After a week off, the RedHawks are set to return to action in the CCHA quarterfinals.
After a turbulent weekend in the opening round of the CCHA playoffs, the Miami University ice hockey team finally knows who its opponent is.
Three of the four first round series went to a decisive game three Sunday night, two of which went into overtime. Once all the dust settled, Bowling Green State University emerged with their tickets punched for Oxford to face the RedHawks.
After a week of waiting in anticipation, Miami's players are ready to return to action.
"We are anxious, excited, and I would be lying if I said we weren't a little nervous too," said senior alternate captain Nathan Davis. "But nerves are good, they keep you sharp and in the moment, which is crucial for this weekend. There are a lot of little things that have to be done all week in order to bring the type of energy we are going to need to come away with two wins."
Bowling Green earned its first playoff victory in seven years Friday, March 7 as the team defeated Lake Superior State University 4-3 in game one. Despite dropping Saturday night's game 6-1, the Falcons retaliated Sunday evening downing the Lakers 4-3 to move on to the quarterfinals.
In earlier action, Miami split its 2007-08 series against the Falcons in Bowling Green with a 4-2 loss Jan. 4, but bounced back the following night skating to a 5-2 victory.
However, the results of the previous match-up against the Falcons are completely irrelevant to the RedHawks, as they understand statistics are simply numbers and no indication of what the outcome will be this weekend.
"Numbers don't win playoff games, people do," Davis said. "We try to look past everything that has happened up to this point, whether it has been good or bad."
The Red and White is approaching the weekend as it has done for every game this season; and with a proven game plan, the team has racked up the most wins during a single season in school history.
"We are treating this weekend like any other," Davis said. "They are a good team but like every other team they have tendencies and a game plan that we have to be prepared to play against."
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With the advantage of playing in their home rink of the Goggin Ice Center, the 'Hawks are looking forward to playing an important game in front of trusted supporters. Fans have weathered the cold outdoors many times this season just to watch their favorite team take the ice, and the RedHawks expect another sold out crowd for this weekend's series. The Red and White finished the regular season with a home record of 14-3-1, and look to carry that success over to the post-season.
"Anytime we don't have to travel and get to sleep in our own beds it is a big advantage for us," said junior goaltender Jeff Zatkoff. "Being able to play in our rink in front of our fans takes a lot less pressure off of us."
Nevertheless, despite the advantage of playing at home, the Red and White knows it is going up against a BGSU team that should not be taken lightly.
"They are a good offensive team," Zatkoff said. "If we give them too many chances they are going to make us pay, so we have to make sure we focus on controlling the puck and eliminating their chances."
Despite a little nervousness, the RedHawks are confident with the weekend and the challenges that lie ahead of them, recognizing the magnitude of playoff games and everything that remains at stake.
"From here on out we can't afford to lose," Zatkoff said. "The stakes of every game are raised and it's either win or go home."
In other CCHA match-ups this weekend, Ferris State University will play the University of Notre Dame, Northern Michigan will play Michigan State University, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha will play the University of Michigan. It took the Nebraska Mavericks three overtime periods to steal the victory from Alaska, making it the ninth longest game in NCAA Men's Division I hockey.
The puck is set to drop at 7:35 p.m. Friday and 7:05 p.m. Saturday . Should the series go to a decisive game three, the teams will play again at a time that has yet to be determined Sunday night. Tickets for the best-of-three series are available through the RedHawks Web site, www.MURedHawks.com or by calling 866-MUHawks.
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