The Miami RedHawks (2-0-0) have hit the road for their second series of the season against the RPI Engineers (0-0-0) this weekend, which will also be their first road trip of the year. It will be RPI’s home opener and the first time their fans will see Eric Lang behind the bench. Friday night puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. ET, and Saturday’s is at 6:00 p.m. ET. Both games will be available to watch on ESPN+.
RPI is in a similar position to Miami. Last season, RPI went 12-21-2 overall, 7-15-0 in ECAC play, and swept Miami in Oxford last October. They have a new coach, 19 newcomers compared to Miami’s 21, and eight returners compared to Miami’s seven. The Engineers are a storied program looking to return to prominence, with two NCAA titles (1954 & 1985). Lang is in his first year at RPI after nine successful seasons at American International College (AIC), which was recently demoted to Division II.
RPI has played only one game so far, an exhibition against the Boston University Terriers, ranked second in the country, last Sunday. They lost 3-0 but held their own in a closely contested game. A late third-period empty-net goal made the score look more lopsided than it was. The Engineers play a hard and heavy style, with an average age of 21.61 and a roster full of big/physical players.
RPI’s top returning scorers, Dovar Tinling and Jagger Tapper, each had 20 points last season. Tinling scored 10 goals, the second-highest total on last year’s roster.
Related: Miami Completes Weekend Sweep with 3-1 Win Over Ferris State
Miami is coming off a series sweep of the Ferris State Bulldogs, who beat the defending national champion Western Michigan Broncos on Thursday night, ranked first in the country.
Miami head coach Anthony Noreen said his group is well aware of the challenge ahead at this week’s press conference: “First off, Eric Lang is a coach we have as much respect for as anyone in the country. The job he did at AIC and now moving into the ECAC at a storied program like RPI, he’s made major changes right away. You look at what they did in the portal; they had one of the best classes. Watching them against BU on Sunday, they were organized, heavy, and played extremely hard. They’re detailed, well-coached, and they’re going to win games this year.
These first two weekends are great challenges for us because you have to be ready to go from the second the puck drops. Otherwise, you won’t have a chance. We know that, we’ve seen enough film, and our guys know we have to be ready to go.”
Engineers to Watch
Tyler Wallace, a junior winger, is 6-foot-2 and brings both size and quickness. He transferred from Niagara University, where he posted 26 points in 37 games last season, including 14 goals and 12 assists. Wallace should be part of RPI’s top-six forward group.
Luciano Wilson, a 6-foot graduate transfer from Minnesota State, adds experience and strength down the middle. He tallied 13 points in 23 games last season and is expected to slot into the top six as well. Filip Sitar, a sophomore transfer from UConn, centers one of RPI’s scoring lines and handles faceoff duties. He went 6-for-12 on draws in the exhibition against BU last Sunday.
Freshman forward Ian Scherzer, from Austria and a former Miami commit, flipped his commitment to RPI earlier this year. He played with the Madison Capitals of the United States Hockey League (USHL) last season, recording 21 points in 45 games. Scherzer is part of the bottom-six forward group and brings energy and pace to RPI’s lineup.
In goal, RPI has a very familiar name. Former Miami goaltender Bruno Bruveris appeared in 34 games over two seasons with the RedHawks, posting a 4.15 goals-against average (GAA) and .866 save percentage (SV%). He transferred out this past offseason and will be motivated to prove himself against his former team and coach, and is likely to see time this weekend.
Another option in net is Nate Krawchuk, a former teammate of Kocha Delic with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Last season, Krawchuk played 47 games, going 19-20-5 with a 3.45 GAA and .901 SV%, and then posted a .908 SV% in four playoff games. Krawchuk split time in Sunday’s exhibition with Bruveris and returner Carson Dorfman, who is unlikely to see ice time this weekend.
RedHawks to Watch
Miami’s young core has looked strong early. 17-year-old forward Ilia Morozov continues to play in all situations, handling penalty kill, power play, and top-line center duties. He’s been strong on the forecheck and reliable defensively, but will look to improve his faceoff percentage after struggling in that area last weekend.
Freshman forward Justin Stupka, named NCHC Rookie of the Week last week, scored in both games against Ferris State. On Friday, he buried a rebound in front to put Miami ahead 4-3 in the third period. On Saturday, he scored just 16 seconds into the game off a hard forecheck.
Winger Matteo Giampa, part of the top line with Morozov and Delic, has developed excellent chemistry with his linemates. Giampa transitions up the ice quickly and helps that top line be as dynamic as it is. He recorded three points last weekend, including two goals and an assist.
Graduate forward Max Helgeson has been Miami’s most consistent faceoff man so far. He scored the empty-net goal to seal Saturday’s win and assisted on Friday’s empty-netter with an all-out full effort dive to swat it up the ice to Bradley Walker.
“I think we were together early,” Helgeson said. “Our coaches brought us in two weeks before everyone else, so we’d already been building that bond and brotherhood. The boys played well and together, sticking to what the coaches have been preaching, being tough, disciplined, and passionate.”
Defenseman Vladislav Lukashevich displayed his two-way ability, recording two assists over the weekend. His best play came Friday when he threaded a long stretch pass to Giampa for a breakaway goal.
In goal, Matteo Drobac provided solid play both nights, winning both games and finishing with a 2.50 GAA and .911 SV%. If Shika Gadzhiev, who missed last weekend due to ongoing eligibility issues, remains unavailable, Drobac will likely start both games again this weekend.
3 Keys for Miami
After a strong opening weekend, Miami will need to build on its early success and tighten up a few areas to keep up momentum on the road. Here are three keys for the RedHawks this weekend against RPI.
RedHawks Must Win the Faceoff Battle
Miami struggled on draws last weekend, winning just 33.3% on Friday while Ferris State controlled 66.7%. Saturday was much better, with Miami winning 41.7%. Morozov will look to improve, while Helgeson and Ethan Hay have both been strong in the circle, especially on the penalty kill.
Winning more draws this weekend should help Miami get out of its own zone quicker down a man, set up the power play, and get into its offensive structure to create more chances.
RedHawks Must Win the Special Teams Battle
Miami has averaged five penalties and 11 penalty minutes per game this season. The power play is 2-for-11 and has been inconsistent, at times passing up too many shot opportunities, being “too cute” and not getting enough pucks on net. The penalty kill, led by Ryder Thompson, Helgeson, and Morozov, has surrendered one goal in each game and is 8-for-10 on the young season.
Noreen spoke on the importance of special teams earlier this week: “It’s something we talked about through camp. We knew early on there would be new standards. It’s no different than why we saw so many centermen getting kicked out of faceoffs. There’s a new standard, and they’re trying to instill it right away. Same thing for penalties.
What I liked from our side was that we wanted to eliminate stick penalties, the reaching, hooking, and slashing. There’s going to be a real emphasis on that in the NCHC, as there should be. You see it in the NHL, and you want to protect skill and players’ hands in vulnerable areas. We’re going to be a team that has to play on the edge at all times; we just can’t go over it. We have to find a way to stick up for a teammate without getting a penalty, be tough at the net front and in corners without taking one. That’s a learning process.”
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On the power play, Noreen said the group still needs more consistency: “Our execution wasn’t where we wanted or needed it to be. Friday, we kept pucks alive and did the little things right. Consistency leads to creativity. When you do things the right way repeatedly, you allow your skill to show. We weren’t able to get to that on Saturday, and that’s something we know will be a major factor moving forward.”
RedHawks Must Match Their Physicality
Miami matched Ferris State’s physical play last weekend and must do the same against RPI, which will play an aggressive, heavy style in front of its home crowd. Players like Helgeson, Walker, Morozov, and Shaun McEwen bring that edge and will need to set the tone early this weekend.
“We don’t want to back off the physical side,” Noreen said. “We want to be the most physical team in our conference. We just have to be mature about where the line is.”
Defensively, Miami must continue blocking shots and protecting the net. Against Ferris State on Saturday, the RedHawks blocked 22 total shots, led by Lukashevich with six, while Ryder Thompson blocked five in Friday’s game. Forward David Deputy, who played chippy in his short time in Friday’s 6-4 win, is out with an injury and likely will not play this weekend.
What’s Ahead for Miami
“Up to this point, it’s been business as usual, meetings, video, and practice,” Noreen said. “It will be our first time traveling together, and new challenges will come up, which is good. That’s part of a season, learning and growing.
We’re going into a tough building against a team playing its home opener, and we know what that emotion will be like. They’re in a very similar situation to us; new staff, new players, new culture. We’ve got to be ready for that. The best teams I’ve been around find a way on the road, and it’ll be a good challenge for us.”
