UNH upsets top-seeded Miami, 3-1

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MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)New Hampshire fell behind 53 seconds into the game, tied it one minute later and controlled the rest of the way.

Kevin Goumas scored twice and goalie Matt Di Girolamo recovered from an early lapse as the Wildcats upset top-seeded Miami 3-1 on Saturday in the NCAA tournament's northeast regional.

Team captain Mike Sislo also scored for the Wildcats (22-10-6), breaking a 1-all tie early in the third period and Di Girolamo carried UNH the rest of the way. He finished with 21 saves and had plenty of help from his teammates, who blocked 20 shots as the Wildcats stymied Miami (23-10-6) and ended the RedHawks' seven-game win streak.

"That was probably as well as we've played all season from start to finish," New Hampshire coach Dick Umile said.

New Hampshire will play either Notre Dame or Merrimack on Sunday in the regional final.

Miami was riding a 13-game unbeaten streak into the NCAA tournament and was one of four teams to get a No. 1 seed, but they had the misfortune of playing UNH about 35 miles from the Wildcats' campus in Durham.

Chants of "U-N-H!" grew louder as the game progressed and reached a crescendo as the Wildcats swarmed Di Girolamo in front of the net after the final horn.

Di Girolamo didn't allow a goal after Bryon Paulazzo put Miami up 1-0 just 53 seconds into the game. Goumas tied it at 1-all exactly one minute later and the tie held until the first minute of the third period.

Blake Kessel faked a shot from the blue line and instead passed it to Sislo at the far corner of the net for a one-timer that put the Wildcats ahead for good.

"It was a great pass. That's the type of play as a forward you dream about," Sislo said. "Blake has great vision. If you able to get open and find a little ice, he's going to hit you."

Goumas sealed it with an empty-net goal with 1:25 left.

Cody Reichard made 24 saves for the RedHawks, whose quest for a third straight appearance in the Frozen Four ended in the regional semifinals.

"If it wasn't for Cody, it could have been a lot worse," Miami coach Enrico Blasi said.
Miami took a 1-0 lead just 53 seconds into the game. Reichard made two point-blank saves before the RedHawks could gain control of the puck and get it to the other end, where Camper found Bryon Paulazzo alone in the slot.

But the Wildcats needed just a minute to tie it on a fortunate bounce. Matt Campanale fired the puck from the blue line and it went straight to the end boards, bouncing directly to Goumas at the side of the net. Goumas tapped it in and Campanale and Damon Kipp got assists on the goal.

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