West #4: Miami

Miami University RedHawks

4 seed vs. Denver, West Regional (Minneapolis, MN)
4:30 CDT, Friday, March 27, ESPN2
Record: 20-12-5
Coach: Enrico Blasi (187-138-28, .569)

Scoring Summary:
GFA	GAA	Diff.
3.11	2.19	+0.92

Leading Scorers:
#	Player	G-A--Pts
11	Carter Camper	20-19--39
20	Pat Cannone	11-24--35
17	Andy Miele	14-14--28

Goaltending:
#	Player	Sv %	GAA	W-L-T
30	Cody Reichard	0.912	2.16	7-7-2
31	Connor Knapp	0.904	2.09	13-5-3

Stats via CollegeHockeyNews.com

Miami's fast start this season made it look as if they had not missed a beat since last season.  Losing just twice before the new year, 2009 got off to an exceptionally rocky start for the RedHawks, who lost five straight, including a sweep at the hands of Michigan, before righting the ship with a seven game unbeaten streak.  That, however, was followed by a three game winless streak.  The sour note that Miami finished on, dropping a three game CCHA playoff quarterfinal series against Northern Michigan, in Oxford, put Miami on the brink of missing the NCAA Tournament.  However, the Pairwise was kind to the RedHawks, and they will make their way to Minneapolis to face Denver in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.  

Miami is pretty much the Carter Camper show.  The sophomore forward was one of five second-yearmen named to the all-CCHA first team and was the fourth leading scorer in the league.  On the backline, Connor Knapp was named to the CCHA all-rookie team and while he is not Jeff Zatkoff, few are and he has provided stability as the RedHawks' primary goalie.  Miami is one of the few teams in the tournament that did not play last weekend (Ohio State and Bemidji State are among the others), so it will be interesting to see if the extra week off provides them with any benefits.

Quick Hits:

• And the student becomes the master. In what will likely become the NCAA tournament storyline you'll most want to strangle to death by the end of Hockey Christmas, did you know that Miami's first round matchup with Denver will feature Miami coach Enrico Blasi facing his coach from his playing days at Miami, George Gwozdecky?  If you didn't, well now you do.

• Because we're not above this. This is actual text featured on Miami University line charts: "When referring to Miami, please only use Miami University or Miami.  Please do not use Miami of Ohio, University of Miami of Ohio, etc.  The latter are not proper names for our institution.  Thank you." (HT: MGoBlog)