BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The 4th-ranked Miami University hockey team earned a hard-fought 4-2 victory over No. 19 Ferris State University Saturday night in Big Rapids, Mich. at Ewigleben Ice Arena.

Sophomore Austin Czarnik led the RedHawks with two goals, including an empty-netter in the final minute. Freshmen Kevin Morris and Sean Kuraly also scored for the visitors.

The win gave Miami (5-2-1, 2-2-0-0 CCHA) a weekend split against Ferris State (3-3-2, 2-2-0-0 CCHA), which was outshot 40-26 in the series finale.

The RedHawks opened the first period putting the pressure on the Bulldogs.

Senior right wing Curtis McKenzie, who was interfered with on a breakaway chance, was awarded a penalty shot two minutes into the opening period. McKenzie, however, couldn't convert, as his quick wrister went wide left.

Miami kept at it, though, and opened the scoring midway through the period. Morris corralled the puck in front of the net and after three straight hacks he finally banged it home at the 9:40 mark. Garrett Kennedy's shot from the blue line and Max Cook's feed inside set up the score. It was Morris' second goal of the season.

Ferris State tied the game at 1-1 late in the frame. Jason Binkley sailed the puck to a streaking Justin Buzzeo, who redirected the pass past Miami freshman goaltender Jay Williams with 1:28 left in the first.

On the power play in the second period, Kuraly put the RedHawks up 2-1, finding the back of the net on a hard wrist shot glove-side from the slot. Classmate Matthew Caito's pass through the middle helped the forward score his first collegiate goal, which came at the 16:41 mark. It was the only score of the period. Kuraly's father, Rick, is Miami's all-time leading goal scorer with 101 goals from 1979-83.

Miami extended its lead to two goals 4:20 into the final period, as freshman Riley Barber's pass through the middle found Czarnik near the far post. The RedHawks didn't allow a Ferris State shot in the third period until the 13-minute mark, but the hosts came on strong late.

Travis Ouellette made it 3-2 on the power play, cutting FSU's deficit in half with 5:53 to go. Caito was then whistled for a penalty with 2:25 remaining, giving the Bulldogs another man advantage. Ferris State pulled its goaltender for a 6-on-4 advantage but Czarnik struck again in the final minute with an empty-net, short-handed tally, sealing the 4-2 victory.

Miami was 1-for-5 with the man advantage, while FSU finished 1-for-7 on the power play. In total, the RedHawks were whistled for seven penalties for 14 minutes. The Bulldogs had six penalties for 12 minutes.

Williams finished with 24 saves in net, while the Bulldogs' CJ Motte totaled 36.

Miami returns home to play a pair of games against Northern Michigan Friday, Nov. 9 and Saturday, Nov. 10 at Steve Cady Arena at the Goggin Ice Center. Friday's game is scheduled to start at 7:35 p.m., while Saturday's will begin at 7:05 p.m.