Feb. 19, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

Timeout with Vaive

OXFORD, Ohio - The RedHawks return to Steve Cady Arena this weekend to take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats. Both games this weekend will be televised on the Ohio News Network with Friday's game starting a7:35 p.m. and Saturday's at 5:05 p.m.  

Both games will also be audio streamed on www.MURedHawks.com with all the action being called by Greg Waddell of the ISP Sports Network. 

"CHECKING" NORTHERN MICHIGAN
The Wildcats come to Oxford after a wild weekend of hockey in South Bend. Northern Michigan was swept by the Fighting Irish (9-5, 5-2) but still managed to score seven goals against, Notre Dame goalie, Jordan Pearce. The Wildcats enter the weekend with an11-15-4 record on the season and an 8-12-4 mark in the CCHA. Northern Michigan is currently in eighth-place in the conference standings with 23 points and is looking to hold on to home ice advantage in the first round of the CCHA tournament. Northern Michigan has stepped up since the calendar changed to 2009. The Wildcats have an 8-3-1 record in 2009 and before being swept by Notre Dame last weekend, Northern Michigan was unbeaten in seven consecutive games. The schedule has also not been favorable for the Wildcats since the start of the New Year as the two-game set with Miami will be the fourth road series for Northern Michigan against a ranked opponent. 

The RedHawks hold a record of 14-28-2 all-time against Northern Michigan including a 7-9-1 mark against the Wildcats in Oxford.  The RedHawks have won six of the last eight games between the two teams and have not lost to the Wildcats in Oxford, since Nov. 11, 2006.

THE REDHAWK RUNDOWN
- The sweep against Lake Superior State University, last weekend was only the second time the RedHawks have swept the Lakers in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

- With their win on Feb. 13 the senior class now has 100 wins making hockey only the fourth sport in Miami history to have a class with 100 wins.

- The game-winning goal on Feb. 13 was scored by Vincent LoVerde (Chicago, Ill.) and was the first goal of his career. This is not a first for the RedHawks however as Brandon Smith earned his first goal Nov. 15 against Michigan State. Smith's tally was also a game winner.

Justin Mercier

- Justin Mercier (Erie, Pa.) is only two points away from becoming the first Miami hockey player with 100 points and 100 wins.

- Carter Camper (Rocky River, Ohio) earned his fourth game-winning goal of the season on Feb. 14 with his first period power-play goal. Camper now has 18 points and 18 assists on the season, 10 of his goals and 10 assists have come on the power play. Camper leads the CCHA in power-play points with 20.

- Pat Cannone (Bayport, N.Y.) equaled his point total from a season ago by picking up the first assist on Camper's game-winning goal on Feb. 14. Cannone now has 30 points this season in 30 games. Last season, Cannone needed 41 games to collect 30 points.

- Connor Knapp (York, N.Y.) posted his second shutout of the season on Feb. 14 as he recorded 27 saves against Lake Superior State University. The shutout is the fourth of the season for Miami.

- Cody Reichard (Celina, Ohio) earned his first win of 2009 on Feb. 13 holding the Lakers to one goal on 27 shots. The start was the first for Reichard since Jan. 16 (Michigan State in Oxford.)

- Kevin Roeder (Glenview, Ill.) picked up two assists on the weekend and extended his positive plus/minus streak to five games with a +1 on Friday and a +2 on Saturday. Roeder also has a three game point streak going and it is the longest of the season for the senior defenseman. 

THE DARKNESS IS COMING
Friday Feb. 27, the Miami Ice Hockey team will host the Ohio State Buckeyes and students and fans are encouraged to help "Blackout the Buckeyes". The blackout promotion is part of Miami Bicentennial Celebration and is being billed as "The Bicentennial Blackout". The promotion is part of a fundraiser for Miami's new student center and Bicentennial Blackout T-Shirts will be sold the week of the game.

Kevin Roeder

REDHAWK SPECIAL TEAMS
The RedHawk special teams units are currently rated the best in the CCHA. Miami leads the conference and the nation on the penalty kill with a unit that is successful on 90.6 percent (173/191) of power plays for opposing teams. The RedHawks also have a solid power-play unit that is currently ranked second in the CCHA with a 19.2-percent (37/193) success rate. Miami has two of the top three power-play point-scorers in the CCHA this season in Carter Camper (Rocky River, Ohio) and Pat Cannone (Bayport, N.Y.). Camper is tied for first in the conference with 20 points (10-10-20) with the man advantage and Cannone is third with 19 (5-14-19).  This season, Miami is 11-5-3 when it scores on the power play, 8-4-1 when they are perfect on the penalty kill and 6-2-1 when they do both in the same game.
                                                                                                     
IN THE RANKINGS
Miami is currently ranked fifth in the USCHO and CBS College Sports Division I men's hockey poll. The RedHawks have moved up and down in the Top 10 this season but have been ranked within the nation's Top 10 for 43 consecutive weeks. During this run, the RedHawks have been ranked as the nation's No. 1 team for ten weeks. Miami has also been ranked in the Top 10 for 78 of the last 86 weeks and has been ranked No. 1 11 times. This season, Miami has played 10 games against ranked opponents and holds an overall record of 6-3-1 boasting two shutout (Notre Dame - Oct. 24, Michigan - Nov. 21) both by freshman Cody Reichard (Celina, Ohio)

NEXT UP
The RedHawks finish the regular season as they started it with a home-and-home series against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Friday, Feb. 27 the Buckeyes will travel to Oxford to take on the RedHawks at 7:35 p.m. and Saturday the Red and White will faceoff with the Scarlet and Gray in Columbus at 7:05 p.m. The game on Friday will be televised by the Ohio News Network and shown live on the NHL Network in the United States.