Colorado College Completes Sweep of Miami With 4-3 Victory
OXFORD, OHIO -- Ray Christy scored twice, including the game-winning goal in the third period, and added an assist as Colorado College completed a weekend sweep over Miami University with a 4-3 victory Saturday night at Steve Cady Arena.
The Tigers, who posted their first road sweep of an NCHC opponent since Nov. 15-16, 2019, gutted out their third league win of the season despite not having three forwards available for the final 25 minutes.
Matthew Gleason exited the ice early in the game after awkwardly falling against the boards, while Noah Prokop and Danny Weight were each called for a five-minute major and game misconduct in the second period.
Colorado College killed off both major penalties, a major part of the victory, which allowed the Tigers to move into a sixth-place tie with Omaha in the NCHC standings.
“It felt good to get the sweep,” head coach Kris Mayotte said. “We didn’t make it easy on ourselves. We were still trying to play last night’s game. This game was different, but our guys came to battle.
“We played second half of the game with 10 forwards and our guys found a way to stick with it and come back.”
Each team scored a pair of goals in the first period. Miami’s Jack Olmstead opened the scoring just 1:50 into the contest when he put home a rebound right in front of the net after CC goalie Dominic Basse saved John Sladic’s shot from the left point.
Hunter McKown notched his second goal of the weekend to even the score at 1-1 at 3:22 of the first period. McKown, who has scored in each of the last four games, found himself on a 2-on-1 with Jordan Biro, but kept the puck and beat Miami goalie Ludwig Persson with a wicked wrist shot from the left circle.
The RedHawks converted a 2-on-1 of their own to take back the lead at the 7:36 mark. PJ Fletcher’s pass to Joe Cassetti was broken up by CC defenseman Nicklas Andrews, but the puck slid across the crease to Cassetti, who was wide open in front of the net.
The Tigers responded in the final minute of the opening frame when Christy scored the first goal of his career on a rebound with 55.4 seconds remaining. Persson stopped the original shot from Bryan Yoon, who recorded his second assist of the weekend, but Christy was stationed at the right side of the net and knocked it in.
Colorado College killed off Prokop’s major penalty early in the second period without allowing a shot on goal, but Fletcher scored a power-play goal at the 11:03 mark for another Miami one-goal advantage. It didn’t last long as Andrews struck just 32 seconds later to make it 3-3. Christy’s shot from the right side of the net was saved by Persson but went right to Andrews, who blasted a one-timer from the slot for his third goal of the season.
The Tigers lost another forward late in the second period when Weight was whistled for a 5-minute major for charging and a game misconduct with 4:11 remaining. The RedHawks were called for roughing at the same time, and CC killed off the three-minute Miami power play early in the third period.
Christy notched his second of the contest and the game winner with 6:31 remaining in the third period. Biro took the puck behind the net and criss-crossed with Christy, who took the puck, moved out in front and placed a shot over Persson’s shoulder. Logan Will collected his second assist of the game on the play.
“I couldn’t be happier for Ray,” Mayotte said. “He went out of the lineup with an injury against Duluth, but went home for the break with a plan to play this weekend. To see him take advantage of it was obviously a great moment for him and our team.”
Miami had six skaters for much of the last two minutes, but the Tigers blocked a pair of shots and Basse made one of his 14 saves with 20 seconds left.
Colorado College returns home to host No. 3 Western Michigan next weekend, Jan. 14-15.
