Freshman defenseman Ben Paulides (28) and sophomore forward Bryon Paulazzo pile on senior defenseman Chris Wideman after his goal Saturday against Michigan State University. Wideman had two goals in the series. (Mike Pearson | Miami University Athletic Department)
The RedHawks earned their first ever Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Tournament victories over the Michigan State University (MSU) Spartans in a 6-0 Friday night decision and 4-1 Saturday win for the playoff quarterfinals sweep.
The RedHawks had been 0-9 all time against MSU in the CCHA Tournament.
The Red and White will head back to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit for the third straight year, marking the second time in program history the team has made it to "The Joe" three consecutive years.
Miami will face Western Michigan University, a team the 'Hawks swept back in January.
"We felt in our locker room we would be a better team in January, a better team in February, a better team in March if everybody just stuck to the plan and continued to do what we were asking," Head Coach Enrico Blasi said.
The scoring came early and often for Miami on Friday as freshman forward Jimmy Mullin got the RedHawks going 12 seconds into the game, finding the net off an assist from classmate Austin Czarnik.
Senior defenseman Chris Wideman, freshman forward Tyler Biggs and freshman forward Blake Coleman all got into the action in the second period, each netting a goal for the 'Hawks.
Mullin also scored his second goal of the game in the second period giving him his second career multi-goal game.
Junior forward Curtis McKenzie finished the scoring for Miami with a power play goal at the 10:13 mark in the third period. Miami also killed a 5-on-3 power play in the period to preserve senior goalie Connor Knapp's shutout.
The shutout makes Knapp the sole record holder for career shutouts at Miami with 13. The shutout was also Knapp's fifth of the season, a career high.
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"[The team] makes my job easy," Knapp said. "If I can come up with one or two big saves, that's usually enough to win the game and then just stop the routine shots."
The Spartans were ready for battle Saturday night, applying pressure early to Knapp and keeping Miami off the scoreboard until almost six minutes into the game.
Junior forward Reilly Smith got the scoring going with a goal off Mullin and Wideman assists. Mullin extended his point streak to a career high five games on the play.
But despite scoring first and keeping the game tied, the RedHawks were not happy with the first period.
"We didn't get the start we wanted to, ending the period tied, but we had a great second period and that really helped us close it down," Smith said.
The second period was once again key for the RedHawks as another burst of goals deflated the Spartans.
The Red and White scored three times in the time frame and Smith extended his career-long point streak to eight games with an assist, as Miami cruised to victory and a berth in the CCHA semifinals.
"When one line sees another line score, they want to come out and do the same thing and contribute and be part of the success," Wideman said. "It's contagious with our team right now and it's great."
Miami secured their eighth straight victory with the sweep. The team has not lost since being swept at the University of Michigan Feb. 3-4.
"At this time in the year, it's not about practicing or anything like that, it's about getting physically and mentally ready to go on the weekend," Blasi said. "We'll be ready to go."
Puck drop is set for 4:35 p.m. Friday in Detroit against Western Michigan. Depending on the outcome of the game, Miami will play either at 3:35 p.m. or 7:35 p.m. Saturday.
"We're not looking to match up with other teams, we want them to match up against us," Smith said. "We're going to play our own game no matter who we play."
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