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Title seems realistic for Miami hockey

RedHawks' Camper: ‘I like to win all my battles’

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Miami's Carter Camper moves the puck down the ice during the CCHA Tournament final game against Michigan at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, Michigan last season.

Staff photo by Nick Daggy Miami's Carter Camper moves the puck down the ice during the CCHA Tournament final game against Michigan at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, Michigan last season.

RedHawks lost national championship game last season.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:19 AM Thursday, October 8, 2009

OXFORD — Every year Miami University hockey coach Enrico Blasi sets the same team goals: Go hard, improve every day, win the Central Collegiate Hockey Association title, make the NCAA tournament, win the national championship.

The entire package always seemed pretty lofty. Perhaps a bit of a reach.

But not now.

Not for the defending national runners-up.

Not with a team that, as junior forward Carter Camper puts it, “is loaded.”

“Making the national championship game last year when we were supposed to be rebuilding, it makes you realize (winning) a national championship is a realistic goal this year,” he said.

Blasi doesn’t pay much attention to the national preseason polls, which have Miami ranked No. 1 and No. 4, but he is paying attention to the way his players look as they prepare for the season opener against No. 13 St. Cloud State on Friday, Oct. 9, at Steve Cady Arena.

“I like the way we work,” Blasi said. “We’re a real aggressive team, a good skating team. As long as we continue to do that, we’ll be in good shape because we have some talent.

“Our work ethic and our speed is what we really focused on,” he pointed out. “Hard work has always been a trait of our program.”

Watch the RedHawks in practice and you’ll notice another trait.

“This could be one of our quicker teams, from top to bottom, we’ve ever coached,” Blasi said, “and one of the bigger teams we’ve ever coached, a unique combination of size and speed.”

Miami is packed on offense with five of its top six scoring forwards returning in juniors Camper, Pat Cannone, Andy Miele and Tommy Wingels, and senior Jarod Palmer.

“You go down the list and see the guys returning,” Blasi said. “We’ve got some weapons. It’s a matter of executing and getting the job done.”

Defense went from being a major question mark last year — with four freshmen making their debuts — to being a source of strength this year. Cameron Schilling, Matt Tomassoni, Will Weber and Chris Wideman are proven sophomores now.

The same can be said for goalies Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard, both of whom had excellent goals-against averages as freshmen (2.09 for Knapp, 2.11 for Reichard).

“You don’t have the four freshman defenders you have to work in and be patient with and the two freshman goalies you have to wonder about,” Blasi said, comparing the start of last season with the start of this season. “(They) know their roles, know what they have to do.

“We felt like they had some skill (among the newcomers),” he continued. “We recruited them for a reason. We’re still young back there. We don’t have a senior (defenseman) ... They’re still improving. I like where they’re at right now.”

Blasi was asked if he will use alternating goaltenders.

“I think so, early anyway,” he said. “We haven’t really decided yet.”

Players to watch

Carter Camper: Junior forward, Miami MVP last season, led team with 42 points, was All-CCHA first team, is Hobey Baker Award candidate
Pat Cannone: Junior forward, Miami’s second-leading scorer last season with 35 points
Jarod Palmer: Senior forward, has 92 career points
Chris Wideman: Sophomore defender, led team with 26 assists last season