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’Hawks sweep OSU

Miami goalie Jay Williams is 3-0 this season. Williams has allowed just one even strength goal this year.

Photo by Angelo Gelfuso

By Steven Perkins, Staff Writer

The No. 10 Miami University hockey team swept then-No. 17 Ohio State University after a 5-1 win in Columbus Friday and a 2-1 win at home Saturday. The pair of wins marks three straight for Miami and brings its record to 3-1.

Miami's special teams flourished Friday as the RedHawks scored on their first three power plays.

Junior forward Riley Barber and Sean Kuraly both capitalized on the man advantage in the first period. Senior forward Alex Wideman scored again on the power play in the second. Ohio State managed one goal in the third period, but seniors Ben Paulides and Blake Coleman put the game away, adding one tally each late in the third period.

Sean Kuraly, who is originally from Dublin, Ohio, finished the night with one goal and two assists.

"I think coach told me to calm down about five times before the game," Kuraly said. "It's just fun to be home in front of a lot of family and friends."

Head coach Enrico Blasi said the work ethic helped drive the success on the power play.

"You have to outwork the penalty killers," Blasi said, "And you have to execute plays, that's the bottom line."

Blasi said the game was closer than it may have appeared.

"Don't look at the score," Blasi said. "We got a couple lucky bounces there at the end. But this was a tight game."

Almost exactly the opposite was Saturday. Miami only won 2-1, despite outshooting the Buckeyes 62-20. Ohio State played a strong first period and finished the frame up 1-0. The next two periods were all Miami. The RedHawks shooting gallery including a 25-shot second period.

Wideman gave credit to Ohio State sophomore goaltender Christian Frey for his play.

"Their goalie played really, really well," Wideman said. "Obviously, 60 saves so he was doing something right … Not every game is the goalie going to play like that."

Wideman had the game-winning goal in the second period on a rebound, which he took behind the net for a wraparound to beat Frey on the far post. He finished the weekend with two goals and one assist.

Sophomore goaltender Jay Williams said seeing a goaltender like Frey can sometimes add pressure to perform.

"You see your guys at the other end putting up that many shots and the other goalie's making saves so it's motivation for you," Williams said. "You don't want to let your team down."

Despite the one sided shot count, the game ended with Ohio State within one.

"Obviously, their goaltender played extremely well," Blasi said. "We did a lot of good things tonight, but it was exciting there at the end for sure."

Williams picked up his third win of the season. He is undefeated and