Miami Hockey Postgame Notes
Miami vs. Lake Superior State
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Steve Cady Arena - Oxford, Ohio
Freshman goaltender Ryan McKay allowed just his second goal of the season in five games and saved 28 shots during Miami's 1-0 loss Saturday
night. McKay has not allowed an even-strength goal in his career as both goals
he has allowed have come on the power play. He boasts an amazing 0.48
goals-against average and .983 save percentage in five starts.
The loss Saturday night snapped the RedHawks' eight-game unbeaten
streak, four-game winning streak and represented their first home loss of the
season. Miami's record at Steve Cady Arena is now 6-1-3 this season. It was
also Miami's first loss on a Saturday this year (6-1-1).
For the second night in a row, Miami's penalty kill unit
struggled, going 3-for-4. The only goal of the game came in the first period
when the Lakers scored with a man advantage. Lake Superior State was 3-for-7 on the power play this weekend after
going 2-for-3 Friday night, while Miami went 0-for-10 on the power play in the
two games. All of the Lakers goals came on the power play during the weekend
series.
Miami's 46 shots on goal Saturday marked a season high,
eclipsing the previous season high of 45, set on Friday night. The 91 combined shots
on goal for the weekend series was by far the highest for Miami this season. The
last time the RedHawks broke the 80-shot mark in a series was last season
during the second round of the CCHA Playoffs against Michigan State (Mar. 9-10)
when they combined for 81 shots on goal.
Saturday's contest was Miami's fourth game separated by a
lone goal and the first of those games in which the RedHawks lost the matchup. Miami
had been 3-0 in one-goal games, including Friday night's win over LSSU. It was
also the RedHawks' first loss when allowing less than three goals this year.
The RedHawks failed to score first in both games against
LSSU, the first time that has happened in a series this year. Miami had scored
first in 10 of 14 games entering the weekend and is now 2-2-2 when not scoring
first this season.
Miami was shut out for the second time this season, with the
previous scoreless contest coming on the road against then 19th-ranked
Ferris State (Nov. 2), a 3-0 loss.
Several Miami players had point streaks snapped during the
shutout loss Saturday night. Senior forward Curtis McKenzie ended a career-long four-game streak, freshman forward
Riley Barber broke a four-game point
streak and redshirt senior transfer Marc Hagel snapped his three-game point streak.
Following the weekend split, the RedHawks are now 39-58-11
all-time against Lake Superior, including 26-21-7 in Oxford. Miami is 10-5-1
against the Lakers since the start of the 2007-08 season.
Miami hits the ice again next weekend when they travel to
Columbus for a two-game series against Ohio State. Action begins Friday night
with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop and resumes Saturday night at 8:05 p.m.
Saturday's game was Miami's last home game until Jan. 25 against
Bowling Green, a span of 47 days.
--MURedHawks.com--
