Miami sweeps away Ferris State

OXFORD, Ohio — For the first time in seven years, Miami swept its season-opening opponent.

Kocha Delic batted home a rebound shot with 2:59 left in regulation to give Miami the lead, and the RedHawks added a last-minute empty netter as MU pulled out a 3-1 win over Ferris State at Cady Arena on Saturday.

The last time the RedHawks started 2-0 was Oct. 6-7, 2018, when they won both games of a home series vs. Alabama-Huntsville.

Miami plays its first road series of 2025-26 at RPI next weekend.

RECAP: Just 16 seconds into the game, Miami’s Justin Stupka seized a loose puck, played it to himself around a defender, skated in alone and roofed a shot past goalie Hobie Hedquist.

The RedHawks retained that one-goal advantage until midway through the final period.

Ferris State (0-2) tied it when Josh Zary tipped a blue line wrister by Christopher Lie in the slot with 9:55 left in regulation.

But Miami (2-0) regained the lead with 2:59 remaining. That’s when as Michael Quinn fired a low shot on net that was kicked aside by Bulldogs goalie Hobie Hedquist, and Delic belted home the rebound on his forehand from the top of the FSU crease.

The RedHawks sealed it with 33 seconds left, as Max Helgeson stole the puck at the offensive blue line and was able to shoot the puck around the defender and into the empty net.

STATS: Stupka enjoyed his first weekend of college hockey.

The freshman scored in both games, netting the go-ahead goal on Friday and the first marker in the finale at the 16-second mark.

Delic’s goal was the first of his college career. Helgeson’s was his first in a Miami sweater and the 34th of his college career.

Giampa and Nassen both picked up assists, and they are tied for the team lead in points with three apiece.

Quinn also earned a helper, giving him two points in two games.

— Matteo Drobac stopped 19 of 20 shots to improve to 2-0 in his Division I career. Can’t take credit for this stat since I heard someone say it at the rink, but did confirm: Drobac is the first Miami goalie since Jay Williams to win his first two starts as a RedHawk.

Williams beat Colgate and Providence, Oct. 13 and 20, 2012, turning 43 of 47 shots aside.

— Miami extended its unbeaten streak vs. Ferris State to five games (3-0-2) dating back to Oct. 8, 2023.

— The RedHawks scored six third-period goals on the weekend. The last time MU found the net in the final stanza of consecutive games was Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2017 vs. UConn and Colorado College.

— Special teams weren’t particularly special, as Miami was 4-for-5 on the penalty kill and failed to score in five power play chances.

ANALYSIS: The same Miami and Ferris State teams played each other on Friday, but Saturday’s game was 180 degrees different than the opener.

The Bulldogs’ defense was much tighter, giving MU very little room to move the puck — which the RedHawks did seemingly at will on Friday — and Hedquist only allowed one juicy rebound all night, which Delic cashed it in.

It says a lot for this young Miami team that Ferris State adjusted to its play from a night earlier, and the RedHawks were still able to adapt and find a way to win. Especially considering MU had the lead for the overwhelming majority of the game, and the Bulldogs tied it in the third.

The past couple of seasons that too-frequent scenario has meant almost certain doom for the RedHawks.

— It’s also telling how Miami scored its goals: All on high-effort plays.

Stupka grabbed a loose puck and chipped the puck to himself for the semi-breakaway, Delic stayed with a play and scored on the rebound, and Helgeson undressed a defender and punched the puck into the net in the same motion.

— Speaking of Helgeson, it looked like Bradley Walker was going to run away with Miami’s ENG of the year award, but Helgeson said hold my beer Saturday.

I can’t remember seeing two more beautiful empty netters in consecutive games.

— 72 more faceoffs after 75 on Friday, and unofficially, we Ethan Hay may have been kicked out of every single one. Officials are clearly cracking down on draws, and with the number of them, that led to some choppy play.

— Miami is taking too many penalties. Ferris State had five more power plays on Saturday and scored its lone goal on the man-advantage.

The RedHawks were 0-for-5 on the power play and were never able to sustain offensive-zone pressure.

— MU’s defense corps held Ferris State to 20 shots. Impressive. Vladislav Lukashevich led all Miami skaters with 24:29 TOI, and he finished plus-2 with two shots on goal.

— Yes, that was the right call to blow Emmons’ breakaway empty netter dead. Looking at the footage, he definitely touched the puck above goal level. Cool-looking play but yeah, touched with a high stick. Fortunately, Helgeson sealed the win moments later with his own ENG.

— Early-season nominee for best heckle of the year: Ilia Morozov is getting pushed after a whistle near the net in the student section end, and someone yells, ‘dude, you can’t hit him, he’s a minor’.

LINEUP CHANGES: Just one: David Deputy, who was injured in the opener on a hit along the Ferris State bench, was replaced by John Emmons.

Deputy is likely week to week, like all of us.

It was interesting that five forwards returned from 2024-25, and three were scratched this weekend, including alternate captain Blake Mesenburg — the only lettered skater back from last season — was a healthy scratch, and Emmons, who is also back from last season, didn’t play Friday.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Maybe we don’t say it enough, but consistency has been one of the biggest problems for Miami the past handful of seasons.

The RedHawks would have a good period, or a good two periods, or 30 minutes, whatever…but not 60. Whether it was a deflating goal against, or fitness, or whatever, MU rarely strung three good, maximum-intensity periods together in a night.

This weekend, the RedHawks did. And of course the opponents will get a lot tougher than Ferris State as the temperature drops, but Miami showed tons of intensity for 120 minutes this weekend.

If the RedHawks can sustain that level of energy, with the upgrade in on-ice personnel, Miami could surprise a lot of teams in the NCHC.

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