DaytonDailyNews.com

MINNEAPOLIS — Miami University hockey coach Enrico Blasi needed no reminders about his RedHawks being decided underdogs against Denver, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Region.

Nary a reporter, blogger or passerby attended Miami's pre-game news conference. No one cared listen to Blasi or his team.

They had plenty to say Friday night, March 27, though.

The fourth-seeded RedHawks manhandled the Pioneers, rolling to a 4-2 victory and into the regional final for a shot at the Frozen Four.

Miami (21-12-5) will face Minnesota-Duluth or Princeton in the regional final today, March 28 at Mariucci Arena. Minnesota-Duluth and Princeton were tied 4-4 at the end of regulation in Friday's second contest.

The RedHawks became the second team of the day to knock off a No. 1 seed after Air Force ended Michigan's season with a 2-0 victory in the East Region.

They did it with patience, opportunism and suffocating defense. Denver (23-12-5) averaged almost 32 shots per game but managed just 14, including a measly three in the second period.

"Big win for our program," Blasi said. "I thought our guys played extremely well. To beat a great team like that we knew we had to play our best. Our guys accomplished that tonight."

Miami had 10 players contribute points and received contributions from all four forward lines.

First-period goals by Justin Mercier and Alden Hirschfeld at even strength set the tone for the game as the RedHawks were in control from the opening faceoff and never wavered in building a 3-0 lead after two periods.

"They were beating us to loose pucks," said Denver forward Tyler Bozak. "They came to play tonight. We came out a little slow and they were just winning the battles early on."

It took almost 12 minutes for the Pioneers to manage a shot in the second period. By then, Miami had increased its lead through an unlikely source.

Bill Loupee, who entered play with only one goal this season, pounced on a juicy rebound by goalie Marc Cheverie to pump in his second to make it 3-0 at 5:36.

Joe Colborne finally got the Pioneers on the board with a power-play goal at 17:29 but the momentum was short-lived. Andy Miele answered for the RedHawks with 32.7 seconds remaining in the period to regain the three-goal lead and Denver never fully recovered.

With six minutes remaining in the third, Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky pulled Cheverie for an extra attacker during a power play. The gamble paid short-term benefits as Bozak slammed in a goal with 4:48 left.

But the RedHawks never panicked and controlled the puck down the stretch to secure the victory.

Goalie Cody Reichard only needed 16 saves to improve his record to 8-7-2.

The win followed a tough stretch in which Miami lost two homes games to Northern Michigan in the CCHA playoffs and had to sweat out an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Last year, the RedHawks lost to eventual champion Boston College in the regional semifinals. Another year of tough losses and bigger wins has steeled them for the return trip.

"It was a second opportunity for us to get into the tournament," said Mercier. "Twenty-six guys in that room and the coaching staff believed in ourselves. We took advantage of the situation and didn't take anything for granted."