RedHawks need to regroup

Top-seeded Miami will have to look past a 5-2 loss to the Michigan Wolverines, captain says.

Michigan's Lee Moffie (13) scores on Miami goaltender Cody Reichard during the second period of a Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament game Friday, March 19, in Detroit. Associated Press photo by Jerry S. Mendoza

Jerry S. Mendoza/FRE Michigan's Lee Moffie (13) scores on Miami goaltender Cody Reichard during the second period of a Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament game Friday, March 19, in Detroit. Associated Press photo by Jerry S. Mendoza

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 1:20 AM Saturday, March 20, 2010

DETROIT — The Miami University hockey team tried to look at the big picture.

But it’s tough to be philosophical when you’ve just been snapped, crackled and popped on the ice by the same team that has done it so many times before.

Miami coach Enrico Blasi said he told the players — following the top-seeded RedHawks’ 5-2 loss to the seventh-seeded Michigan Wolverines — that “things happen for a reason. Now we have to learn from it. They have a game (today), and they’ll have some games next week, hopefully.”

The Wolverines turned a close game into a rout by scoring three goals in less than three minutes early in the third period of its semifinal contest in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament Friday night, March 19, at Joe Louis Arena.

The Wolverines (24-17-1), the preseason CCHA favorites who own 69 victories over Miami, had not lived up to expectations until these past few weeks. Now they will play Northern Michigan in the title game at 7:35 p.m. today. The winner will earn an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.

Miami (26-7-7), which already had wrapped up an NCAA berth and a high seed even before the CCHA postseason began, will play Ferris State in the third-place game at 3:35 p.m. today.

A victory over Ferris State would help the RedHawks make a case for themselves for earning an NCAA regional berth in Fort Wayne, Ind., which is much closer to Oxford than the other three regional sites.

“We’ve got to regroup,” said Miami captain Tommy Wingels, who scored the RedHawks’ first goal. “We have to focus on the game tomorrow and getting a (good) spot in the regionals.”

Kevin Lynch scored two goals for Michigan, and Carl Hagelin and Matt Rust each had three assists. But it was the goal by junior defenseman Tristin Llewellyn’s 8:50 into the first period that seem to knock the RedHawks back on their heels.

“That first goal was very important for us,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said. “(Miami is) a great team, and if they get momentum early, no one in our league can skate with them.”

Another Michigan defenseman, freshman Lee Moffie, scored to put the Wolverines on top 2-0 in the second period. Wingels’ goal shaved that lead to one with 3:05 left in the period.

Then two goals by Lynch and one by Brian Lebler made it 5-1, and just like that it was over. Miami’s Trent Vogelhuber concluded the scoring with a power-play goal in the closing minutes.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

Today’s game

Who: Miami RedHawks (26-7-7, 21-2-5-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) vs. Ferris State Bulldogs (21-12-6, 13-9-6-4) in CCHA tournament third-place game

When: 3:35 p.m.

Where: Joe Louis Arena (20,066), Detroit

TV: None

Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WKVB-AM (1490)

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