Miami hockey travels to Ferris State for the first series of the new season

After a disappointing end to an even more disappointing season, the Miami University Athletic Department decided a change was necessary. Out went the old guard, and in came the new, led by the young head coach, Anthony Noreen.

Now, six months after the announcement, RedHawks fans are on the precipice of seeing their favorite team take the ice for the first time under the new regime. A trip to Big Rapids, MI, to take on the Ferris State University Bulldogs is where they will do that.

The history between these two programs is rich. Before moving to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), the RedHawks were part of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), which the Bulldogs are currently part of.

Both programs struggled in their respective conferences last season. Miami finished with seven wins and just one in conference play. The Bulldogs finished the year at 10-24-2 with a conference record of 6-17-1.

Miami’s record against Ferris State is a close 49-46-17 margin. Last season, these two played in the opening games of the year. The RedHawks blew a 4-1 lead in the first game but held strong with a 5-2 victory the next day.

Despite the Bulldogs' poor record last season, they’re still a team that plays the RedHawks close. Noreen knows not to underestimate an opponent who has kept games close in the past.

“They’re a big team, they’re a heavy team, they play hard [and] they do a really good job of getting pucks and bodies to the net offensively,” Noreen said. “From what we’ve seen, they’re really good on special teams. I don’t think there’s an area where you can say, ‘They’re really weak here.’ They’re a well-structured, well-coached team, as they always have been going back to the CCHA days.”

While it is the first series of Noreen’s coaching career at Miami, it’s not the first time many current Miami players, including graduate student forward Ryan Sullivan, have seen this Ferris State team.

“It’s a hard place to play on the road,” Sullivan said. “They do a good job with the small rink. So we just have to come in ready to fight. We learned a lot from this series last year. Getting off to a good start will be huge for us, especially on Friday.”

The Bulldogs lost their top two scorers, Antonio Venuto, who transferred to Merrimack College, and Luigi Benincasa, who moved on to Minnesota State University. Junior defenseman Travis Shoudy, the team’s third-highest scorer from last season with 21 points in 36 games, was named captain for the upcoming year.

The RedHawks are looking to start their season on a high note against a team they’ve had a narrow margin of success against through the years. With a new coach at the helm and a new breath of life in the program, this two-game series will set the tone for what’s to come.

Both games start at 8:07 p.m. on Oct. 4 and 5.