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Seniors get credit for Miami's success
Coach: Upperclassmen helped Miami raise the bar for future teams.
Monday, March 26, 2007
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Miami RedHawks hockey coach Enrico Blasi has taken his team to the NCAA tournament five times now, and he knows the senior class he's losing is a big reason why.
Blasi credits his seniors — Joe Cooper, Matt Christie, Marty Guerin, Andy Nelson and Geoff Smith — as a key reason the Miami hockey program took another step this season.
Extras
Seniors played an integral part of Saturday's regional semifinal win over New Hampshire, the first NCAA tournament triumph in school history.
"They achieved many of their goals," Blasi said of his senior class, moments before boarding the team bus after Sunday's 4-0 loss to Boston College. "They got to the NCAA tournament three times, and they were the first team to reach the Elite Eight in 2007. They've taken the program forward. They're class acts to follow both on the ice and off it, and I'm very proud of them."
Blasi said the 2007 team has raised the bar for future Miami teams.
"I told the players after the game: We just gotta keep getting here. If we get here enough times, good things will happen," he said.
Zatkoff save one for 'highlight reels'
Boston College coach Jerry York was very impressed with the play of Miami goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, especially during one big stop in the third period.
BC stole a pass and had a 2-on-0 breakaway situation. But as the BC player fired off a shot, Zatkoff covered the shot with relative ease.
"That stop he made, when we had the 2-0 breakaway, was one of those that you see on the highlight reels," York said. "It was a great play."
Goal ... almost
BC fans thought their team may have scored the third goal of the game with 7:19 remaining in the second period, but a replay showed otherwise.
NCAA replay officials disallowed the goal because a BC player had dislodged the Miami goal from its moorings before the puck had crossed the goal line.
Cool concert
Fans who attend Verizon Wireless Arena today for the Justin Timberlake concert, with Pink as the opening act, will have some pretty cool seats on the floor. There's not enough time to remove the ice from the hockey arena, so the concert flooring will be constructed over the ice rink.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.
