No. 14 Ohio State completed a two-game sweep of the No. 11 Miami RedHawks with a 5-3 victory Saturday in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes were led by junior R.J. Umberger, who posted three points in the game for a seven-point weekend. Chris Olsgard scored the winner for the Buckeyes in the third period.
The Buckeyes improve to 10-4-1 overall and 7-2-1 in CCHA play. The RedHawks drop to 12-5-1 overall and 7-4-1 in the league. The weekend sweep moves OSU into a tie for third place in the league.
The Buckeyes dominated the early part of the first period, putting eight shots on net before Miami had one of its own. The RedHawks got on the board first, however, as Matt Davis scored on the power play at the 12:59 mark. The Buckeyes’ best chance came when Daymen Bencharski beat Miami goalie David Burleigh but hit the post. OSU outshot the RedHawks in the period, 10-6.
OSU tied the game in the second period when Umberger beat Burleigh through the five-hole from the right point after a Scott May faceoff win at the 8:20 mark. OSU outshot the RedHawks in the period, 13-4.
The game opened up in the third period, as the teams combined for six goals. Miguel Lafleche gave OSU its first lead of the game 33 seconds into the stanza with OSU on the power play. Lafleche took a pass from Paul Caponigri and beat Burleigh high.
The RedHawks responded with a goal by Greg Hogeboom at the 4:58 mark, but Dave Steckel regained the Buckeyes’ lead with a shorthanded goal at 7:44 after stealing the puck deep in the RedHawk zone. Miami tied the game again, as Mike Kompon scored less than a minute later (8:21).
With OSU on the power play, Chris Olsgard took a long pass from Ryan Kesler and skated in on Burleigh, sliding the puck past the RedHawk goalie for the eventual game winner. Pete Broccoli also assisted on the goal, which was scored at 14:23.
May put the game out of reach with a power-play tally of his own with just 42 seconds remaining, as he one-timed a pass from Caponigri on a two-on-one. Umberger set up the play, leading Caponigri into the RedHawk zone. OSU put 10 shots on net in the stanza, Miami nine.
The Buckeyes scored a season-high four power-play goals, as they converted four of 11 power-play chances. OSU held Miami scoreless on 7-of-8 opportunities and stopped 12-of-13 RedHawk power-play chances in the two-game series.
In net, OSU goalie Mike Betz recorded the win, making 16 saves. Burleigh had 28 saves in the loss.
“Miami is a good hockey club,” said OSU coach John Markell. “When you are playing within the CCHA you have to defend your home ice. They have guys that can score, who have a lot of talent. It was a good game and definitely better than last night’s game.”
“I thought it was a good game,” said Miami coach Enrico Blasi. “It was a lot more intense tonight (than Friday night).
“I thought it was two good teams and you have to come to play every night and it is always tough playing a team in the CCHA.”
