OXFORD, Ohio — Yes, a postgame blog. So much easier to do this after a road game. Just me, my Bluetooth speaker, some music, sports streaming on my tablet, and my thoughts.
Eight of them.
8 THOUGHTS
1. There’s no way to sugarcoat that start. It was unacceptable in every way. Miami won the opening faceoff and, after UMD got possession, forced a turnover at the blue line. Jack Clement got a shot through that Zach Stejskal made a pad save on, but PJ Fletcher was open at the right post and stuffed home the rebound. Poor exit, then poor coverage, and the goalie was hung out to dry.
Then on the next shift, UMD got the puck into the Miami zone, but failed to get it below the goal line. Dylan Moulton outletted (yeah, not a word, whatever) the puck to John Waldron, and with Quinn Olson — who is not a defenseman and was towards the end of his shift — as the primary defender, Waldron bullied his way to the goal and beat Stejskal to make it 2-0 65 seconds into the game.
It didn’t get much better as the first period went on. UMD was outshot 14-7, didn’t have the puck much, and generated little consistent pressure in the Miami zone against a team that conceded 27 goals in its first six league games.
2. The Bulldogs wasted no time asserting themselves in the second period. UMD may have sustained more zone time in the first five minutes of the second than it had the entire first period. And Ben Steeves made sure that all the hard work down low wasn’t going to go unrewarded.
Steeves struck twice, the first barely 100 seconds into the period after constant pressure led to him tipping an Owen Gallatin shot by Miami goalie Logan Neaton. Then three seconds into the game’s first power play, Steeves hammered a one-timer that squirted by Neaton to tie the score.
UMD held the puck for most of the rest of the period, but couldn’t generate a go-ahead goal in the second. That said, despite losing 16 of 21 faceoffs, UMD was back on level terms and playing much better.
After a strong second period, UMD wasn’t as sharp in the third. Miami had more possession time in the third, and UMD struggled to hold pucks and pressure the RedHawks. The teams traded goals (Cole Spicer for UMD and Fletcher for Miami) 1:24 apart early in the third to get us to our final score of 3-3.
UMD had a few looks as the game went on, but Miami did as well. The overtime was mainly uneventful, to be blunt. Not much happening either way, with each team trading some possession time.
3. Stejskal weathered any remaining storms. He saw the puck pretty well after the early problems (which were mostly not his doing), and he was a big part of this team being able to steady the ship enough to get two points.
The big goaltender made a couple big stops late in the first period, pucks that could have extended Miami’s lead. And if that happens, the rest of the night may have looked awfully different. His defense blocked 16 shot attempts, and UMD found a way to get a shootout win thanks to goals by Olson and Steeves, improving the Bulldogs to 4-0 in shootouts this season, though this was the first one that wasn’t for funsies.
Oh, and Steeves’ goal was pretty ridiculous. Enjoy.
Look Ma, one hand! 🤯
Steeves showing off with his shootout move and winner! 🔥#NCHChockey // #NCHCTopPlay @UMDMensHockey // #BulldogCountry pic.twitter.com/nKofBshs0T
— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) December 9, 2023
4. UMD made some power play changes. Steeves’ power play goal literally came three seconds into a man advantage, and the second power play wasn’t as good, but we’ll see if the changes made by the coaching staff stick. The new first unit was Matthew Perkins, Olson, Steeves, Kyle Bettens, and Aaron Pionk. Their goal couldn’t have been simpler. Perkins won the draw, Pionk got the puck to Steeves, and Steeves scored.
Just like you draw it up.
Miami’s power play was content — probably too much so — to possess the puck in the offensive zone and try to break UMD down.
Didn’t work.
We’ll see if they’re more aggressive in the Saturday rematch.
5. I’m sure UMD coach Scott Sandelin is going to remind his players of that poor start. If anything, it was reasonable to think it would be Miami starting slowly, as the RedHawks hadn’t played a league game since Nov. 18 and no game of any kind since Nov. 26 at Mercyhurst. It was UMD playing last weekend while Miami was off, and just like the Bulldogs started slowly last Friday against Omaha before finding their game, Miami had every reason to start slowly in this game.
The opposite happened, and there’s no really good reason for it. Yeah, finals are coming, for players on both teams. I know UMD has dealt with some illnesses (mainly to the staff, as I understand it), but the Bulldogs picked their play up as the game went on. A fast start and a tail-off after that would make one think there’s a sickness problem. So I’m left with a 🤷♂️ on this one. I’m just glad they bounced back with a strong second period, one of their better ones so far.
6. Around the NCHC Friday, St. Cloud State stayed perfect in league play, knocking off Omaha 4-1 at Baxter Arena. Verner Miettinen, Ryan Rosborough, Dylan Anhorn, and Kyler Kupka scored in support of Dominic Basse (27 saves). The Huskies expanded their league lead because …
Noah Laba’s second goal of the game came in overtime, as Colorado College rallied from 2-0 down to upset No. 1 North Dakota 3-2 in Grand Forks. The Fighting Hawks got goals from Dylan James and Louie Jamernik V, but Laba and and Max Burkholder had the game tied before the second period ended.
In Kalamazoo, Western Michigan scored the last four goals of the game and beat Denver 7-3. Sam Colangelo had a hat trick for the Broncos, while Miko Mattikka scored twice for Denver. The Pioneers have shown the ability to score, but they are struggling in a major un-Denver-like way to keep the puck out of their own net.
7. Really nice win for the UMD women on Friday, as the Bulldogs used 37 Eve Gascon saves and a Tova Henderson power play goal in overtime to knock off St. Cloud State 2-1. It was the pitchers’ duel we expected, as Gascon and SCSU’s JoJo Chobak kept the game scoreless until Nina Jobst-Smith beat her old teammate from just outside the blue line to get UMD on the board.
Henderson then got the Bulldogs a key win after SCSU leveled the game in the third period.
The win moves UMD to 3-3-1 in this stretch of eight games against ranked adversaries to close out the first half of the season. The teams meet Saturday at 3pm before the Bulldogs are off for a nearly month-long holiday break.
8. Before I go, a quick shoutout to the folks in Hibbing. The grief over the passing of Adam Johnson was intense, and for many it likely hasn’t dissipated much. But the community showed up in a big way on Tuesday night, as Hibbing/Chisholm’s boys hockey team opened its home schedule against Duluth Denfeld and retired Johnson’s No. 7.
That number will also be retired in the youth program in honor of Johnson.
There are ways you can still help the family. That includes a really slick collection of Adam Johnson-themed clothing that was put out by the folks at Sauce Hockey this week. Proceeds benefit Adam’s family, and you can buy at this link. They’ve done a really nice job putting this together.
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5:30pm pregame again Saturday for the final game before holiday break. Join us, we’ll have some fun on the radio from Oxford. Back pregame with the lines.
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