THIRD-RANKED MIAMI ENDS SAINT STREAK 4-3

Nov. 24: Third-ranked Miami University scored goals just under three minutes apart midway through the third period and sophomore goaltender Jeff Zatkoff made 45 saves as the RedHawks snapped St. Lawrence University’s five-game win streak with a 4-3 win in a NCAA Division I college hockey game at SLU’s Appleton Arena Friday night.

 

Miami won its fourth straight and improves to 11-4-0 on the season. The Saints, 4-0-1 in its last five meetings with Miami , is now 6-4 after playing its fifth one-goal game in a row.

 

“That was a tremendous hockey game,” said Saint coach Joe Marsh. “It was one we certainly would have liked to have won, but Miami is a great team with outstanding talent and I think both teams played excellent hockey.”

 

The Saints jumped out to the early lead with a power play goal just 1:24 into the game as freshman Mike McKenzie tapped in his third of the season as he picked up a rebound of a shot by sophomore Casey Parenteau after Zatkoff made the initial save.

 

The RedHawk power play put Miami in front as Nathan Davis tied the game, hitting a wide-open net after controlling a rebound at 3:15 and Matt Christie scored his first of the year on a power play at 8:22 to make it a 2-1 game.

 

The Saints had a ton of chances in a wide open and entertaining first period as SLU outshot Miami 23-13 with Zatkoff making 22 saves.

 

Saint goalie Justin Pesony kept it a one-goal game 2:35 into the second period when he made a one-on-one save on Justin Mercier who was in on a shorthanded breakaway.

 

St. Lawrence tied the game on a five-on-three power play midway through the second period as McKenzie fed freshman Sean Flanagan in the slot and Flanagan rifled his second of the year under the crossbar at 11:07 . It was the fourth straight goal that Flanagan had figured in over the last two games.

 

Nino Musitelli snapped the tie for the RedHawks at 10:46 of the third period when he snapped a power play shot past Pesony and Jarod Palmer gave Miami a 4-2 lead when he scored the game’s first even-strength goal at 13:19 . The Saints came right back with junior Charlie Giffin scoring his sixth of the season just 38 seconds later to make it 4-3, but SLU could get no closer despite pulling Pesony for an extra attacker with a minute to play.

 

“We need to build on the effort tonight,” said Marsh. “We made a couple of mistakes, but generally we played very well against an excellent hockey team. They are very strong five-on-five and their special teams play is outstanding. I think we can take a lot out of tonight’s game.”