Miami's Mullin in scoring groove

After slow start to MU career, freshman has 7 points in last 6 games.

High school sports results for May 26
5/26/12
Reds' six-game winning streak broken
5/26/12
Annual Warrior Soccer Classic kicks off today
5/26/12
Dragons' rally falls short against Lansing
5/26/12
WSU baseball ousted from tournament
5/26/12
> More sports headlines

Updated 12:08 PM Friday, January 20, 2012

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

OXFORD — Throughout his career on the ice Jimmy Mullin has been a scoring machine.

In four years at Shattuck St. Mary’s prep school in Faribault, Minn., he totaled 293 points. In Mullin’s only United States Hockey League season he accumulated 60 points in 52 games for the Fargo Force.

As a Miami University freshman forward, however, his engine seemed to be stalled at first.

“In the beginning it took a little bit longer to get used to playing (at the college level),” he said.

Now Mullin has become a machine again. He has tallied seven points in the last six games for a rejuvenated RedHawks squad which hopes to continue its climb tonight against No. 8 Western Michigan.

Mullin’s comfort level has been the key.

“It’s always good to feel more comfortable on the ice and to be surrounded by great players,” he said.

Two weeks ago, Mullin scored the game-winning goal 1:24 into overtime to give the RedHawks a 2-1 victory at Michigan State.

Last Friday, he assisted Reilly Smith’s game-winning goal in a 2-1 win at Lake Superior State. The following night, he had two goals in Miami’s 4-3 loss.

Mullin — who moved to downtown Cincinnati with his father four years ago and lived “about 30 seconds from the Cyclones” (at U.S. Bank Arena) — said his main job as a rookie is “to contribute on the offensive end and do the little things to make sure I’m not a liability on the defensive end.”

The RedHawks, meanwhile, seem to be back in business as a national contender.

Miami has beaten six ranked teams in its last 10 games and has surged to a 15th-place tie in the Pairwise rankings, which help determine the NCAA tournament at-large teams.

The RedHawks also have climbed from near the bottom of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings to a fifth-place tie, just seven points behind first-place Ohio State and six points behind tonight’s opponent.

“We just have to play our game,” Mullin said, “and if we can do that, let the chips fall where they may.”

Western Michigan swept Notre Dame last weekend and features freshman goalie Frank Slubowski, who ranks fourth in the nation with a 1.98 goals-against average.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or Pete.Conrad@coxinc.com.

Weekend series

Who: No. 8 Western Michigan Broncos (12-7-5, 9-4-3-3 CCHA) at No. 20 Miami RedHawks (12-10-2, 8-8-2-1 CCHA)

When: 7:35 tonight; 7:05 p.m. Saturday

Where: Steve Cady Arena, Oxford

TV: ONN both days

Radio: WMOH-AM (1490) Saturday only

Share this article