DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Miami University hockey coach Enrico Blasi called it "the longest three minutes of my life."

It was three minutes worth waiting for, three minutes some Miami enthusiasts had waited three decades for.

When the final buzzer sounded and the frenzied comeback by the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs had fallen short, the RedHawks clinched their first trip to the NCAA Tournament's Frozen Four and found themselves two wins away from a national championship.

"It was a little nerve-wracking, especially under the circumstances, with our first trip to the Frozen Four on the line," freshman goalie Cody Reichard said Sunday, March 29, referring to Miami's 2-1 victory in the West Regional championship game the night before.

"Cody made the big plays when we needed them, and our defense blocked some big shots to make it easier for him," Miami coach Enrico Blasi said.

Throughout most of the season, Blasi alternated goaltenders Reichard and freshman Connor Knapp, but decided to go with Reichard in back-to-back games after fourth-seeded Miami won its regional opener 4-2 on Friday over top-seeded Denver.

"At that point you ride the hot hand and try not to fix things that aren't broken," Blasi explained.

The hottest hand Saturday, though, belonged to senior forward Justin Mercier, who had suffered through a mild scoring slump earlier in the season. Mercier scored both of Miami's goals in the second period — one when the RedHawks were short-handed, the other on a power play — and he was named West Regional Most Valuable Player.

Miami's players and coaches still had a slightly stunned look upon their return to Oxford. Stunned, but more than satisfied.

"It is a special feeling," sophomore forward Tommy Wingels said.

"Pure ecstasy," Mercier said.

"It's amazing," Reichard said. "Everyone's really excited. It's one of our goals, but not our ultimate goal. We still have two more games to win."

"We're obviously very excited," Blasi said. "It was a real emotional night last night. Everyone associated with the program has done an unbelievable job, and what happened last night was a definitive moment for this team. There are a lot of people who've worked hard over the years to bring the program to where it is today ... Everybody has a piece of it."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.