Miami RedHawks 6-5 overtime win over St Cloud State takeaways

OXFORD, Ohio – A capacity crowd at Steve “Coach” Cady Arena saw the Miami RedHawks trade blows with the St. Cloud State Huskies for 60 minutes of regulation and then watched Matteo Giampa end the night just 70 seconds into overtime. The 6‑5 final score gave Miami its third overtime victory of the season, improved the RedHawks to 8‑3‑0 overall (2‑3‑0 NCHC) and left a long list of storylines to unpack. Below is a full breakdown of the key takeaways from a wild Friday‑night thriller.

How the RedHawks built—and lost—multiple leads

Miami’s offense started fast. A power‑play strike by Michael Quinn at 11:40 of the first period opened the scoring, and Ethan Hay doubled the lead just 2:20 into the second. For a moment, the RedHawks looked in control. Then St. Cloud State found its footing. Barrett Hall pounced on a turnover behind the Miami net and beat Matteo Drobac to make it 2‑1. Minutes later, Finn Loftus fed Grant Ahcan for a back‑hand finish that knotted the score at two.

The see‑saw continued. Kocha Delic finished a forced turnover to put Miami back up 3‑2, only for Gavyn Thoreson to net a shorthanded goal early in the third and draw the Huskies level again at three. The RedHawks responded with a pair of goals just 19 seconds apart—David Deputy cashed in after a wrap‑around attempt by Maximilian Helgeson and Casper Nassen redirected a point shot—pushing the score to 5‑3 with under six minutes left.

Instead of cruising to a comfortable win, Miami surrendered two more tallies. A 4‑on‑4 situation created by coincidental minors gave St. Cloud the opening to pull its goalie and create an extra‑attacker scenario. Tyson Gross tipped in a Barrett Hall shot, and a minute and a half later Thoreson wired a wrister to square the game at five and force overtime.

St. Cloud State’s resilient comeback efforts

The Huskies never trailed for long, erasing two‑goal deficits twice and rallying from a 5‑3 hole in the final frame. Their first comeback was fueled by Hall’s interception goal and Ahcan’s clever finish. The second comeback required more urgency, and head coach Brett Larson’s decision to pull the goalie on a 4‑on‑4 paid immediate dividends.

Gavyn Thoreson’s performance stood out. He scored his team’s only two goals of the third period—one shorthanded, one at even strength—earning his first career multi‑goal game. Hall finished with a goal and an assist, while Mason Reiners anchored the blue line with a career‑high four blocked shots. The Huskies out‑battled Miami in the face‑off circle, with Tyson Gross winning 18 of 31 draws, and they held the nation’s top power‑play unit (32.7% entering the night) to 0‑for‑4, a moral victory on special teams.

The most glaring issue for St. Cloud was the slow start. Miami outshot the Huskies 18‑3 in the first period and dictated the pace. Giving up six different goal‑scorers also exposed a lack of defensive match‑up consistency that will need to be addressed before Saturday’s rematch.

Overtime heroics and key performers

The extra period lasted just 70 seconds. Kyle Aucoin, returning to the lineup after missing time, disrupted a St. Cloud rush, springing Giampa and Deputy on a 2‑on‑1 break. Deputy fed Giampa, who ripped a shot over Yan Shostak’s shoulder to seal the win. The goal was Giampa’s first overtime winner of the season and his second point of the night.

Giampa earned First‑Star honors, while Deputy—who added a goal and an assist—was named Second Star. Deputy’s goal was his first as a RedHawk and his first career multi‑point game, highlighting the depth contributions that defined the night. Helgeson posted two assists, his first two‑assist game as a RedHawk, and Quinn, Nassen and others chipped in with two‑point efforts.

Aucoin’s backcheck was the unsung hero of the sequence, demonstrating how little moments can swing a game. The play also underscored Florida’s ability to generate odd‑man rushes in transition, a key asset that has now delivered three overtime wins.

For more on Giampa’s clutch performance, see our dedicated breakdown of his overtime winner.

Takeaways for Miami’s season outlook

Six shooters show balance – having six different players light the lamp in the same game is the first time Miami has done so since a 7‑4 win at Mercyhurst in December 2021. Scoring depth matters in a grueling NCHC schedule.

Power‑play efficiency – the RedHawks converted on the man advantage early and later kept the nation’s top power‑play unit off the board. Special‑teams play could be a deciding factor in their conference push.

Youth stepping up – Deputy’s first goal, Aucoin’s return and Helgeson’s two‑assist night illustrate a roster blending veteran leadership with underclassmen contributions.

Overtime experience – Miami is now 3‑0 in extra‑frame games. That confidence in crunch time can pay dividends later in the season, especially as the NCHC tournament approaches.

Crowd impact – the 3,642 fans created the first sell‑out at Cady Arena since March 6, 2015. A raucous home environment can tilt momentum, and Friday proved it.

Yet the RedHawks also showed areas to clean up. Losing three separate leads in a single game is a warning sign, and the late 4‑on‑4 goal against revealed a need for better structure when penalties even out.

In our series preview, we highlighted St. Cloud’s potent offense and the importance of Miami’s special‑teams work. Friday’s game bore out those points and gave Miami a blueprint for success—and a reminder of how quickly a lead can vanish.

Looking ahead

Miami and St. Cloud State will meet again Saturday at 6:05 p.m. ET in a quick turnaround. The RedHawks will aim to sweep the weekend and maintain their perfect overtime record, while the Huskies look to correct the defensive lapses that allowed six goals. If Friday was any indication, fans can expect another tightly contested battle with high stakes in the NCHC standings.

Sources

• Complete game recap from Miami RedHawks athletics.
• St. Cloud State perspective on the comeback and final result.