RedHawks want to get on top of teams early on

While Miami has shown it can come back when needed, fast starts mean a lot, Wingels says.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 11:48 PM Wednesday, March 17, 2010

OXFORD — Miami University’s hockey players are hoping for a fast start Friday night, March 19.

The RedHawks, ranked second nationally, have had a knack for dominating opponents this season, but usually not in the first period.

“You always want to start the game as best you can,” Miami junior captain Tommy Wingels said. “Sometimes you have to weather other team’s storms ... Teams are going to get on runs.”

“It’s important against anybody to get off to a fast start,” said Miami coach Enrico Blasi, whose team faces the 17th-ranked Michigan Wolverines in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association semifinals. “That will be our focus, to play 60 minutes.”

The RedHawks have scored just 29 goals in the first period this year, compared to 61 in the second and 46 in the third. They have outscored the opposition by 12 goals in the first period, by 30 goals in the second, by 26 goals in the third.

Slow starts were a problem early in the season, when Miami fell behind in the first period in five of its first 10 games.

On Jan. 15, however, the RedHawks’ 4-0 victory at Ferris State began an overpowering run of 11 games in which they went 10-0-1 and outscored opponents 52-17.

But in their CCHA second-round series against Ohio State, Miami got off to a slow start, falling behind the Buckeyes 2-1 in the first period of Game 1 and 2-0 in the first period of Game 2.

Miami did come back both times, winning the first game 6-2 and forcing overtime before losing the second contest 5-4.

“On Sunday night we did fight pretty hard (early),” Wingels said of Miami’s 2-1 victory over Ohio State in the series finale, “but Saturday night, they took it to us.”

If slow starts have been a weakness, the ability to come from behind has been one of the RedHawks’ great strengths.

“We’re a confident team,” Wingels said. “If we get behind, we feel we can still come back.”

Miami has trailed in 17 games this season, including 11 times in the first period, but has come back to win or tie 11 of those 17.

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

Next game

Who: Miami RedHawks (26-6-7, 21-2-5-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) vs. Michigan Wolverines (23-17-1, 14-13-1-0 CCHA) in CCHA tournament semifinals

When: 8:05 p.m. Friday, March 19

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

Saturday: Friday’s winner plays at 7:35 p.m. in the championship game, the loser plays at 3:35 p.m. in the third-place game.

TV: Big Ten Network

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

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