In a matchup of two college hockey heavyweights, the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks won a round Saturday night against the Denver Pioneers. Come spring, DU may get a rematch.
At least, that’s what both coaches thought could happen after Miami edged the Pioneers 4-2 at Magness Arena to win the Denver Cup championship game.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to see both teams playing each other again at some level in March,” Miami coach Enrico Blasi said.
Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky, who coached Blasi as a player at Miami in the early 1990s, said: “I’ve got a strong feeling we’re going to see them again. There’s no shame in a loss like that. I was proud of our guys, how we competed.”
The Pioneers (6-4-3) took a 1-0 lead just 11 seconds into the game on a perfectly placed slap shot to the far post by Chris Knowlton. But Miami (8-6-2) had the better of play for about the next 30 minutes in building a 3-1 lead.
Then, DU started to get tougher on the puck and cut the lead to 3-2 at 12:07 of the second period on Ty Loney’s first goal of the season. First-line left winger Jason Zucker assisted on the goal, which was heartening to see because he needed help off the ice after the first period following a slash to his right leg.
Zucker would be a key figure in the third period, but not in the way he wanted. For the second time at home this season, he was given a penalty shot (at 7:10 of the third). But Miami goalie Cody Reichard (32 saves) stopped Zucker’s backhander. Zucker was robbed on a doorstep chance with about two minutes left, then Miami sealed the win with an empty-net goal.
“He’s got quite a repertoire of moves,” Reichard said. “So I was just focused on staying on my routine and what I needed to do to make the save.”
Miami’s Reilly Smith was named tourney MVP, although Gwozdecky was shocked it didn’t go to Reichard.
“In my mind, I thought whoever voted for the MVP made a mistake,” Gwozdecky said. “In the last 30 minutes, I thought we were pretty good, but Cody made some great saves. You’ve got to give him full credit.”
The Post’s three stars
1. Cody Reichard.
Miami goalie made 32 saves, including a penalty-shot stop to preserve a 3-2 lead.
2. Austin Czarnik.
Miami freshman had a goal and two assists.
3. Chris Knowlton.
Scored a pretty first goal for DU.
What you might have missed
DU’s Jason Zucker and Zac Larraza left because of leg injuries but returned to finish the game.
Up next
At Colorado College, Friday, 8 p.m.
Adrian Dater, The Denver Post
Miami (Ohio) 2 1 1 — 4
Denver 1 1 0 — 2
First period — 1, Denver, Knowlton 4 (Ostrow), 0:11. 2, Miami, Smith 10 (Czarnick, Wideman), 4:44 (PP). 3, Miami, Czarnik 5 (Wideman), 12:09. Penalties — Weber, M (roughing), 0:09; Jackson, DU (roughing), 0:09; Coleman, M (elbowing), 2:13; Makowski, DU, (cross-checking), 4:22; McKenzie, M (boarding), 5:17; Weber, M (cross-checking), 6:52; Shore, DU (hooking), 7:20; Larraza, DU (tripping), 12:39; Hartman, M (holding), 19:02.
Second period — 4, Miami, Schilling 2 (Kennedy, Czarnik) 10:48. 5, Denver, Loney 1 (D. Shore, Zucker), 12:07. Penalties — Doremus, DU (boarding), 2:37.
Third period — 6, Miami, Vogelhuber 2 (Tiesling) 18:27 (en). Penalties — Weber, M (slashing) 7:10; Tomassoni, M (roughing), 11:06.
Shots — Miami-Ohio 9-13-6 28, DU 8-16-10 34. Goalies — Miami-Ohio, Reichard (5-3-2) 34 shots, 32 saves. DU, Olkinuora (1-1-2) 27-24. Penalty shot — Zucker, DU, 7:10 3rd (missed). A — 5,596.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
Rylan Schwartz hat trick not enough as Colorado College falls 4-3 to North Dakota
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Danny Kristo’s short- handed goal early in the third period was the game-winner as North Dakota survived a second straight hat trick by Colorado College’s Rylan Schwartz to beat the Tigers 4-3 on Saturday.
Kristo’s breakaway goal at 6:09 of the third period staked the Fighting Sioux (6-7-1, 4-6-0 WCHA) to a 4-2 lead.
Schwartz scored his third goal of the game to pull Colorado College (7-4-0, 5-4-0) within a goal. Schwartz also had three goals in Friday’s 7-6 win by North Dakota. Jaden Schwartz had two assists for the second straight night.
It was UND’s first sweep of the season.
“It felt like a playoff game out there,” said UND’s Corban Knight, who had a goal and an assist.
Air Force 4, Connecticut 3
AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Tim Kirby scored two goals as Air Force completed a two-game sweep of UConn.
Air Force improved to 7-4-2 overall and 6-2-1 in the AHA and climbed back into first place in the league with 13 points.
Denver Post staff & wire reports
