Miami 2, UNH 1

Owning a huge edge in shots and putting forth a strong performance wasn't enough for the University of New Hampshire hockey team, which was beaten, 1-0, by Miami University in the NCAA quarterfinals. The RedHawks advance to the Northeast Regional final against Boston College, while the Wildcats end the season at 26-11-2.

UNH came out hot, finishing its checks and keeping play in the offensive end - but on its first real surge, Miami got on the board. Nathan Davis did the damage, taking a rebound in the low slot and quickly sliding it into the cage to make it 1-0 just 1:47 in.

Perhaps stunned by the similarity to the last time the Wildcats hosted a regional, when Michigan scored on its first shot, Davis's goal has leaked the air out of the arena. During stoppages in play during the early stages of the opening period, there is silence other than the public address announcer.

Both teams enjoyed power-play chances midway through the first, but neither was converted despite good bids for both sides. Kevin Regan made a couple of blocker saves during the Miami push, while Chris Murray, Jacob Micflikier and Brett Hemingway each put pucks off Jeff Zatkoff's pads in a six-second span during the New Hampshire onslaught.

UNH missed out on another power-play chance a couple minutes later, and though the scoreboard says they own a 10-7 edge in shots, Regan has certainly had to work for each of those half-dozen saves. The Wildcats finished the frame with a 12-7 advantage in shots, but the RedHawks will have 40 second remaining on a power play when the second period starts.

UNH killed that off, but quickly picked up another infraction eight seconds later. That Miami advantage, though, was truncated by a penalty of their own 1:18 after that. This could be a turning point, depending which team can capitalize on the odd-man opportunities.

Neither team scored during that exchange, but UNH still suffered a loss. Assistant captain and defenseman Chris Murray took a hit in the corner, and as he did it appeared his facemask popped onto his forehead. He skated first to the bench, then to the dressing room, and with 15:21 to go in the period he is out with what appears to be a bloody (if not broken) nose.

The special teams war continues, with UNH killing yet another call, and then getting a power play of their own when Matt Fornataro stripped Ray Eichenlaub and was hooked in pursuit of the puck. The Wildcats didn't capitalize, but with 8:30 to play in the period, the momentum is certainly their's. They are swarming in the offensive end.

The swarming continued through another power play, but Zatkoff continues to come up big, and UNH continues to struggle putting the puck home. They continued their push right through the final whistle, but by finishing the period scoreless (despite a 16-5 edge in shots), it's been 126:33 since their last NCAA goal, dating to Daniel Winnik's penalty shot against Denver in 2005.

That speaks to the parallels between this and the team's other recent NCAA appearances. We've already mentioned the Michigan game the last time UNH hosted, and even more fresh in the memory of the current 'Cats is last year's loss to Michigan State. In that game, the Spartans scored on their second shot (just 2:14 in), then held on through a strong UNH performance for a 1-0 win.

With 20 minutes to do it, it's up to the Wildcats to make sure history doesn't repeat itself.

The RedHawks finished the second seeming content to pack it in and protect their lead, but 39 seconds into the third, they doubled their lead. When Ryan Jones threw the puck out of the corner and into traffic at the top of the crease, it connected with a skate in the fray and slid between the pads of an unsuspecting Regan. Just like that, the mountain is much steeper.

UNH got its sixth power play a couple minutes after the second goal, but -- like the first five -- that effort failed. Now there's 10 minutes to play, and time is dwindling.

Miami has done well to swing the momentum back to neutral, and with each dump into center ice New Hampshire loses precious seconds.

Now there is 5:50 to go, and the odds just got a lot longer. Chris Murray took down Miami's Matt Christie to help prevent a breakaway, was whistled for a penalty, and thus UNH will spend a third of its remaining time shorthanded.

Don't give up yet, though. With a dazzling move you'll be sure to see tonight on SportsCenter, Mike Radja danced around two defenders, dived toward a free puck, lifted it over Zatkoff and inside the far pipe. With 4:45 to play, the shorthanded goal trimmed the deficit to 2-1.

In the NCAA Tournament, though, hero status can be shortlived. With 3:03 to play, Radja was just called for holding in the corner, meaning UNH will be a man-down for nearly all of regulation, unless Miami scores again.

Another twist. After Brad Flaishans' length of the ice shot gave Zatkoff some trouble, leading to a rebound chance, Miami's Alec Martinez took down Bobby Butler near the goalmouth. That leads to 18 seconds of 4x4 play, followed by 1:03 of UNH power play.

Regan has been pulled so it'll be 5x4, then 6x4.

After the faceoff following Martinez's penalty, UNH possessed in the offensive end for 54 seconds, resulting in a point blast shot from Fornataro in the slot, but Zatkoff made the safe and with 27.7 seconds to play there is another offensive draw for UNH.

That was won to Jamie Fritsch, but his shot was blocked out of the zone. That led to another faceoff, and when UNH failed to corral that one, Miami sent the puck the other way and the Wildcats didn't mount another rush.

Season over.

• Kevin Regan is in the net for New Hampshire, while Jeff Zatkoff mans the pipes for Miami.
• There was only one small change to the Wildcats' lineup, with Bobby Butler sliding to center on the fourth line, and Peter LeBlanc shifted to wing.
• The crowd here, as expected, is almost exclusively pulling for New Hampshire. At opening faceoff, however, the arena appeared to be barely half full.