Top Ranked Miami Scores Late to Earn First CCHA Win

The Miami RedHawks and Michigan State Spartans opened their CCHA seasons on Friday night at Steve Cady Arena, both looking to continue their strong starts to the 2009-10 season.

Michigan State earned a series split with the University of Maine last weekend, while the top-ranked RedHawks won the first and tied the second game against the University of New Hampshire.

Miami had an early chance to get on top in the first period, when Michigan State freshman Zach Golembiewski was called for an interference penalty eight minutes in. The RedHawks managed only two shots on net with the man advantage, seeing Spartan goalie Bobby Jarosz turn away both of them to keep the game scoreless.

Michigan State got their chance on the power play 17:43 into the first period on a Miami penalty to senior Jarod Palmer, but saw their three shots saved by Miami netminder Cody Reichard. Michigan State earned the advantage in shots on net 8-7 in the first period, but both goalies stood tall to keep the game scoreless going into the second.

After a back-and-forth first period, both teams looked to control the game in the second. The Spartans got a great chance to go on top 49 seconds into the period, when junior Andrew Rowe earned a rare penalty shot when he was tripped on a breakaway attempt by Miami defender Chris Wideman. Rowe’s penalty shot forced a great save from Miami goalie Cody Reichard to keep the game scoreless.

Michigan State went on the power play for the second time in the game at 1:07 of the second period, after a Miami penalty to freshman defender Steven Spinell. The Spartans put five shots on net with the man advantage, but saw all of them be turned away by Reichard.

With the game still scoreless, Miami took advantage of back-to-back penalties by Spartan skaters Trevor Nill and Torey Krug to tally the first goal of the game on a 5-on-3 power play. Junior forward Tommy Wingels fired a one-time shot past Spartan goalie Bobby Jarosz after a pass from Pat Cannone found an open Wingels in front of the net.

The lead for the RedHawks lasted less than four minutes. The Spartans tallied the goal on the power play, their third one of the period. Michigan State freshman Derek Grant tallied his third goal of the year, when he put a rebound shot from Jeff Petry past Reichard and into the back on the net. An action-packed second period saw two goals, 22 combined shots, and four power plays for each team.

The third period started where the second period left off, as Michigan State went on their seventh power play of the game less than a minute in. The Spartans, who were 1-for-6 on the man advantage, saw only one of their shots make it to Reichard in their first power play of the third period.

Miami, who had also struggled on the man advantage during the first two periods (1-for-5), got their sixth chance with the extra man at 4:20 of the third. Like their counterparts, Miami was unable to take the lead on their power play early in the third period, although putting five shots on MSU goalie Bobby Jarosz.

The second half of the third period saw plenty of action, as the RedHawks were able to keep the pressure on Michigan State. Spartan netminder Bobby Jarosz made five key saves during a one-minute stretch in the third period to keep the game scoreless.

But Miami was able to break through with under two minutes left in the game, when Carter Camper laid the puck behind him for Tommy Wingels, who fired a shot over the shoulder of Jarosz and into the net. The goal was the Miami captains second of the game, and it clinched the win for the RedHawks, 2-1.

“He is our captain for a reason,” said Miami head coach Enrico Blasi of Wingels. “He goes out there and leaves it all on the ice. Tonight he was able to get a couple of goals, one of them took a lucky bounce, but we will take them anyway they come.”

Michigan State goalie Bobby Jarosz made 24 saves in the losing effort.

“I thought Bobby was outstanding, and we lost on a tough goal,” said Michigan State coach Rick Comley. “Overall, I think we’re getting a feel for how we are going to stack up with some good teams, and we are encouraged. We just have to put it all together and win the games like this one.”

Miami netminder Cody Reichard also added 24 saves for the RedHawks.

“Cody had a great game for us in net,” said Blasi. “I think he had two great subtle saves that no one really saw. One of them was in the second period, and one of them was down the stretch in the third. He made some pretty nice saves tonight.”

Miami improves to 4-0-1 on the season and 1-0-0 in the CCHA. Michigan State falls to 3-2-0 and 0-1-0. The two teams meet again tomorrow night in Oxford at 8:05 p.m. Eastern.