Junior tri-captain Reilly Smith celebrates his hat trick goal Friday night during a 3-1 Miami victory over Western Michigan University. Smith had four goals in the series as the ’Hawks recorded their first home sweep against the Broncos and their third of the season. (BLAKE WILSON | The Miami Student)
The Miami University hockey team swept the No. 8 ranked Western Michigan University Broncos over the weekend, moving them into a second place tie with Western Michigan in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) standings.
The 'Hawks won the first game 3-1 behind junior forward Reilly Smith's hat trick. The Red and White then won the second game 4-0, scoring three goals in the third period.
Senior goalie Connor Knapp started both games in the series, only allowing one goal, which came on a power play opportunity.
"I think the first thing is solid team playing," Knapp said. "I'm just trying to make the saves I am supposed to make and mix in a few that maybe I shouldn't have had."
His shutout in the second game was his second of the season and the 10th of his career. He has now won six straight games and has allowed only three goals in his last five starts. He finished with 48 saves for the series.
"Since he won't brag, he [Connor Knapp] has been on fire lately," freshman forward Jimmy Mullin said. "It really didn't matter how many shots they had. When you have a hot goalie, it makes playing up front easier."
The first game was dominated by the line of Smith, Mullin and freshman forward Austin Czarnik. The group combined for all eight of Miami's points during the game.
Czarnik assisted on all of Smith's goals while Mullin assisted on two of them. Smith's hat trick was his second this season and the third of his career.
Czarnik tied a career high with three points and set a career high with three assists. Mullin set a career high with two assists while tying his career high of two points.
Smith also scored his second shorthanded goal of the year and the team's sixth. Smith went on to add a goal in the second game to give him 18 on the year, which leads the CCHA.
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"It's got to be [Jimmy] Mullin," Smith said of his line's recent play. "As soon as we added him to the line, it was instant chemistry."
The RedHawks outshot the Broncos in the first game 31-27. Despite winning 4-0, the team was outshot 22-19 in the second game. The 19 shots are the third fewest the team has had this year. Miami killed eight of Western Michigan's nine power play opportunities as well.
The first two periods of the second game saw only one goal, which was scored by Smith.
However, in the third period the Red and White went on a scoring spree. Knapp made a great save on a breakaway, giving the 'Hawks a chance to start one of their own.
Freshman defender Ben Paulides found a streaking Mullin, who was able to put the puck in the back of the net. Knapp was also credited with an assist on the play.
Later in the third period, the RedHawks managed to score twice within a 24-second span. Senior forward Alden Hirschfeld scored on another breakaway goal while being assisted by freshmen forwards Cody Murphy and Blake Coleman.
The team would quickly score again when freshman forward Tyler Biggs scored after receiving a pass from senior forward Trent Vogelhuber.
"The game tonight, you could tell there wasn't a lot to give," Head Coach Enrico Blasi said of Saturday's game. "Both teams were being stingy and playing good team defense, not giving you much room to do anything. All in all, it was probably a lot tighter game than the score indicated. I thought our guys played hard tonight, and it is a huge win for us."
The RedHawks return to the ice next weekend when they host Northern Michigan University Friday and Saturday.
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