Forward Brian Kaufman and the RedHawks were unable to collect a victory at Ferris State, losing 6-5 Friday and 3-1 Saturday. MU is now tied for second in the CCHA.
Suffering its first sweep of the 2007-08 season, the Miami University hockey team (25-6-1 overall, 17-6-1 CCHA) fell to Ferris State University in a two game series, dropping Friday night's contest 6-5 and Saturday night's 3-1.
This is the first time that the RedHawks have been swept since March 9-10, 2007, when Lake Superior State University ousted Miami in the second round of the CCHA Tournament.
With the sweep at the hands of the Bulldogs, the RedHawks fell to No. 5 in the USCHO.com national poll.
"It's not time to hit the panic button," said senior captain Ryan Jones. "This team has a lot of talent and character; we just need to get back to what won us games."
Jones netted his third hat trick of the season Friday night, scoring goals number 25, 26 and 27 on the year, pushing him in front of Michigan's Kevin Porter for the nation's lead in goals scored. Coming out to a slow start, the RedHawks saw the Bulldogs outshoot them 9-0 in the game's first seven minutes. FSU lit the lamp first as Cody Chupp netted a rebound off the pads of Miami senior goaltender Charlie Effinger.
Scoring a shorthanded goal, FSU's Aaron Lewicki intercepted a Miami pass and banked a wrist shot past Effinger to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 2-0.
"We need to do a better job of being ready to play, but it's hard to come back on any team in the league when down a few goals," Jones said.
As Ferris State scored their third goal just 44 seconds later, the 'Hawks sent in junior goaltender Jeff Zatkoff in relief of Effinger.
Miami finally brought some offensive pressure to the ice as Justin Mercier and Jones gave the RedHawks two goals, pulling the Red and White within one goal of FSU.
"After being down 3-0, we were definitely in a hole and needed some energy to get ourselves back in the game," Mercier said. "There was some traffic in front of the net, but I was able to beat the goalie with a backhand shot through his legs."
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With 49 goals combined, Jones and Mercier are the highest scoring duo in the country.
"Ryan and I feed off each other's energy," Mercier said. "It's important to gain momentum in a hockey game. Ryan and I do a good job of getting the rest of our team pumped up."
With five minutes remaining in the second period, Ferris State's Chupp and Justin Lewandowski made the score 5-2 scoring two power-play goals.
"We were battling to get back into the game all night," Jones said. "I thought we were undisciplined at times and got ourselves into trouble, especially with the five on three late in the game."
Continuing to fight the Bulldogs, Jones and Mercier scored the team's remaining three goals; however it was not enough to cut Ferris State's lead as they dominated the 'Hawks 6-5.
"The team is obviously disappointed," Jones said. "We knew that we hadn't played our best game and that we let another win slip away from us."
Searching to even the score, a vengeful RedHawk team took the ice Saturday night. However, unable to get the job done, Miami saw its winless streak reach four games as the RedHawks were left defeated by the Bulldogs 3-1.
Despite the loss, Zatkoff kept the Red and White holding on as he turned away 18 of the 20 shots FSU put on net.
Ferris State once again opened the scoring with a goal from Mike Fillinger, who put the Bulldogs up 1-0.
The game saw a dull 40-minute period where neither team was able to bring an offensive attack.
With just over 10 minutes remaining in the third period, Miami tied the score at one apiece as junior forward Alexandre Lacombe tallied his fourth goal of the year.
Ferris State broke the tie when defenseman Scott Wietecha scored on a screened Zatkoff. FSU's Chupp solidified the victory for the Bulldogs at 3-1 wiring a shot into an empty Miami cage.
"This season is far from over," Jones said. "By no means are we giving up. Every championship team has to face a little adversity at some point and that is what we are going through now. You will see a new team this weekend, a team ready to compete and do what it takes to win a championship."
The RedHawks will return to the drawing board before facing off against Western Michigan University for a weekend series with the Broncos Feb. 22-23.
The games are set to start at 7:35 p.m. Friday and 7:05 p.m. Saturday night at Steve Cady Arena.
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