Category Archives: CCHA
Miami Battles Western Michigan For Mason Cup
Detroit, Mich. – For the fifth, and possibly final time this season, the Miami RedHawks (22-9-6) faceoff against Western Michigan (19-11-10) in the CCHA championship game at 7:35pm at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Wow, that opening line seems strangely familiar as do a lot of what I have to say below. It’s another case of an extremely experienced and talented RedHawk team taking on a much less experienced, albeit talented, group from Western Michigan.
The RedHawks won the season series 2-1-1 splitting a pair in Kalamazoo and tying and winning in Oxford just a few weeks ago. The RedHawks could have easily swept both series as they lost third periods in two of the four games that led to a loss and a tie including losing a third period lead in Oxford. Miami is 8-1-1 against the Broncos in the last ten meetings but this is a much different team under former Miami assistant Jeff Blashill who has the Broncos playing great defensive hockey. And, in last night’s semifinal victory over Michigan, they exhibited a scoring touch like we haven’t seen much of this season.
Much like against Notre Dame, Miami has a significant advantage in experience.
Western Michigan hasn’t been to the CCHA Championship game in 1986. That’s before nearly, if not all, of their players were born. On the other hand, Miami has played in dozens of big games over the past four years and this senior class is trying to become the first to lead Miami to a Mason Cup. Something they can earn with a win tonight. It’s also likely that with a win, Miami would claim a #1 seed in the next weekend’s NCAA tournament which would be amazing considering Miami was 19th in the PairWise back in January. The RedHawks are peaking at the right time this season as they’ve made a tremendous late run.
Overall, I think Miami has more weapons, is more experienced and is playing its best hockey of the season at the right time. Miami brings a 12-game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) into tonight’s game.
Here’s a look at each team.
Offense
Up front, Western is led by freshmen Chase Balisy and former Miami commit Shane Berschbach and senior Max Campbell. However, if you take Balisy and Campbell (their top 2 scorers) together, their point totals to do not equal Hobey Baker finalist Andy Miele’s season totals alone. With Reilly Smith, Carter Camper, Pat Cannone and Alden Hirschfeld elevating their games, Western does not boast the offensive depth that Miami does.
Miami has a distinct advantage offensively.
Defense
Named to the CCHA’s All-Rookie team, freshman Dan DeKeyser has done a tremendous job stabilizing and solidifying the Broncos blue line. As a 21-year old freshman, what he lacks in collegiate experience can be made up for by his overall maturity. And, at 6’2″, he has the size to counter Miami’s larger forwards and can still work to contain the smaller ones like Miele and Camper.
Though he did not play yesterday against Notre Dame, Matt Tomassoni and the Miami defensive corps are playing their best hockey of the season. Against Notre Dame, Miami blocked 16 shots and allowed just two fluke goals (including a 5×3) in their semifinal win. Miami’s penalty kill was outstanding allowing just the one 5×3 against in six opportunities.
With Miami’s experience and size, I like our blue line vs. theirs.
Goaltending
Senior Jerry Kuhn has been outstanding for Western Michigan and he looked fabulous against Michigan last night making 29 saves in the Broncos victory. Against Miami, Kuhn is 0-1-1 this season as he surrendered three goals in both games in Oxford last month.
For Miami, it doesn’t really matter who is in net right now, both Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp are playing their best hockey of the year. The real question for tonight is who will play? Knapp has played better against Western this year earning two victories and has allowed just two goals in two games including a shutout so he may get the nod from head coach Enrico Blasi.
Intangibles
Like I said before the Notre Dame game, Miami has played in many big games over the past few seasons. They have the experience to know how to win in tough situations. Last night’s victory over Michigan is arguably Western’s biggest win in more than a decade. It will be interesting to see if they can channel that again tonight or did they spend everything they had in the semifinal win over the Wolverines.
Again, I like the way Miami is playing bringing a 12-game unbeaten streak into play today. I like Miami’s experience and the will of this senior class to attempt to earn Miami’s first ever Mason Cup.
I think Miami wins 4-2.
RedHawks vs…Broncos
Detroit, Mich. – Though he was inexplicably snubbed for the CCHA Coach of the Year honor, former Miami assistant and current Western Michigan head coach Jeff Blashill has to be satisfied that his Broncos are in the CCHA title game for the first time since 1986. And, if they’re going to win their first championship in 25 years, they will have to do it against Blashill’s former employer, Enrico Blasi and Miami.
The Broncos thoroughly dominated the Michigan Wolverines defeating them 5-2 in the second CCHA semifinal at Joe Louis Arena.
Senior goaltender Jerry Kuhn was solid as the Broncos limited Michigan’s chances and took advantage of their power play opportunities to chase Shawn Hunwick from the Wolverine net after two periods. Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard a lot from Michigan fans about how Hunwick was passed over for awards consideration. After tonight’s debacle for the CCHA’s Goaltender of the Year, I’d say the coaches and media had it right. And, as for Carl Hagelin, he was a non-factor and will have to settle for his CCHA Best Defensive Forward Award rather than a CCHA Championship.
Miami and Western Michigan will faceoff at 7:35pm EST for the CCHA’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. With a win, it’s possible that Miami will earn a #1 seed in the tournament as well as claiming their first Mason Cup. The CCHA Championship game will be broadcast on FS Detroit+ which is Directv 664 on your tee vee dial. This will be the teams’ fifth meeting this year with Miami winning the regular season series 2-1-1.
Michigan and Notre Dame will play the consolation game at 3:35pm EST.
>Miami Dominates in the D
>Detroit, Mich. – Well, my predictions were actually pretty good…for once.
CCHA Player of the Year Andy Miele had 2 goals and 2 assists and Hobey Baker finalist Carter Camper had 2 goals and 1 assist as the Miami RedHawks defeated Notre Dame 6-2.
If not for two fluke goals, Cody Reichard may have registered another shutout. As it was, Reichard was solid as Miami extended its unbeaten streak to a school best 12 games.
Both Camper and Miele were at their best as both scored highlight reel goals including one from Miele while he was prone on the ice after being crosschecked from behind.
The Crying Irish stuck to their routine of running Reichard as I counted at least four times the Miami netminder was knocked to the ice including once where his helmet was taken off his head. Unlike February’s 5-5 tie, however, Reichard would not be rattled and he maintained his stellar play of the past several weeks. On the other hand, Mike Johnson proved unworthy as Miami torched him for six goals before he was pulled midway through the third period.
Alden Hirschfeld and Bryon Paulazzo chipped in with goals and Reilly Smith added three assists to round out the bulk of the Miami scoring. It was the freshman Paulazzo’s second career goal.
The RedHawks await the winner of tonight’s WMU/Michigan game which starts at 8pm EST and can be seen on FS Detroit + in tomorrow’s championship game.
Notes
- With another four point game, Andy Miele now has 23-46-69 on the year. Can you say Hobey Baker?
- Carter Camper has a career best 19-36-54 good enough for third in the nation.
- Alden Hirschfeld notched his career best 24th point of the year
- With three assists, super sophomore Reilly Smith now has 26-25-51. Miami now has three players with more than 50 points on the season.
>Miami Battles Notre Dame in CCHA Semifinal #1
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Detroit, Mich. – For the fifth, and possibly final time this season, the Miami RedHawks faceoff against Notre Dame in the first CCHA semifinal at 4:35pm at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
The RedHawks and Irish split the season series 1-1-2 with the teams winning and losing in Oxford before tying twice in South Bend last month.
Miami allowed third period leads to evaporate in both Friday night games enabling Notre Dame to escape with a win and a tie. Based on each team’s performance, Miami is clearly the better team, but they’ll need to shore up their late game play against a relentless, young Irish squad trying to knock off a veteran team to earn a spot in the CCHA Championship game Saturday night. When the teams met early in the season, and even last month, Miami was not playing its custom team defense as they are currently. Along with Miami’s significant experience advantage, Miami is deeper with better goaltending and is playing its best hockey of the season.
Here’s a look at each team.
Offense
Up front, both teams are dynamic with Notre Dame being led by freshmen T.J. Tynan and Anders Lee while Miami counters with Hobey Baker finalists Andy Miele and Carter Camper along with leading goal scorer Reilly Smith and senior co-captain Pat Cannone.
Miami is deeper and more experienced up front so as long as they control the two freshmen, they should have an advantage here.
Defense
Sean Lorenz leads Notre Dame’s excellent defensive corps and was named CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year for his efforts supplanting Miami’s Will Weber who won last year’s award. Unlike Miami, the Irish don’t get much offensive production from their blueline, but they can be stout in their own end.
Again, Miami’s battle-hardened group of juniors (Chris Wideman, Will Weber, Matt Tomassoni, Cameron Schilling) plus senior Vincent LoVerde and rugged sophomore Steven Spinell should have an advantage in terms of experience. All have played in Frozen Four games and they have recommitted themselves to team defense. If Miami continues to play the way they have over the past month, the RedHawks should have an advantage here.
Goaltending
Probably the weakest link of the Irish, Mike Johnson has been beaten up pretty good by Miami this year though the RedHawk tandem of Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp have each been beaten for five goals in a single game by Notre Dame this year.
However, the Miami goaltenders have been fabulous down the stretch. I’ll take junior Cody Reichard, and his big game experience, over Mike Johnson any day.
Intangibles
Miami has played in many big games over the past few seasons. They have the experience to know how to win in tough situations. These Notre Dame freshmen have not as evidenced by their struggles last weekend against a Lake Superior team that Miami absolutely destroyed. I like the way Miami is playing bringing an 11-game unbeaten streak into play today. I like Miami’s experience and the will of this senior class to attempt to earn Miami’s first ever Mason Cup.
I think Miami wins 4-2.
>Miele, Camper Nab CCHA Awards
>Detroit, Mich. – For the second consecutive year, a Miami RedHawk has won the CCHA’s Player of the Year award. Last season, then sophomore Cody Reichard led Miami to a runaway CCHA regular season championship. This year, Detroit native and Miami senior assistant captain, Andy Miele pulled off his own sort of runaway.
Miele led the nation in scoring as he torched the NCAA for 21-44-65 and counting. Miele’s points total was the highest for a CCHA scoring champion since 1991-92 and he is the only scoring champion in CCHA history to have had more assists than anyone had points.
Senior captain Carter Camper won Miami’s first ever CCHA Scholar Athlete Award as he also had an outstanding final season in red and white notching 17-35-52. The native of Rocky River, Ohio, Camper will end his Miami career among the top three scorers in program history.
Congratulations to both young men. They are prime examples of what the Miami program stands for both on, and off, the ice.
Notes
- Miele and Camper were both named finalists for the Hobey Baker Award given to the nation’s top collegiate player
- In a stunner, Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson was awarded the CCHA’s Coach of the Year honor beating out Michigan’s Red Berenson and much more surprisingly, former Miami assistant and current Western Michigan head coach Jeff Blashill. Blashill has completely reinvigorated a dormant, declining program and gotten them to the CCHA’s Championship Weekend. How Blashill did not win this award is beyond me. Frankly, it’s a disgrace.
>FS Ohio to air Miami/Notre Dame
>Detroit, Mich. – In a move that seems years overdue, Fox Sports Ohio (Directv 660, 661) announced today they will carry Friday’s Miami/Notre Dame CCHA semifinal matchup across the state. In addition FSO will broadcast Saturday night’s Mason Cup Final regardless of who is playing but they will not carry the Western Michigan/Michigan semifinal which follows Miami’s game Friday evening.
FS Detroit will carry every game on FS Detroit + which is channel 644 on Directv though I have yet to see that posted on Directv’s channel guide.
It’s great to see FS Ohio finally get with the (state’s premier college hockey) program, but this should have happened years ago. Why it’s taken so long is unknown to me since ONN has been carrying broadcasts of Miami games for years.
Better late than never.
>Poll Activity
>Oxford, Ohio – The RedHawks move up one spot to 6th in this week’s USCHO.com poll and have moved all the way to #3 in the INCH Power Rankings which are more based on recent performance than an entire body of work. Considering Miami’s 11-game unbeaten streak, their ranking seems to make sense but could be a little high.
Importantly, Miami enters the CCHA Championship Weekend tied for 4th in the PairWise Rankings with Michigan, a team they could conceivably meet over the weekend depending on the outcome of each semifinal on Friday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
>CCHA Championship Weekend
>Farmington Hills, Mich. – The CCHA has announced the times for the two semifinal matchups on Friday, March 18 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Miami will play the early game on to set up better TV viewing and attendance for Michigan’s game later that evening.
Miami and Notre Dame will begin play at 4:35pm with Michigan and Western Michigan to face off at the made-for-TV time of 8:05pm.
Normally, you want to “protect” the number one seed by having them play the earlier game, but to enable as many local WMU and U-M fans to attend as possible, the league has moved the game to prime time. This simply means the Wolverines will have a little less time to recover for Saturday’s championship or consolation game as appropriate while Miami and Notre Dame will benefit from a marginal amount of additional rest.
Hobey Miele Update
Oxford, Ohio – With two goals and two assists including a game-winner over the weekend, Hobey Baker Award candidate Andy Miele increased his nation’s best points and assists totals to 65 and 44 respectively. Miele’s line on the season is now 21-44-65 as he leads the national scoring race by 10 points over Niagara’s Paul Zanette and by 11 points over North Dakota’s Matt Frattin. Frattin once again picked up huge points against Michigan Tech, the nation’s 52nd ranked team by KRACH, with 4-1-5 on the weekend including an empty net goal.
Miele has now notched at least one point in 15 consecutive games, a career best. He has picked up his game and carried Miami into the postseason over the past two months. The RedHawks are 10-2-3 during Miele’s streak including an 11-game unbeaten streak heading into their semifinal matchup at Joe Louis Arena against Notre Dame.
For the season, Miele has been at his best when the score is close.
Of his 65 points, 25 (38%) have either given Miami the lead or tied the score during games this season. Clearly he is both shooting and distributing the puck appropriately right now and will be counted on over the final weeks of the season to carry Miami along with fellow seniors Carter Camper and Pat Cannone and sophomore Reilly Smith.
As a key cog in both Miami’s power play and penalty kill, Miele plays at both ends of the ice and is a major reason why both units rank in the top 10 in the nation. Miami’s power play ranks 5th nationally and their penalty kill ranks 2nd among all of Division I.
>Miami to face Notre Dame in CCHA Semifinals
>Detroit, Mich. – Fresh off last night’s 4-1 win to sweep the Alaska Nanooks out of the CCHA playoffs, Miami had to wait until tonight to determine their next opponent. With a 4-2 over Lake Superior State, Notre Dame will face the RedHawks for the fifth time this season in one semifinal match at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The teams split the season series 1-1-2 with Miami winning and losing at home and tying twice in South Bend.
Michigan will face Western Michigan who defeated Ferris State in overtime earlier this evening.
Presumably Miami and Notre Dame will play the early game on Friday but the CCHA should announce the game times shortly.
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