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Sports TwitterNCAA HOCKEY MIAMI 2, NEW HAMPSHIRE 1
RedHawks upset top seed for first NCAA tourney win
Miami University withstands late flurry to snatch a stunning 2-1 victory.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Not even 'the kitchen sink' could keep the Miami University hockey team from winning its first NCAA tournament game.
With most of the 9,015 fans in attendance screaming for the University of New Hampshire, the tournament host and top seed in the four-team Northeast Regional, Miami withstood a late flurry to grab a stunning 2-1 win Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
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"It feels great to win this," Miami junior Nathan Davis said. "To be the first team in Miami history to win in the tournament is just amazing."
Davis, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, and the RedHawks struck less than two minutes into the game. Davis poked home a wrist shot over the UNH goalie Kevin Regan left pad to make it 1-0 just 1:47 into the first period.
After a scoreless second period, Miami scored again just 39 seconds into the final period. Nathan Jones fired in an unassisted goal off a UNH player's skate and into the goal to give the upstart 'Hawks a surprise 2-0 lead.
"I saw Brian Kaufman going toward the net really hard and just tried to get in and make something happen," Jones said. "Next thing I know, I saw the puck slide between their goalie's legs and into the back of the net."
Miami sophomore goalie Jeff Zatkoff recorded 43 saves as UNH outshot Miami by almost a 2-to-1 margin (44-25). Zatkoff said he had plenty of help.
"(UNH) threw a lot of shots at the net, but I was able to see the puck really well," Zatkoff said. "The defense did a really good job of keeping their shooters on the outside wings, and that made my job a lot easier. There really wasn't that many shots that were made right in front of me. That's helps a lot."
UNH (26-11-2) cut the Miami lead in half Mike Radja scored on a diving short-handed goal with 4:45 remaining.
A late Miami penalty put UNH on the power play with 1:21 left. The Wildcats then pulled Regan to give them a 6-on-4 advantage. But Zatkoff and the Miami defense were able to snuff out any scoring chances in the final 81 seconds of play.
"We threw everything and the kitchen sink at them today," UNH captain Josh Ciocco said. "I know we out-shot them. I think we outplayed them today, but that was the best performance by a goalkeeper that I think we've seen all year."
Winless in four previous trips to the NCAA tournament, Miami (24-13-4) is now a win away from a trip to the Frozen Four April 5 and 7 in St. Louis. To get there, the RedHawks will have to knock off Boston College (27-11-1) in today's regional finals.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.
