UNH upsets Miami, 3-1, in NCAA hockey

 

MANCHESTER — After what we saw in this building two years ago, there's no need to ask University of New Hampshire hockey fans if they believe in miracles.

No miracles were needed Saturday. Just a smart, well-played game from start to finish that has UNH on the cusp of its first Frozen Four since 2003.

Mike Sislo scored the go-ahead goal off a nifty Blake Kessel set-up in the opening minute of the third period, freshman Kevin Goumas scored twice and the fourth-seeded Wildcats (22-10-6) knocked off top-seeded Miami, 3-1, in the Northeast Regional semifinals at the Verizon Wireless Arena, which again is starting to feel like a home away from home.

"We're thrilled," said UNH coach Dick Umile. "We probably played as well as we've played all season from start to finish. ...; I told our team we had to play our best game tonight and I think that's what we did."

The Wildcats, who limped into the NCAAs on a 4-5-1 stretch, will play third-seeded Notre Dame here tonight with a trip to the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn., on the line. Notre Dame beat Merrimack in overtime, 4-3, in Saturday's late semifinal.

"We're kind of focused on one thing right now and it's the next step," said Sislo. "We're excited, but we're also looking forward to who we have next."

The Wildcats finished with a 27-22 edge in shots. Their defense blocked scores of Miami chances and their players always seemed to be in the right places to deny rushes from the RedHawks (23-10-6), one of the most explosive teams in the nation who came in on a 13-game unbeaten streak.

"UNH outplayed us tonight," said Miami coach Enrico Blasi. "You guys (media) saw the game. I don't need to tell you that.

"We've been playing on such a high for so long. Tonight wasn't our night. It was UNH's night. They played a very, very good hockey game against a very good team."

The 'Cats had held their own through two periods, holding a slight edge in shots and a larger one in scoring chances. And it was the opening minute of the third period that set things on its final course.

Kessel slid down the boards on the right, just inside the blue line, and spotted Sislo cutting to the net from the left wing. The pass was threaded perfectly onto the tape of the stick of Sislo, who earlier had missed a breakaway and lost another goal after a video review, and he rammed it into the empty net for a 2-1 lead.

"It was a great pass," said Sislo. "That's the type of pass as a forward you dream about."

Goalie Matt DiGirolamo (21 saves), playing in his first NCAA tournament game, had a few big saves to make after that, but not a ton. The 'Cats killed off a penalty to Stevie Moses midway through the period — Bryon Paulazzo hit a crossbar — and when Blasi pulled goalie Cody Reichard (24 saves) with just under two minutes to go, the by-then super-confident 'Cats made them pay almost immediately.