Wingels leads Miami past Bemidji State in Frozen Four semifinal
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Tommy Wingels registered two goals and an assist as Miami-Ohio defeated Bemidji State, 4-1, in the semifinals of the Frozen Four at Verizon Center.
Alden Hirschfeld and Bill Loupee also tallied for Miami-Ohio, which gained the semifinal spot after toppling top-seed Denver, then Minnesota-Duluth in the West region. The RedHawks will play either Boston University or Vermont in the finals on Saturday.
Cody Reichard stopped 23-of-24 shots for Miami.
Matt Read scored the lone goal for Bemidji State, from College Hockey America. The Beavers, who claimed the Midwest region following a 4-1 triumph over Cornell to reach their first Frozen Four in school history.
Matt Dalton allowed three goals on 36 shots for Bemidji State, which also dispatched regional top-seed Notre Dame to become the first team from outside the traditional four powerhouse conferences to reach the national semis.
After a scoreless first period, Miami drew first blood on the power-play 3:56 into the second. Wingels took a pass from Matt Tomassoni at the right circle and fired a wrist shot past Dalton to give the RedHawks the lead.
Hirschfeld put Miami up 2-0 at 8:35, but Read tallied on the power play just over a minute later to get Bemidji State on the board. Loupee put the RedHawks ahead 3-1 at 10:46 on a tip-in.
Wingels' empty-net tally with 2:08 left in the third accounted for the 4-1 final score.
04/09 20:05:01 ET
