OXFORD, Ohio - Five different players accounted for three even-strength, a power play and a short-handed goals in a five-goal second period to lift the eighth-ranked University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team to a 6-3 win over No. 3 Miami University in the series finale Saturday night at Goggin Ice Center. New Hampshire had six different goal scorers accounting for its six goals.
UNH improves to 1-1, while the RedHawks are now 1-1.
In a scoreless first period, Miami held an 11-7 shot advantage. Both teams were 0-2 on the power play in the frame.
In a wild second period, Miami struck first with an even-strength goal by Alden Hirschfeld at 3:48 of the second period. Patrick Tiesling and Carter Camper assisted on the game's first goal. UNH responded with five unanswered goals to take a 5-1 lead into the second intermission. UNH scored a power play, short-handed and three even-strength goals in the frame. New Hampshire got the equalizer as Paul Thompson (Derry, N.H.) scored a power play tally from the low slot at 10:43. Mike Sislo (Superior, Wis.) and Brett Kostolansky (Denver, Colo.) assisted on the goal. UNH took the lead for good on a wrap-around goal by John Henrion (Holden, Mass.) at 13:21. Austin Block (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and Blake Kessel (Verona, Wis.) assisted on the goal. Mike Borisenok (Watervliet, N.Y.) redirected a one-timer from from the right point by Connor Hardowa (Edmonton, Alberta) at 14:56 to make it 3-1. Stevie Moses (Leominster, Mass.) won a battle along the glass that setup the Hardowa one-timer. Damon Kipp (Salmon Arms, British Columbia) scored on the rebound of a Henrion shot at 17:20 of the frame to make it 4-1. Dalton Speelman (San Jose, Calif.) closed out scoring in a five-goal second with a short-handed goal. Kostolansky stole a cross-ice pass in the defensive zone and found Speelman on the top of the blue line. Speelman flew down ice and his first shot was turned away, but came right back to Speelman, who beat an sprawled out Knapp to make it 5-1.
Miami cut into the lead with a pair of goals that made it 5-3. The first of those goals came at 8:57 on a redirected shot by Reilly Smith, Hirschfeld had the initial shot from the right point. Andy Miele also added an assist on the tally. Carter Camper scored at 12:00 with a helper from Hirschfeld. UNH answered with an odd-man rush goal just over a minute later. Borisenok deflected a pass that led to a 1-0 break for Stevie Moses (Leominster, Mass.), who skated the length of the ice and slide the puck under relief netminder Cody Reichard despite being hooked to the ground to give UNH a 6-3 lead at 13:01. Miami would turn up the pressure with 20 shots in the third when they elected to pull their goalie in favor of an extra attacker and during its five power play opportunities in the frame, but were unable to get one past Matt DiGirolamo (Ambler, Pa.).
DiGirolamo finished with a career-high 36 saves, one more than last night's previous high. He improves to 1-1 on the season, while Connor Knapp played the first two periods and allowed five goals on 20 shots in 40 minutes of play and falls to 0-1 on the season. Reichard turned away six shots and allowed one goal in 16:30 of work in the third.
The RedHawks held a 39-27 advantage in shots due to a 20-shot third period, while New Hampshire held a 13-8 edge in a five-goal second.
Miami was 0-8 on the power play, while New Hampshire was 1-5 in its extra-skater opportunities.
UNH opens its home slate on Saturday, Oct. 16 (7 p.m.) against #4 Michigan. Tickets to the Michigan game and all UNH home games are available online at UNHWildcats.com.