Blog Archives
Photos: Bowling Green at Miami
Images from the game between Bowling Green and Miami played at Cady Arena in Oxford, Ohio, on Jan. 16, 2016. All photos by Cathy Lachmann.
Analysis: Crucial win for RedHawks
OXFORD, Ohio – Miami was due to have a close one go its way in dramatic fashion.
In a season that has seen the RedHawks fall twice in overtime and several other times on third-period goals, they beat Bowling Green, 2-1 at Cady Arena on Saturday when senior forward Anthony Louis buried a shot with two seconds remaining in regulation.
For at least one night, a lot of good things happened for this program, but at four games below .500, much work must be done just to get to respectability.
Taking this one game, though, a win like this can do much to turn any negative attitudes around. Rejuvenate players who – especially at such a young age – may have subconsciously begun to give up on the season.
Students are coming back from their J-term as well, which means crowds should pick up, and the buzz from this contest can do nothing but help gate receipts the rest of this campaign.
This wasn’t the best game Miami has played this season, but the RedHawks were good enough to win.
With their lack of offensive firepower, they would need to win a lot games with scores like 2-1. We’ll find out in the coming weeks if they can make winning a habit or if they are a habitual tease.
Either way, it was fun to be at the rink for this one.
Other thoughts…
– And yes, while the finale made it all worth it, Saturday’s game was flat-out boring for the most part until Louis’ heroics. Choppy play, good defensive play, bad offensive play, linemen who thought they were paid by the hour that should’ve carried penalty flags with the number of false starts and illegal motions they delayed puck drops for. It happens. Not every game can be like, well, every one at the end of last regular season, especially when both teams average a little over two goals per game.
– After not returning to the bench for the third period last Saturday and not practicing on Monday, senior goalie Ryan McKay was scratched for this tilt. That means freshman third goalie Evan McCarthy was technically the backup. Following McKay’s fourth goal against vs. Minnesota-Duluth last week on a poor clear, McKay threw his stick down the hall after coming off the ice, and he yelled something to the team and/or coaches, which is presumably why he was not dressed. It’s unclear how long McKay will be scratched, but with Miami’s grueling upcoming stretch run, it needs both of its quality goaltenders.
– While Miami’s power play has been dreadful in recent weeks – 1-for-20 in its last eight games with two shorthanded goals allowed – the penalty kill is tops in the NCAA at 94.1 percent, leading Division I by over three points. RedHawks opponents have not scored on the man advantage in five straight games.
– Louis has been a second-half player his first two seasons, and with the offensive losses Miami has suffered – and its resulting 2.10 goals-per-game average – the RedHawks NEED him to have a strong second half. This game was a great start.
GRADES
FORWARDS: C. Not a ton to see here. Outside of Alex Gacek’s slam-dunk goal and his set up of Louis’ game winner, this unit didn’t generate nearly enough offensive pressure. Much of this is due to Bowling Green’s defense, but Miami has created more chances against better teams this year. The line jumbling – which is justifiable in large part – didn’t help, as chemistry seemed to be off.
DEFENSEMEN: B-. Even though the Falcons only scored once, this corps made a few more mistakes than usual, especially early. Most memorably, Mark Cooper missed a completely open net after a breakdown deep in the defensive zone. It wasn’t one of senior Chris Joyaux’s best nights, although overall this season has been his best.
GOALTENDING: B+. Early on, it appeared Miami was in huge trouble, as senior Jay Williams struggled in net, and classmate Ryan McKay was not dressed, giving the team no safety valve. Williams allowed the first goal on a shot from beyond the top of the faceoff circle under his left arm and seemed to have trouble picking up the pick in the opening period. However, he was huge the final 40 minutes, making at least one huge save on a point-blank chance. His rebound control was outstanding, and he has now cut his 5.35 goals-against average from a couple of weeks ago – the result of being left in for seven goals opening night vs. Providence – nearly in half, ending the night at 2.83 for the season.
LINEUP CHANGES: Senior forward Michael Mooney was out up front after playing last Saturday, and junior Devin Loe sat for the second straight game. On defense, junior Colin Sullivan was a scratch after playing four of the past five games. Freshman Grant Hutton was out for the first time this season last Saturday but was back on the ice in this one. It’s unclear how long Williams will have the starting goalie joy uncontested, but McKay is smart and it’s likely he will right any wrongs within the team sooner than later.
Louis lifts Miami over BG
OXFORD, Ohio – Thanks to Anthony Louis, there was no free hockey at Cady Arena on Saturday.
The junior forward ripped a one-timer into the bottom corner of the net with two seconds left in regulation to lift Miami to a 2-1 win over Bowling Green.
Teammates congratulate Anthony Louis (second from left) after his game-winning goal (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Senior Jay Williams stopped 28 shots to earn the win, which was just the second for the RedHawks in 11 games.
Kevin Dufour opened the scoring for the Falcons, as his shot from the top of the faceoff circle snuck under Williams’ arm 5:55 into the first period.
Off a steal by Louis, Miami senior Alex Gacek tied it with 4:15 left in the middle stanza, stuffing a loose puck home from the side of the net.
It remained 1-1 until the closing seconds of the third period, when Gacek fed Louis from the side of the net back to Louis, who ripped it just inside the post on the glove side for the decisive score.
That meant no overtime for MU, which had seen five of its first 20 games go to an extra session.
Louis and Gacek both finished with a goal and an assist.
Louis has now recorded five points in his last five games, and Gacek scored his second goal in four contests.
Jay Williams stopped 28 shots to earn the win (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Williams picked up his second victory, improving to 2-2-1 and 3-0 in his career vs. Bowling Green.
The RedHawks resume league play next weekend, as they travel to Nebraska-Omaha. They play at 8:37 p.m. on Friday and 8:07 p.m. on Saturday.
Analysis: Turnaround needed soon
OXFORD, Ohio – Miami improved to 3-1-1 after a 1-0 win at St. Lawrence on Oct. 23.
The RedHawks have recorded two victories since, posting a 2-9-1 mark in the past 71 days, including a 3-2 loss to RPI at Cady Arena on Saturday that extended the team’s winless streak to seven games.
Although this weekend’s games are non-conference, Miami’s situation gets more dire with each loss. Now 5-10-2, the RedHawks’ PairWise ranking is 31st, a long way away from any kind of consideration for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
On Saturday, Miami actually played pretty well. The team dominated the first few shifts, culminating in an early goal. The RedHawks were very good for large stretches of the second period as well.
They hit at least four posts.
It was the type of loss that, if Miami had played well overall the first three months, could be written off. Even the best college hockey teams don’t win every night.
But teams that are four games below .500 don’t have that luxury. Because of the deep hole the RedHawks have dug themselves, every game from here through March is paramount.
The tough schedule will give Miami leeway, but the team still has to win often against that tough schedule. The RedHawks play 14 conference games plus Sunday’s game against RPI (tied for 15th in the PairWise) and a home-and-home vs. Bowling Green (ranked 18th).
And losing repeatedly in dramatic fashion can’t help this team’s psyche.
Miami needs to finally score more than three goals, something it has yet to accomplish this season. Or win a game in the last minute.
Or get in a galvanizing skirmish. Nothing that would warrant mass suspensions, mind you, just something, ANYTHING, to help boost confidence and get this team on track.
The RedHawks lack offensive fire power this season, no doubt, but they don’t lack talent, and there’s no reason for them to have wins in fewer than one-third of their games thus far.
Other thoughts…
– Miami’s 6-on-5 in the closing minutes was disappointing. Once the players got set up in the offensive zone they stood there and passed the puck among themselves repeatedly. No movement anywhere. And then they wondered why there were no open shooting lanes.
– It’s frustrating to see RPI come in boasting one 10-goal scorer and have him net for the Engineers’ first two goals. It’s no secret Riley Bourbonnais is the team’s best offensive weapon, and Miami was unable to slow him down. One could say the same about RPI vs. Jack Roslovic, who scored once and set up the other Miami goal.
– Bourbonnais’ first goal came shorthanded and was a momentum killer for the RedHawks. Miami was up, 1-0 late in the first period with a chance to extend its lead via the power play, but Bourbonnais’ breakaway goal tied it and the RedHawks never led again.
Miami’s Anthony Louis (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
– On a positive note, this was one of the best games Anthony Louis has played all season. His pass to Jack Roslovic for Miami’s slam-dunk second goal was a thing of beauty. Louis was better in the second half of both his freshman and sophomore seasons, and Miami needs his offense now more than ever.
– The listed attendance was 1,809 with the students out for the J-term, and that seems pretty generous. Unfortunately Miami has a lot of home games this month and won’t have a student section behind it. That figure could drop substantially on Sunday, going against the final week of the NFL’s regular season.
GRADES
FORWARDS: B-. Louis and Roslovic were Miami’s best forwards and freshman Josh Melnick wasn’t far behind. This unit was very good at times and ineffective others. Same problem this team has faced all season: Miami has been unable to generate offense from its deeper lines.
DEFENSEMEN: A. RPI manged just 17 shots. Colin Sullivan has been the odd man out a lot this season, but he was very solid on D. Bad year overall for Miami or not, senior Matthew Caito has saved his best season for last, although he ended up in the penalty box twice. And this unit was without sophomore standout Louie Belpedio, who is at the World Juniors in Finland.
GOALTENDING: C-. Senior Ryan McKay just didn’t look like he seeing the puck that well all night. He made one spectacular save, stacking the pads on a point-blank shot, but he stopped just 14 of 17 overall. The first goal was a good shot on a shorthanded breakaway, but he still got beat. The second goal was pretty soft, hitting his glove and popping in, and the third he had no chance on.
LINEUP CHANGES: Freshman Zach LaValle was back in the lineup for the first time since Nov. 13 with his upper-body injury. Freshman Ryan Siroky and junior Devin Loe were scratched, and Belpedio was obviously the missing D-man. Belpedio will miss Sunday’s game, and the smart money is on him being available next weekend.
Miami loses by 1 goal again
OXFORD, Ohio – Having gone winless in its final six games of 2015, Miami had to welcome the new calendar year.
Unfortunately for the RedHawks, 2016 started the way last year ended.
RPI edged Miami, 3-2 at Cady Arena on Saturday, handing the RedHawks their fourth straight loss, with all of them coming by one goal. Miami’s last five losses overall have been by that margin.
The start was promising enough for the RedHawks (5-10-2), as freshman forward Josh Melnick buried a shot from the slot off a feed from freshman Jack Roslovic at the 1:20 mark of the first period.
But the Engineers’ Riley Bourbonnais went in alone on a shorthanded breakaway and buried a shot top shelf to tie it with 1:24 left in the opening period.
Bourbonnais scored again with 14:47 left in the middle frame when a shot from the left side of the net deflected off the glove of Miami senior goalie Ryan McKay and into the net, giving RPI a 2-1 lead.
Miami tied it later in the stanza as junior forward Anthony Louis slid a pass across the slot to Roslovic, who ripped it home with 7:07 left.
RPI took the lead for good when Kenny Gillespie banged home a loose puck from the side of the net just 2:19 later.
Bourbonnais is the Engineers’ top goal scorer, as his two markers in this game gave him 12 for the season.
Miami’s Jack Roslovic (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Roslovic finished with a goal and an assist, as he leads the RedHawks in tallies with nine and is tied with Louis in assists with a Miami-best nine for 18 points.
The RedHawks are 56th out of 60 teams in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 2.06 goals per game. They have yet to net more than three goals in any game.
With Miami’s current 0-5-2 skid, the team has not won since Nov. 7.
The teams wrap up the weekend series at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Miami drops final ’15 home game to UNO
OXFORD, Ohio – One-goal games decided late continue to haunt Miami.
The RedHawks lost their second overtime game in eight days as they fell, 3-2 to Nebraska-Omaha at Cady Arena on Saturday.
Miami also settled for a tie on Friday despite leading the first half of the third period.
The loss snapped the RedHawks’ five-game unbeaten streak and sent them to a season-worst two games below .500.
Miami never led in the series finale, and the Mavericks jumped on the board just eight-plus minutes into the game. A David Pope rip from the top of the left faceoff circle was stopped by RedHawks senior goalie Ryan McKay, but the rebound came to the opposite side, and Austin Ortega slammed it home.
After a major penalty was assessed to Miami senior center Sean Kuraly, Brian Cooper intercepted a clearing attempt by senior forward Kevin Morris and banged it home 3:51 into the middle frame, making it 2-0.
The RedHawks battled back with a pair of late goals in the second period to tie it.
Miami forward Anthony Louis (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Junior center Anthony Louis backhanded one top shelf from the slot with 3:42 left in that stanza, and freshman forward Kiefer Sherwood ripped a shot just under the crossbar with 43 seconds left to even it heading into the second intermission.
But after a bouncing puck eluded Miami sophomore defenseman Scott Dornbrock at the blue line, UNO’s Tyler Vesel skated around Dornbrock and fed Jake Rudolph for the game winner with 1:46 left in overtime.
The RedHawks are now 0-2 in the extra session this season.
Miami forward Kiefer Sherwood (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Louis finished with a goal – his third in five games and his second in of the weekend – and an assist, giving him seven points in six games (3-4-7). Sherwood ended the weekend with a goal and two helpers, both of which came on Friday.
UNO spent over 14 minutes on the power play, compared to seven for Miami.
The RedHawks are now tied with Minnesota-Duluth for fifth place in the NCHC with eight points, and Miami has played more league games than any team in the conference (8).
This was the final home game of the calendar year for Miami, which is off next weekend and wraps up its 2015 schedule with a pair of games at Colorado College on Dec. 4-5.
Late PPG lifts Miami over W. Michigan
OXFORD, Ohio – It took Miami until the eight-minute mark of the third period to earn its first power play on Saturday.
But when the RedHawks finally went on the man advantage, they needed just seven seconds to score the game-winning goal.
Miami’s Anthony Louis (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
A blast from junior forward Anthony Louis found the net with 8:32 remaining in regulation to lift Miami to a 2-1 win over Western Michigan in the weekend series finale at Cady Arena.
The RedHawks (5-4-1) won by the same score on Friday.
Alex Gacek gave Miami the lead with 7:53 left in the first period off a wrister from the high slot.
But Sheldon Dries tied the score for the Broncos (4-4-1) just 3:10 later after knocking down an attempted clearing pass by sophomore defenseman Scott Dornbrock, entering the offensive zone and beating RedHawks senior goalie Ryan McKay just inside the far post.
That set the stage for Louis’ game winner, which came off a short lateral pass by senior center Sean Kuraly and appeared to partially deflect off a Western Michigan player in front of the net before finding twine.
It was the first goal of the season for Louis and the second for Gacek on a team that is in desperate need of offense from sources other than its freshmen phenoms and defensemen.
Kuraly picked up two assists, and McKay stopped 19 shots to earn the win, the 34th of his career that ties him for eighth on the team’s all-time leaderboard with Trevor Prior.
Miami improved to 2-2 in the NCHC, moving into a six-way tie for first place in the conference with six points.
After losing on opening night on campus, the RedHawks have won three straight games at Cady Arena and are unbeaten in their last four (3-0-1).
Miami will head north for a series at North Dakota next weekend.
Analysis: MU succeeding without vet scoring
OXFORD, Ohio – A 2-1-1 record to start the season with one point from Anthony Louis and Sean Kuraly you say?
As Miami fans, yeah, we’ll take it.
The RedHawks’ two top returning scorers are off to slow starts offensively, but the RedHawks (2-1-1) swept Ohio State this weekend, 3-2 in Columbus and 3-1 in Oxford the following night with five of its goals coming by freshmen.
Rookies have potted seven of 11 Miami goals for the season. Four of the five freshmen forwards have found the net in the team’s first four games.
Miami’s Jack Roslovic (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Beyond Jack Roslovic, it was unclear entering the season how much newbies would contribute offensively to a forward corps that had lost Austin Czarnik, Riley Barber and Blake Coleman among others. But at least for two weekends, the answer is significantly.
Overall, Miami hasn’t set the world on fire from a scoring perspective, averaging 2.75 goals per game. But the RedHawks missed several Grade A scoring chances in the first period alone on Friday and had multiple chances on Saturday it should’ve cashed in.
MU finished the finale with 41 shots on goal and missed the net a number of times.
There is cause for optimism regarding this team’s offensive potential. The RedHawks are holding their own during what most knew would be a transition process with numerous new faces taking over the jobs of established studs.
If they have been able to hold their own during their growing pains without contributions from Kuraly or Louis, just wait until those two hit their strides.
And they will hit their strides, hopefully very soon.
Other thoughts on Saturday:
– This was the best all-around game Roslovic has played. He engaged in battles along the boards and was generally more of a presence on the ice than in the previous games. Roslovic also showed more of ability to make defenders look silly as he can seemingly skate around them at will, a feat made even more amazing considering he is still just 18. That won’t fly at higher levels, or even against better college opponents, but he is certainly showing everyone why he was a first-round pick this summer.
– Sherwood seems to get better every game. He blew up in the USHL last season, scoring 29 goals after netting 13 the previous season, so hopefully that will translate at this level – it certainly did on Friday when he picked the top corner on his first college goal. And it looks like he could do more, as he engages physically and appears capable of playing both ways. Josh Melnick and Roslovic have been the obvious standouts early, but Sherwood looks like he may develop into a very good player for Miami as well.
– The power play was 1,000 percent better on Saturday than Friday. Yes, Miami went 2-for-5, but beyond that, the puck movement was outstanding and the communication appeared much improved. The first unit could be devastating to opponents this season with Roslovic-Melnick-Louis-Kuraly-Belpedio, and its makeshift second unit scored the final goal on Saturday, with Zach LaValle finding the net.
– Miami’s four-game road stand will be difficult but should provide a bonding opportunity and could make the team better overall. At least the RedHawks get their feet wet on a real road trip – not like Ohio State, which was an up-and-back drive with more Miami fans than OSU fans in attendance – before opening conference play in two weeks.
GRADES
FORWARDS: B+. At this point of the season, improvement is more vital than results, and the improvement is there. The freshmen are getting better. Louis played well but only had a point, and many more will follow. Kuraly has struggled at times early but appears ready to break out. If either Kevin Morris or Alex Gacek ever find the net they may be unstoppable – both have done everything right except finish in the first four games. Overall, this unit fired a ton of shots and missed the net a bunch more. They played pretty well defensively as well, but the competition will get a lot stiffer very soon.
DEFENSEMEN: A. This unit made mistakes the first three games, and many were costly. That really didn’t happen on Saturday. We mentioned Louis and Kuraly and how they will get going eventually, and Louie Belpedio belongs on that list as well. His best hockey is yet to come. Senior Matthew Caito was outstanding, as he shut down seemingly every OSU threat on his watch, and classmate Chris Joyaux is playing some of the best defense of his career right now. Like with the forwards, the process is in place, which is very encouraging, and the opponents will get better from this point forward.
Miami goalie Ryan McKay (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
GOALTENDING: A. Senior Ryan McKay hasn’t played a lot of back-to-back nights, but he shined in this one. He appeared to be screened on the only goal against, and he had to shut down a couple of high-percentage chances, including a breakaway. McKay finished 27 of 28 (.964) on the night and 52-for-55 (.945) on the weekend. This team’s prospects are a lot higher if McKay can continue to play at this level.
LINEUP CHANGES: Senior Michael Mooney was back in at forward on Saturday, replacing junior Devin Loe, who did not have a point in his first three games. On defense, sophomore Scott Dornbrock was scratched for the second time this season, as junior Colin Sullivan returned to the lineup sheet. McKay started for the third straight game.
Top 10 stats to track 2015-16
For the stats geek of any team and in any sport, it’s fun to watch players vault themselves onto all-time team leaderboards
With the success of the Miami hockey program the past decade, many skaters and goalies have muscled up the ranks in numerous categories.
The Blog of Brotherhood takes a look at some team and individual numbers to watch 2015-16.
1. Miami’s win total – According to its media guides, Miami has 679 all-time wins and needs 21 to reach 700. The RedHawks have recorded at least that many victories in nine of their last 10 seasons. Coach Enrico Blasi has 351 of those wins, and he has coached the team for 16 of its 37 seasons.
2. Sean Kuraly’s GWGs – Kuraly set a school record in 2014-15 with nine game-winning goals.
Sean Kuraly (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
He is already in a six-way tie for fifth all-time at Miami with 11 for his career, and he needs just two to move into third on the career leaderboard. Ryan Jones owns to RedHawks’ mark with 21.
3. Jay Williams’ wins – With a breakout 19-win season, Williams is now tied for sixth in the school record book with 36 victories. He needs to just five to crack the top five and is 24 off the Miami mark, held by 2003 graduate David Burleigh (60).
4. Coach Enrico Blasi’s win total – This is now one to watch each year, as Blasi is already 30th in Division I history with 351 wins. Remember that Blasi took over the job at age 27 and won’t turn 44 until next February. With 10 of the school’s 12 NCAA Tournament appearances occurring on his watch, including its only two Frozen Four berths, and nine trips to the NCAAs in the last 10 years, Blasi should remain in Oxford for a long time.
Enrico Blasi (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
A number of coaches immediately ahead of Blasi are still active, so moving up the ranks the next couple of seasons will be difficult, but he has a legitimate shot at 400 by the end of 2016-17, which is a pretty big milestone in college hockey, especially since teams play just 35-40 games per campaign on average. By the way, Boston College’s Jerry York holds the NCAA record with 984 wins.
5. Anthony Louis points – Miami fans have been spoiled over the past five years with Andy Miele, Carter Camper and Austin Czarnik all posting over 150 career points and shooting into the top 10.
Anthony Louis (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
This is more of a 20-16-17 tracker alert, as Louis will be a junior this fall, but he already has 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points, and with 36 points last season, he could become the 51st member of the 100-point club. Barring injury and other factors, he could move pretty far up the 100-point club list next season.
6. Matthew Caito defenseman points and assists – The senior has slowly been moving up the ranks, and he is just four out of the top 10 in points by blueliners. He is averaging 20 points a season, and 20 more would give him a career total of 81, placing him eighth in school history for defensemen. His 49 assists have him one out of the top 10 behind Cameron Schilling. If he hits his average of 16 he would also end his career eighth that category among defensemen with 65.
Matthew Caito (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
7. McKay/Williams shutouts – Jay Williams tied a school record with five shutouts in 2014-15, giving him seven for his career, and he is still one behind Ryan McKay for the active lead. McKay has eight and Williams is at seven, ranking fourth and tied for fifth in school history, respectively. The record is held by Connor Knapp (13), and Cody Reichard and Burleigh are tied with 12, so both would have much work to do to move up, but they have had exemplary careers in Oxford and either could challenge the record, especially if one takes over the starting reins exclusively.
Jay Williams (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
8. More Jay and McKay – Speaking of goalies, despite an off-year, McKay is second in the qualitative career save percentage category at .920. Williams moved into the top 10 and is sitting at .911, good enough for sixth all-time. Jeff Zatkoff is the RedHawks’ leader at .927.
9. Even more Jay and McKay – And then there’s goals-against average. Williams moved ahead of McKay and into fourth place in this qualitative stat at 2.29 vs. 2.31. Williams has the fourth-best mark in Miami history, McKay is fifth. Connor Knapp holds the school GAA mark at 1.94, and that would take a major effort to topple, even if one started almost every game and went well below 2.00 this season.
10. Caito’s games-played total – Among the seniors at Miami, Caito is the clear leader in games played in his three seasons with 119, having missed just one contest (the 2014-15 opener vs. Bowling Green…Miami lost that game…coincidence?). He needs to play 39 games this season to tie for ninth all-time, and his advancement in this category depends on his continued health and earning the right to dress (a near given to this point with him) as well as the team’s success. Only five Miamians have played 160 career games, but he has a shot to join that exclusive club.
Thoughts on Miami’s exhibition win
The highlights from Miami’s 6-1 win over Western Ontario in the RedHawks’ lone exhibition on Saturday were impressive.
And while, disappointingly, getting to this game was not a possibility on this end (Mrs. Rednblackhawks and I were vacationing in Alberta), there typically is not a ton to take out of preseason games.
But there are a few facts and observations from the highlights, box score and the embedded spies BoB sent to the game that are worthy of prose here as Miami heads into opening weekend.
– Fs Zach LaValle and Justin Greenberg did not play. Greenberg has played in 68 games the past two seasons and is turning into a solid penalty killer. LaValle went 20-41-61 with NAHL Janesville last season. The competition at forward will be great this season, and two forwards and one defenseman will have to sit each night, so we’ll see how coach Enrico Blasi handles his scratches moving forward. Third goalie Evan McCarthy didn’t get into the game either, but that’s not unexpected – the freshman will be a more of a factor for playing time in 2016-17.
– Defensemen scored three of the six goals, and another was by swingman Michael Mooney, who was playing forward at the time. The entire team generated just 17 goals from its blueline corps in 2014-15. Trend or the result of a weak opponent? Hopefully the former. Sophomore Scott Dornbrock found the net once and Louie Belpedio banged home the other two. Both had four shots and senior Matthew Caito tallied three. More shots by defensemen will keep opponents’ defenders honest, so it would be great if they continued to put the puck on net.
Louie Belpedio.
– By all accounts, the standouts from this game were junior Anthony Louis, sophomore Louie Belpedio and freshman Jack Roslovic. One Tweet I received from someone in attendance said simply “Roslovic is a monster”. This summer, assistant coach Nick Petraglia raved about the former two and the expectations on them this season, and they delivered in this game. Belpedio scored twice, Louis netted a goal and Roslovic set up a pair.
– Sean Kuraly finished with three assists. Again, trying not to read too much into an exhibition against a CIS school, but a lot of focus will be placed on Kuraly by opponents with Czarnik/Coleman/Barber et al out of the picture. Kuraly definitely brought his passing stick in this game after ended 2014-15 with just 10 helpers to complement his 19 goals. He can alleviate the defensive pressure on him by creating chances for others this season via the passing game.
Sean Kuraly.
– Freshman Josh Melnick scored. Maybe this is just a personal thing, but it makes me feel good to see a rookie score in the exhibition(s) because that has to help his confidence. D-I college, especially at an elite program like Miami, is a major step up from U.S. juniors, and scoring in a first game has to make life easier on a player moving forward.
The Blog of Brotherhood - RedHawks Hockey 