Miami snaps UND’s eight-game unbeaten streak

OXFORD, Ohio - UND is headed back to Grand Forks with a big, shiny new trophy, and some unfamiliar feelings to go along with it.
One night after securing the Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship, UND lost for the first time in more than a month, lost in regulation for the first time in roughly two months, and lost on a Saturday night for the first time in roughly a year - a 6-3 defeat against Miami University on the RedHawks’ senior night.
Former Hobey Baker Award finalist Austin Czarnik, a senior who entered the night with two goals all season, had a hat trick and an assist to help the RedHawks secure home ice for the first round of the NCHC playoffs.
UND, which clinched the No. 1 seed and a date with Colorado College for the first round after Friday night’s game, made uncharacteristic mistakes in the series finale against the RedHawks.
After allowing two shorthanded goals all season, it allowed two in a single period to allow Miami to build a lead. After not losing a single game all season when scoring first (18-0-3), UND gave up that early lead and fell to the RedHawks. After not allowing more than four goals for 33 consecutive games, UND allowed a season-high six.
“Coming off of a win last night and completing the push for the Penrose Cup, there’s a little bit of a risk of a lack of focus,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said. “But I liked our business-like attitude. Guys worked hard to prepare. We played hard. We had a great first period. We just had too many singular lapses through the second and third periods that cost us.
“I really liked our battle level. It was just some details to our game. We made too many mistakes and they capitalized on them. Just detailed mistakes.”
It marked UND’s first loss since a 3-2 overtime loss at Omaha on Jan. 30, snapping the nation’s longest unbeaten streak at eight games. It was UND’s first loss in regulation since a 4-1 defeat against Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 9.
The last time UND lost a Saturday night game was a 3-2 overtime decision against Colorado College in the first round of the NCHC playoffs last season. It was also UND’s first loss when scoring first since March 1, 2014, a 3-1 decision at St. Cloud State.
“It’s not a good feeling to lose at all,” UND defenseman Gage Ausmus said. “We want to win every game we’re in. It doesn’t make it any easier that we won the league last night. We don’t want to lose any game.”
Luke Johnson, who scored two goals for UND, added: “It’s definitely tough to take. We came into the weekend hoping for two wins. We also came into the weekend hoping for one win and the Penrose. So, there are mixed emotions right now.”
Hakstol said he liked a lot of things on three of his team’s forward lines this weekend. They were juggled for the first time in more than a month because of an injury that could sideline top-line center Mark MacMillan for the rest of the season.
Hakstol made adjustments on UND’s third line Saturday - replacing Trevor Olson with Johnny Simonson and moving Colten St. Clair back to wing - and the coach indicated that line will continue to be under scrutiny.
“I think anything is on the table for discussion,” he said.
UND got off to a good start Saturday when Johnson buried a no-look feed from Stephane Pattyn at 9:31 of the first period, but Czarnik was able to even it at 17:15, scoring on a long rebound off the end wall.
Then, the RedHawks took control with a pair of goals in the first three minutes of the second period. Czarnik again scored on a long rebound off the end wall at 2:14 and Blake Coleman scored on a scramble at 2:51 to make it 3-1.
UND twice inched its way within a goal on a Johnson breakaway and a Drake Caggiula power-play tally, but Miami quickly regained a two-goal lead after both UND goals.
The biggest concern for UND after the game was the health of freshman forward Nick Schmaltz, who left the game after a big hit behind the net in the third period. Schmaltz didn’t return and Hakstol said he didn’t have any updates immediately following the game.
Hakstol said the team had a short, minute-long talk after the game and already turned its focus to the best-of-three, first-round series against the Tigers. UND has won 13 straight first-round series.
“I just want to see a continuation of what we’re doing,” Hakstol said. “This group works hard. This group prepares well. This group sticks together. They are going to battle for one another. I just want to see us continue what we’re doing.”