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St. Cloud State
10-6-0
Miami University (OH)
4-9-2
Huskies bite RedHawks in 3-2 win
1/22/2021 11:50:00 PM | Men's Hockey
ST. CLOUD, MINN. - The St. Cloud State University men's hockey team is back.Â
Not that the No. 6 Huskies went anywhere. Well, technically they did. After two weeks on the road, St. Cloud State returned to the comforts of the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center and made a statement in its first home game in nearly two weeks. Despite falling behind early, the nationally-ranked Huskies (10-6-0, 10-6-0 NCHC) rebounded with two second period goals, rallying for a big 3-2 win over Miami (OH) University.Â
St. Cloud State was looking for a win in a big way after suffering a road sweep at the hands of Western Michigan January 15-16. Things weren't looking so rosey in the first period, though, as the Huskies spent four minutes in the penalty box and saw the RedHawks take an early 1-0 lead on an even strength goal by Rouke Russell at 14:46.Â
St. Cloud State was unable to answer in the first period, but eventually found the back of the net at 3:45 in the second. After Miami's Russell was sent to the sin bin for cross checking, the Huskies found themselves on the power play and made it count. Naturally, it was Toronto draft pick Veeti Miettinen (Espoo, Finland / Kiekko-Espoo U20) who scored St. Cloud State's power play goal, as he scooped a Sam Hentges (New Brighton, Minn. / Tri-City) rebound behind Ludvig Persson to even things at 1-1.Â
The RedHawks struck next, beating sophomore goalie Jaxon Castor (Phoenix, Ariz. / Shreveport) to take a 2-1 lead at 11:07 in the second. That was the last time Miami would find the back of the next, as Castor pitched a shutout the second half of the game, allowing the Huskies to score twice to earn the 3-2 win. Goal #2 was courtesy of Jami Krannila (Nokia, Finland / Sioux Falls), the Third Star of the game, while Zach Okabe (Okotoks, Alberta / Grande Prairie) delivered the game-winner two minutes into the third period.Â
In total, St. Cloud State outshot Miami 40-22 and was 1-3 on the power play Friday evening. Krannila, Okabe, Miettinen and Nick Perbix (Elk River, Minn. / Omaha) all recorded two-point games, as Perbix assisted on both Miettinen and Krannila's goals.Â
With the win, the Huskies improve to 10-6-0 overall with a 10-6-0 mark in National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) play. St. Cloud State will host Miami in the second game of the series at 6:07 p.m. on Saturday, January 23 at the HBNHC.
