FORT WAYNE, Ind. — To say that there wasn’t much to choose between Michigan and Miami in Sunday’s NCAA Midwest Regional Championship is stating the obvious. After three back and forth periods in regulation and a handful of excellent chances for both team in overtime, the RedHawks earned their ticket to the Frozen Four with an overtime winner from sophomore Alden Hirschfeld in a 3-2 victory that will help erase any fears of overtime that might linger in Miami minds after a crushing finish to last season.
“Obviously when it goes to overtime like that, one shot can win it for you,” Blasi said. “The guy to my left had the good fortune of that happening to him, but it’s tough when both teams are giving it everything they have.”
Pat Cannone scored both Miami goals in regulation, including this first-period marker that gave the RedHawks a 1-0 lead.
Hirschfeld took the puck in the right faceoff circle and took advantage of a Michigan defender screening goaltender Shawn Hunwick, feeling a flood of relief once he saw the referee signaling a goal and he felt the crush of his teammates piling on top of him to celebrate a second-straight trip to the Frozen Four.
“I didn’t really know it went in until everyone started skating out,” Hirschfeld said. “We fought hard all night, and Coach kept telling us every chance we got to get the puck on net. The puck just kind of popped out and I picked up around the top of the circle and I shot it through on net. I know it went under (Hunwick’s) arm, I think it went through the legs of the guy who tried to block the shot first.”
The shot was a perfect example of what Blasi had been pushing his squad to do all night long, getting the puck to the net whenever the chance to do so presented itself, and one of many indications that the RedHawks responded much better to Michigan’s recently-revived high-tempo offense in the CCHA semi-final that Michigan won 5-2 on Mar. 19.
Blasi was pleased that his team responded to the Wolverines more efficiently than last time.
“The last time we played Michigan I don’t think we showed them anything,” Blasi said. “It looked like we were chasing them around. We were determined to play our game tonight.”
The RedHawks now head to Detroit for a meeting with Boston College in a semifinal matchup.
A FRUSTRATING LOSS, BUT A REWARDING POSTSEASON
As if the frustration of losing a hard-fought double-overtime game wasn’t enough for Michigan, the fact that they came a split second within winning during the opening minutes of the first overtime makes for a doubly agonizing night for the Wolverines.
Miami’s Joe Hartman was whistled for high-sticking at the 2:37 mark of the first overtime, and Michigan nearly knocked in a game-winner on the delayed call. Kevin Lynch was perched on the door step and knocked a rebound past Knapp, but the whistle had blown to stop play and send Hartman to the penalty box before Lynch’s shot crossed the goal line.
Michigan's David Wolhberg shovels the puck past Miami goalie Connor Knapp in the first period of Sunday's Midwest Regional final.
“That’s a tough one to swallow,” Berenson said. “The referee blew the whistle because he was calling a penalty on them but we had control and Lynch put it in the net a split second after he blew the whistle. You can’t win on those calls. Even if he didn’t blow the whistle he could have said he meant to blow the whistle.”
A few stories emerged on what happened during the ensuing review, but the verdict rendered to the media was that the whistle had blown to assess the penalty to Miami, presumably because the officials on ice lost sight of the puck under Knapp.
Even with that frustrating near miss, Michigan seemed to build momentum throughout the first overtime and maintained a great deal of pressure in their offensive zone. In all, the Wolverines notched 20 shots to Miami’s 6 in the first extra frame. After watching Miami control the play throughout the middle and latter stages of the third period, it was a bit surprising to see the Wolverines come out with so much energy in overtime.
“The one difference in overtime is that there are no TV timeouts,” Berenson said. “Maybe that favored us, I don’t know. We seemed to get our legs and our second win. They’re a good team, let’s face it. I’m pretty proud of our team.”
Despite the aggravating and disappointing loss, Berenson remembers this team favorably as one that banded together when it needed to.
“I feel so good about our team and what they accomplished,” Berenson said. “The thing I liked about this team is that they really came together. There were no individual agendas and everyone was for the team.”
SEEN AND HEARD AT MEMORIAL COLISEUM
• Enrico Blasi again wouldn’t tip his hand when it came to his goaltender going forward after victories by both Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard this weekend. Blasi joked that “the cardinals would meet to elect the pope” between now and the Frozen Four.
• Michigan defenseman Chris Summers, a first-round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes, looks back fondly on his development at Michigan and offered a vote of confidence for Berenson and his assistants Mel Pearson and Billy Powers for helping him grow over his four years at Michigan.
“I can speak for the entire coaching staff, the amount of effort they put into your development I think is crucial,” Summers said. “I came from the USA program where obviously they kind of jump start you. Red has a bit of a different coaching style, but his motto is that you’re training to be a pro, so he’s going to treat you like a pro. They give you every advantage you need to become a better player.”
• Having faced a great deal of personal adversity throughout the past year, it has undoubtedly been a long year for Blasi since the crushing loss to Boston University in last year’s national championship game. Having overcome adversity throughout this year and facing a tough overtime contest tonight should erase any hangover effect from last year’s loss.
“It feels like ten years ago, but it’s hard to believe that a year has gone by,” Blasi said. “We’re excited, I think if you walk by our locker room you can tell. We’ll get a couple of days rest and then start preparing for Boston College. I keep saying everything happens for a reason.”
INCH’s THREE STARS OF THE NIGHT
3. Shawn Hunwick, Michigan – Hunwick was solid once again, making key saves throughout the game and giving his team a chance to win.
2. Alden Hirschfeld, Miami – Hirschfeld had the magic touch in overtime, beating Hunwick at the 1:54 mark of the second overtime.
1. Connor Knapp, Miami – Knapp made 55 saves and kept a level head despite a few close calls in overtime. The sophomore was named the tournament’s most outstanding player for his efforts. Those 55 stops left Knapp two shy of Miami’s school record.
ALL-MIDWEST REGIONAL TEAM
F – Pat Cannone, Miami
F – Carl Hagelin, Michigan
F – Curtis McKenzie, Miami
D – Steve Kampfer, Michign
D – Cameron Schilling, Miami
G – Connor Knapp, Miami
Most Outstanding Player: Connor Knapp, Miami
WHAT’S NEXT
Miami is one step closer to avenging its Championship game loss and will begin preparing to face Boston College in the national semifinal at Ford Field. The RedHawks played a much more complete game than they had throughout the playoffs in knocking off Michigan and should be a legitimate contender for the title.
Michigan’s season is over, and the Wolverines will lose a few key cogs to graduation in Chris Summers and Steve Kampfer and will face the ever-present threat of early departures to the professional ranks. But with what looks like a strong class coming in to Ann Arbor next year, the Wolverines should be able to prove this season’s seventh place finish was an anomaly and their play throughout the playoffs is the norm.
