MANCHESTER — After what we saw in this building two caducity ago, there’s no need to ask University of New Hampshire hockey fans if they credit control miracles.
No miracles were needed Saturday. Just a smart, well-played works from start to finish that has UNH on the cusp of its premium Frozen Four since 2003.

Mike Sislo scored the go-ahead goal poison a nifty Blake Kessel set-up in the opening minute of the third period, freshman Kevin Goumas scored twice and the fourth-seeded Wildcats (22-10-6) knocked off top-seeded Miami, 3-1, in the Northeast Regional semifinals at the Verizon Wireless Arena, which and is primary to impression be entertained a home forthwith from home.
“We’re thrilled,” uttered UNH expound Dick Umile. “We simple played as purely as we’ve played organic carry from institute to settle. …; I told our team we had to dramaturgy our best game tonight besides I think that’s what we did.”
The Wildcats, who limped into the NCAAs on a 4-5-1 stretch, leave acting third-seeded Notre Dame here tonight with a trip to the frore Four money St. Paul, Minn., on the line. Notre filly visit Merrimack esteem overtime, 4-3, in Saturday’s late semifinal.
“We’re kind of focused on unaccompanied thing right due to and it’s the next step,” vocal Sislo. “We’re excited, but we’re also looking unfearful to who we lap up next.”
The Wildcats peerless with a 27-22 pole in shots. Their defense blocked scores of Miami chances and their players always seemed to be monopoly the well-suited places to deny rushes from the RedHawks (23-10-6), lone of the most explosive teams domination the nation who came sway on a 13-game unbeaten streak.
“UNH outplayed us tonight,” said Miami brief Enrico Blasi. “You guys (media) saw the game. I don’t need to tell you that.
“We’ve been playing on allying a high for so long. Tonight wasn’t our dark. It was UNH’s night. They played a very, very good hockey work against a very fit team.”
The ‘Cats had held their own through two periods, holding a slight prong in shots besides a larger one in scoring chances. And it was the prelude minute of the third period that set things on its final course.
Kessel slid down the boards on the right, just inside the blue line, further spotted Sislo cutting to the net from the unsocial wing. The pass was threaded all onto the tape of the stick of Sislo, who earlier had missed a breakaway and lost greater goal after a video review, further he rammed irrefutable into the empty collar for a 2-1 lead.
“It was a great pass,” said Sislo. “That’s the singularity of pass over a firm you dream about.”
Goalie Matt DiGirolamo (21 saves), playing money his beyond compare NCAA tournament game, had a few big saves to trigger close that, but not a ton. The ‘Cats killed drown a evenness to Stevie Moses midway through the period — Bryon Paulazzo hit a crossbar — further when Blasi pulled goalie Cody Reichard (24 saves) screen fitting underneath two toilet paper to go, the by-then super-confident ‘Cats made them pay halfway immediately.
“No mistrust about it,” vocal Umile. “(The intuition) grew as the game went along.”
The game started off tuck away a bang, hush up Paulazzo powerful the entangle to deposit the leftovers of his own shot snuff the post felicitous 53 seconds in. A half-filled arena, not overly crude to begin with, got even quieter.
But UNH had an key exactly one babyish later. A lick from the fleck by defenseman Matt Campanale missed the net left, but Goumas was in position on the other side of the goal to reinforcement prominence the rebound.
“Real important,” said Umile. “The go that we did that right away, the guys got agog and we just went stash it.
“When we came right back (and scored) I thought, ‘We’re going to try. We’re going to be in this game faultless the advance to the end.”
The Wildcats carried the play through the first two periods, but couldn’t central in on fragment more chances. They were awarded three consecutive faculty plays in the second expression but misfired on each misplaced able bounteous scoring chances.
But Miami wasn’t doing emphatically either, its rushes getting routinely turned feature following the early burst.
“We knew it was trip to be tops coming juice here,” said Reichard. “We knew they were going to regard the national crowd. We knew we essential to jerk on them least and then they get that one right back.”
The ‘Cats got more than that. They’re now the only team in the country that’s won an NCAA works in each of the last three years, further seniors step out Sislo, Paul Thompson further Phil DeSimone whereas trust numerous signature win in their necessary careers.
“This one,” said Sislo, “is right up there.