RedHawks complete sweep of BGSU with 3-1 win

Solid play is finally starting to produce some better results on the scoreboard for Miami University’s hockey team.

Enrico Blasi’s unit entered the weekend with a 3-4-2 record in its last nine games, and Blasi insisted that the sixth-ranked RedHawks were performing at a high level in every area except actually scoring goals.

MU put up five goals this weekend and swept visiting Bowling Green, completing the six-point series with a 3-1 triumph Saturday night before a crowd of 3,335 at Steve Cady Arena.

“We’ve played four lines the last couple of weekends, and it’s important to get everybody going because you never know which play is going to make the difference,” Blasi said.

“It hasn’t been from lack of effort or not being ready to play,” he added of his team’s scoring struggles in recent weeks. “I like the way our team plays. We make mistakes, no question about it, but we play together and hopefully we can nullify those mistakes with good team play.”

Jimmy Mullin scored twice and Bryon Paulazzo once for Miami, which pushed its record to 15-6-5 overall and 10-4-4 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. It’s been a long drought for both players — Mullin hadn’t scored since Dec. 1, while Paulazzo’s last goal came on Oct. 13.

“Can’t keep us off the board for too long — that was our motto,” Mullin said. “It’s good to contribute when other lines are putting pucks in and they need help from the rest of the team. Our goalies have been keeping us in it. Without them, we wouldn’t be winning games.”

Freshman Ryan McKay stopped 23 shots to get Saturday’s win after classmate Jay Williams had 21 saves in Friday’s 2-1 victory.

“They’re not freshmen anymore,” Blasi said. “They give us a chance to win every night, and our guys know that.”

Miami got off to a strong start Saturday as Mullin and Paulazzo both executed scoring shots against Falcons goalie Andrew Hammond (31 saves) in the opening 11 minutes. Dajon Mingo got BGSU (8-13-5, 5-10-3) on the board late in the first period, and Mullin added a power-play tally in the second stanza.

Sean Kuraly and Steven Spinell collected two assists apiece for the RedHawks. Blake Coleman and Matthew Caito chipped in one apiece.

“Not a good start for us at all,” Falcons coach Chris Bergeron said. “Full marks to Miami. They came out with a purpose, and their purpose was to win tonight. They took it to us in the beginning.”

MU was 2 for 2 on the penalty kill Saturday and 7 for 7 in the series.

“I felt like the intensity was better on the power play (tonight),” Bergeron said. “They block a lot of shots or we hit them with a bunch, probably a combination.”

Miami, which ran its unbeaten streak against BGSU to 16, will host Alaska next weekend.

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