaining eligibility.
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