NOTE: Sorry for the lag in posts. I'm switching over all my documents to my new laptop, and that's unfortunately caused me some unexpected headaches.
OXFORD, Ohio - Here we go again.
Miami lost to Robert Morris, 2-1 at Cady Area on Sunday, two days after falling to the Colonials, 3-1 at Mellon Arena.
Robert Morris was 3-12-3 entering the weekend home-and-home series.
Junior center Carter Camper scored the lone Miami goal on Friday, and junior center Pat Cannone snuck in a wrist shot between sophomore Brooks Ostergard and the near post for the RedHawks' only score Sunday.
Sophomore Cody Reichard stopped 21 of 24 shots, but surrendered goals on 2 of 5 in the third period. Sophomore Connor Knapp turned aside 22 of 24 shots on Sunday.
The decisive goal on Sunday was scored when Miami freshman forward Curtis McKenzie held the puck in his own zone on a penalty kill rather than clear it, and it was stolen away by junior defenseman Denny Urban, who beat Knapp with a high backhand shot.
Robert Morris was tied for the third-worst defense in Division I, allowing 73 goals this season prior to Friday. Miami scored two goals in 120 minutes vs. the Colonials, who were winless in their previous nine games.
Miami lost its first five games after the holiday break last season, including its first two at the Ohio Hockey Classic to Clarkson and Army - teams that had a combined total of six previous wins.
The RedHawks had 11 off days between games in 2008-09. This season the layoff was 25 days.
BOTTOM LINE: Miami has had some embarrassing losses in previous seasons, but this weekend series may top them all. Robert Morris hadn't won a game since Nov. 13, and the RedHawks made this team look like the 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins.
Miami's new offensive strategy of pass-and-redirect-pass-to-the-defense worked to perfection on Sunday, squelching every chance the RedHawks had to gain the attacking zone. I can't remember Miami completing consecutive passes on the transition, and a team this talented should never have to resort to playing dump-and-chase on the power play.
There's absolutely no excuse to lose one of two, much less two, against a team that has one or two semi-talented skaters at best and a goalie who regularly floats 20 feet out of the crease for no reason.
And who decided four weeks off would be a good thing for Miami, considering its history? I realize the Ohio Hockey Classic is defunct and the team had four off weeks in its CCHA schedule, which it couldn't help, but seriously, the RedHawks couldn't get another weekend series in?
Here's what I'd do after this complete demoralization: Bench players who play poorly. High-profile ones if necessary to send a message to the team that poor play won't be tolerated.
Freshmen Steve Mason and Devon Mantha have only played two games this season. Let's see if they're any good. Hey, they at least have a point each this season. I'm sure freshman defenseman Garrett Kennedy would like to get into his first college game.
McKenzie played a bad game but it was atypical. He obviously made a mistake that resulted in the game-winning goal scoring, but that was a rare lapse in judgement.
After Sunday, I'd sit junior forward Justin Vaive and sophomore forward Trent Vogelhuber for at least a game. Vaive committed an egregious turnover in his own zone then didn't skate hard to try to break up a pass when he had a chance seconds later.
And for some reason, Vogelhuber was back on the power play Sunday, missing passes and firing 12 mph slapshots right at the goalie. He has two points in 20 games despite logging ample minutes of ice time per game.
FORWARDS: F. Two goals in six periods against a team that allowed 73 goals the first half. And McKenzie gave one of those goals back with his turnover on Sunday.
DEFENSEMEN: C. It was the utter lack of offense that did Miami in over the weekend. However, on Friday RMU had too many good scoring chances, and the Colonials' shot totals were well into the 20s both games.
A team with a 3-12-3 record shouldn't get more than 18-20 shots vs. Miami.
GOALTENDING: C-. Reichard has been great all year, so it's hard to blame him for this slip-up. But he didn't do Miami any favors giving up two goals on five shots in the third period on Friday.
Knapp lost sight of the puck on the first goal, and the second was on an excellent backhand. He didn't have to make any great saves.
This weekend wasn't the goalies' fault - they gave up five goals, which should've been good enough to win twice against this team.
LINEUP CHANGES: Sophomore forward/defenseman Matt Tomassoni was benched for the weekend, and forward Gary Steffes suited up both games in his place on the fourth line.
Freshman Steven Spinell has now played 10 games in a row, and it looks like he's ahead of Tomassoni on the depth chart. Tomassoni, who has played well defensively this season, ma y not play much down the stretch because Miami's other five defenseman in the lineup have played every game.
I wasn't too worried about the Friday loss. Sure, it was a huge upset, but I figured it was due to the 11-hour bus trip and the layoff.
Sunday was different: home game, no layoff, team should have been fired up coming off the loss. If you can't muster enough energy to score a couple of 1st period goals, I'm not sure what's going on, but it's a very bad sign.
Now, should they get 4+ points at Ferris, all will be forgiven.