>Sophomore forward Carter Camper has been named to the CCHA-All Conference squad. Camper, on the first team, is the only Miami representative to be named. Others receiving votes from Miami were Pat Cannone, Justin Mercier, Kevin Roeder, and Chris Wideman. In his second season with the RedHawks, Camper has 19 goals and 19 assists, for a career total of 79 points and is most assuredly on his way to the 100-point club, with two years of eligibility remaining.

– The latest edition of Inside the CCHA features this a preview of this weekend’s quarterfinal matchups. Among their guests this week…none other than former RedHawk captain and current Nashville Predator, Ryan Jones! Click Here to Listen.

-Here are some game notes with stats and previews for this weekend’s series against Northern Michigan. MURedHawks.com will also feature a live game day blog, beginning on Friday.

“CHECKING” NORTHERN MICHIGAN

Northern Michigan comes into the second round of the tournament fresh off a weekend sweep of Michigan State (5-3, 8-2). The Wildcats are unbeaten in their last six games and since the calendar turned to 2009 Northern Michigan holds one of the best records in the nation at 13-3-2. No team in the CCHA has won more games in the New Year and only No. 1 ranked Boston University has more wins nationally (16). Northern Michigan has also played one of the toughest ’09 schedules as they have had six road games against ranked opponents. The Wildcats are led by a trio of young scores in Gregor Hanson, Mark Olver and Erik Gustafsson. All three have 30 points or more and hold a +14 or better (on the season). Of the three only Olver was able to record a point on the Wildcats last trip to Oxford.

The Wildcats earned a win and a tie (shootout loss) on its trip to Steve Cady Arena on Feb. 20-21. The RedHawks outshot the Wildcats 91-27 on the weekend including holding Northern Michigan to seven shots on goal on Feb. 21. It was the first time in school history Miami held an opponent under 10 shots in a game. Miami holds a record of 14-29-3 in the all-time series with the RedHawks leading 9-8-2 in games played in Oxford.

THE REDHAWK RUNDOWN

– Carter Camper picked up an assist in the Feb. 27 game against Ohio State and ended his second regular season with the RedHawks having never been held pointless in a CCHA series in which he has played in both games. Camper has kept the streak going with goals in seven of his last eight CCHA series.

– Miami holds an all-time record of 21-31 in the CCHA tournament and a 16-8 record in Oxford. Miami has won six of its last 10 CCHA tournament games and been in the CCHA title game in two of the past three seasons.

– The RedHawks lead the nation in the penalty kill with a 91.1-percent (185/203) success rate. No other team in nation is better than 90 percent.

– Connor Knap and Chris Wideman were both named to the CCHA all-rookie team this week becoming the first pair of RedHawks named to the first team since Matt Christie and Marty Guerin in 2003-04.

– Miami has not lost a CCHA second-round home series since being swept by Lake Superior State University in 2007. The sweep by the Lakers is also the last time Miami has been swept in a home series.

– Justin Mercier became the first player in Miami history with 100 wins and 100 points when he scored an empty-net goal against Ohio State on Feb. 28. It was the second time the senior had found the net in the game and the first multi-goal game of the season for the Erie, Pa. native.

– Brian Kaufman has scored three goals in his last two games including his first multi-goal game of the season against Ohio State Feb. 28.

– Bill Loupee comes into the CCHA playoff having played 99 career games for the Red and White.

REDHAWK SPECIAL TEAMS

The RedHawk special teams units are currently rated the best in the CCHA. Miami leads the conference and the nation on the penalty kill with a unit that is successful on 91.1 percent (185/203) of power plays by opposing teams. The RedHawks also have a solid power-play unit that is currently ranked second in the CCHA with a 19.5-percent (41/210) success rate. Miami has two of the top three power-play point-scorers in the CCHA this season in Carter Camper and Pat Cannone. Camper is tied for first in the conference with 22 points (11-11-22) with the man advantage and Cannone is tied for second with 21 (5-16-21). This season, Miami is 12-6-4 when it scores on the power play, 9-6-2 when it is perfect on the penalty kill and 7-3-2 when it does both in the same game.

IN THE RANKINGS

Miami is currently ranked eighth in the USCHO and CBS College Sports Division I men’s hockey poll. The RedHawks have moved up and down in the Top 10 this season but have been ranked within the nation’s Top 10 for 46 consecutive weeks. During this run, the RedHawks have been ranked as the nation’s No. 1 team for ten weeks. Miami has also been ranked in the Top 10 for 81 of the last 89 weeks and has been ranked No. 1 11 times. This season, Miami has played 10 games against ranked opponents and holds an overall record of 6-3-1, boasting two shutouts (Notre Dame – Oct. 24, Michigan – Nov. 21), both by freshman Cody Reichard.

– Staying with the Quest for the Mason Cup, INCH has published their version of the CCHA Tournament preview. Here’s their take on the “Keys to the Game”:

Season Series: Northern Michigan leads 1-0-1, Miami won the shootout

Wildcats Fact: Northern Michigan has as much success as anyone at Steve Cady Arena this year, taking three points on the weekend while goaltender Brian Stewart made 89 saves in the two games.

Redhawks Fact: With this weekend’s games, Miami has hosted a home playoff series in each of the three seasons the new rink has been open – the RedHawks are 1-1 in the two previous series, losing to Lake Superior two years ago and knocking off Bowling Green last year.

How NMU Wins: The Wildcats need to ride all of the momentum that they’ve built throughout the second half, spreading the puck around evenly as five players enter the weekend with four-game point streaks.

How Miami Wins: The RedHawks are fortunate to have some experienced and hungry players looking for an elusive first CCHA playoff championship for the program. They will, however, go only as far as Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard take them.

– MURedHawks.com has posted this morning’s online chat with seniors Kevin Roeder and Brian Kaufman here. I’m sure the boys liked the questions received from a few “fans,” namely Ryan in Nashville and Jeff in Ontario!

– Finally today, news that the Bowling Green hockey program may be in jeopardy due to the school’s 10 million budget shortfall. You can read the article, courtesy of College Hockey News, at this link.