CNATI: Cincinnati OH Sports Journalism

OXFORD, Ohio - Normally during Miami's warm-ups, especially when the team is playing this well, the on-ice atmosphere is loose.

Occasionally two players will joke with each other momentarily or one will deliver a playful light body check to a teammate.

Standing at ice level on Saturday, fans watching the RedHawks practicing their pre-game drills did not see one word spoken between any two players.

Then, playing on pure emotion a day after the death of team manager Brendan Burke, No. 1 Miami pounded Lake Superior State, 10-4 at Cady Arena.

"On behalf of our staff, administration, and the Burke family, we're just proud of the way our guys came out and played," Miami coach Enrico Blasi was quoted as saying on the team Web site after the game. "All the boys just really wanted to do this for Brendan. I think it shows the kind of person he was and what he meant to us and it was a difficult 24 hours for everyone."

Burke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs and U.S. Olympics general manager Brian Burke who was set to graduate in May, was killed in a car accident near Richmond, Ind., on Friday.

Miami (20-4-6) chased starting goalie junior Brian Mahoney-Wilson eight minutes into the game after junior forwards Andy Miele and Tommy Wingels scored goals in the first 8:17.

Freshman Joe Hartman and Miele netted goals 52 seconds apart late in the first period off senior Pat Inglis to make it 4-0.

Sophomores Will Weber, Trent Vogelhuber and Alden Hirschfeld all pumped in goals in the first seven minutes of the middle stanza to make it 7-0. That chased Inglis, who stopped 7 of 12 shots.

In came Lake Superior State's third goalie of the night, senior Mitch Edmondson. After a Lakers (14-11-5) breakaway goal by freshman forward Domenic Monardo, junior defenseman Vincent LoVerde scored his first goal of the season to re-establish the seven-goal Miami lead, 8-1.

Junior center Carter Camper and freshman forward Devin Mantha notched tallies in the third period to finish the Miami scoring.

Miele finished with two goals and two assists, and his linemate - senior forward Jarod Palmer - added three helpers.

Miami junior Andy Miele gets ready to shoot on Saturday (Cathy White/CNATI.com).

RedHawks sophomore goalie Connor Knapp assisted on two goals, earning the first points of his collegiate career. Mantha recorded a goal and an assist for his first multi-point game at Miami.

Not surprisingly, the RedHawks' tempers were very short, resulting in 16 Miami penalties for 59 minutes, just five short of the team record. Sophomore defenseman Chris Wideman received a major and a game misconduct for grabbing the facemask, and Hartman and sophomore defenseman Cameron Schilling both got 10-minute misconducts.

Wideman and Schilling were issued their penalties midway through the first period - and five others on the ice were also given minors - leaving Miami with four available defensemen.

Then Hartman was assessed his 10-minute misconduct eight minutes later, cutting the number of Miami blueliners to three. Right after Schilling returned early in the second period, LoVerde went to the box.

The RedHawks played with five forwards briefly, and also used senior forward Brandon Smith on defense.

The teams combined for 108 penalty minutes.

It was the most goals Miami has scored since an 11-1 win over Canisius on Nov. 24, 2007, and the highest offensive output for the RedHawks in a conference game since an 11-3 victory over Alaska on Oct. 24, 1997.

The RedHawks extended their unbeaten streak in conference games to 20 (16-0-4). Miami needs one more point to clinch the CCHA regular-season title, or for Ferris State to not earn all three points in any of its remaining conference games.

BOTTOM LINE: It was unclear what type of effort to expect from the team, playing in obvious emotional pain less than 24 hours after learning about the death of an immediate member of the Miami hockey family.

The thought occurred that Saturday could be another Robert Morris-Clarkson-Army.

But the result was more a tribute to Miami's resolve than the product of athletic ability, even that of a No. 1-ranked team.

Lake Superior State is very good and was in desperate need of the three possible points awarded to the RedHawks on Saturday. Under normal circumstances it's unlikely an NHL team could've hung seven goals on the Lakers in 27 minutes.

Saturday was a proud moment for Miami hockey fans, because when challenged with major emotional adversity the team showed it could play at superhuman levels for 1½ periods.

It was a privilege to witness not just what great hockey players Miami has, but what amazing young men coach Enrico Blasi has developed.

"The Brotherhood" is a term that is often used but rarely understood. Everything it stands for can be summed up by what this team has gone through this weekend and how it responded.

GRADES

FORWARDS: A+. Anyone surprised? It was the best offensive outburst for Miami in 2½ seasons, and the centers and wingers combined for seven goals and 13 assists.

This was the best I've ever seen junior center Pat Cannone stickhandle, and unfortunately he didn't get more than an assist.

Miele was unbelievable, and he may end up leading the team in points by the end of the season. Miele and Palmer combined for seven points.

DEFENSEMEN: B. This was easily the toughest grade to give. On one hand, the blueliners scored a season-high three goals and dished for four assists. On the other hand, Knapp faced 42 shots - easily the most Miami has allowed - including 16 in the first period when the game was still in doubt.

They played a bit lackadaisical in the third period and put the team in a tough spot early in the second.

The four goals allowed was more a product of the team's freelance approach late in the game than a shortcoming of the defensemen.

LoVerde's goal was his first of the season, and in typical workman-like fashion, his line read: 1 goal, 1 assist, plus-4 rating, (team-high) 3 blocks.

LoVerde and Hartman were especially solid defensively.

GOALTENDING: B. Another performance that was hard to judge. Knapp was excellent through the first two period, stopping 21 of 22 shots. The lone goal he allowed was on a breakaway that would've resulted in a penalty shot had the shooter not scored.

The defense did him no favors in the third period, but considering the game was a blowout and the emotional toll the weekend had taken on the RedHawks, a defensive let-down period is understandable.

He probably should've stopped one of the final three goals, but his save percentage was still over .900.

Watching the game, you got the feeling that if Miami led by two goals entering the final period instead of seven, the RedHawks' defense would've tightened up and Knapp would've made the key save to preserve the win.

LINEUP CHANGES: Senior forward Gary Steffes was benched, and Mantha played in his place. Freshman Steve Mason sat for the second straight game, and senior Brandon Smith played for the second consecutive time.

Sophomore defenseman Matt Tomassoni was not dressed after playing seven straight games, with freshman Steven Spinell suiting up in his place.

Blasi probably won't hold Knapp's four goals allowed against him under the circumstances, but then again Reichard pitched a shutout the night before.

With a weak Bowling Green opponent scheduled for next weekend, it's unlikely Blasi would bench Knapp for the finale next Saturday.