Miami (7-6-1, 2-4 NCHC) has plummeted from being ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and USCHO.com polls after the first weekend of the season to 12th in the former and 13th in the latter, but coach Rico Blasi pointed out that last weekend’s results indicate the accuracy of polls.
“Give them credit,” Blasi said of previously unranked Nebraska-Omaha during his weekly media conference on Monday. “That’s a good Omaha team. People talk about polls, but you can’t pay attention to that. They’ve got skills.”
Sophomore forward Riley Barber leads Miami with nine goals and is tied with junior forward Austin Czarnik for the lead with 19 points. Czarnik and junior forward Blake Coleman each have seven goals.
Blasi didn’t agree with the suggestion that Miami’s youthful defense was experiencing growing pains.
“I would say our entire team probably is having some growing pains,” Blasi said. “To put it on the young defense I think would be probably inaccurate and not justified. Ultimately, it’s still a team sport and everybody has to buy into what you’re doing.
“I still think we’re a really good team with a lot of skill and the right pieces. We haven’t had enough times this season when we’ve been able to put those things together. We’ll continue to work until we do.”
The RedHawks’ next chance to put the pieces together is this weekend against 5-7-2 Bemidji State. Miami is scheduled to travel to Minnesota and face the unranked Beavers, who have a new home rink, Friday and Saturday in the RedHawks’ last non-conference series of the season.
“Turn the page,” Blasi said. “We’ve got to make sure that we focus on what we can do better and get after it. There’s not reason to worry about the past. There’s nothing you can do about it. First and foremost, we’ve got to worry about the task at hand.
“Nothing changes in the game plan. People are probably upset and worried and panicking, but this is part of the game and the season. We’ll get through it like we always do.”
Notes: The women's basketball team, which took a 1-3 record into its game Tuesday night against Duquesne, was scheduled to face Florida State in a non-conference game Sunday at 2 p.m. at Millett Hall. The RedHawks are scheduled to open a stretch of four consecutive road games leading up to their Mid-American Conference opener Tuesday at Youngstown State. … The men's and women's swim teams are scheduled to host the three-day Miami Invitational starting Dec. 5 at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center. The men's team is coming off its first dual-meet loss of the season on Friday to Purdue.
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