DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Friday is Cody Reichard's night. Saturday is Connor Knapp's.

Miami University hockey coach Enrico Blasi has gone back to alternating his goaltenders for the first time in almost two years, and the two true freshmen are making it work like a dream.

Miami begins a two-game series with the Alaska Nanooks tonight, Oct. 31 at Steve Cady Arena, and through the first six contests the seventh-ranked RedHawks have yet to allow more than three goals in any game.

The finest moments for both Reichard and Knapp came last weekend when Miami swept No. 8 Notre Dame, winning 2-0 Friday, Oct. 24 behind Reichard's first collegiate shutout and then coming back Saturday, Oct. 25 with a 3-2 victory with Knapp at the net.

Blasi isn't surprised.

"It's just like any other young guys," he said. "There is a certain maturing that goes on from practicing at this level. They're getting better, which is the goal of everybody on the team, whether they're young or older.

"Cody's been great, Connor's been great," Blasi added. "They've both been very professional and both very competitive, which is what you want."

Both freshmen said they feel comfortable with the rotation.

"Everybody wants to play both games (in a series)," said Reichard, a native of Celina, "but (this system) is working for the team."

"I feel alright with it," said Knapp, who is from York. "You go into the weekend knowing what your job is. It's fair."

It helps that both players get along so well.

"We support each other 100 percent," Knapp said. "It's a healthy relationship and we're good friends. We trained during the summer together."

Reichard, who has a 2.29 goals-against average, stopped 29-of-29 shots at Notre Dame for a Miami program that did not record its first shutout last season until the 13th game despite the presence of two of the nation's top goalies in seniors Jeff Zatkoff and Charlie Effinger.

"It was a really good feeling," Reichard said. "It's a big confidence booster, obviously, but we're just trying to progress as a team.

"It was a relief and it felt really good," he added. "A lot of the credit goes to the guys who play in front of me."

Knapp, who has a 2.60 goals-against average, had helped preserve a 3-3 tie against Vermont on Oct. 18 when he smothered a penalty shot with less than two minutes remaining. A week later against the Fighting Irish he held off an early onslaught of power-play shots by Notre Dame to help give Miami its second straight win.

"It's really important to build confidence not only for myself, but for my team," Knapp said. "It's important for the team to have confidence in their goalies."