Playoffs are on the horizon, making every conference point crucial as teams jockey for their positions like horses running for the Kentucky Derby. The Fighting Hawks traveled to Miami, Ohio and took the ice against their fellow birds of prey, the Redhawks.

It was a high-flying weekend for the Fighting Hawks as multiple players received recognition for their performances. Drew DeRidder, the man between the pipes, was awarded the NCHC Goaltender Of The Week. He made things easy for the Hawks, fending off 50/51 shots Miami rifled his way. Riese Gaber also received recognition from the NCHC as Forward Of The Week after a five-point weekend, three of them coming in game two’s hat trick, the first from a Fighting Hawks member since 2018. Last but not least, Jackson Blake was named the NCHC Rookie Of The Month after tallying nine points in eight games, three being goals. Representing his country at the World Juniors and wrapping it up with a rookie of the month award in January–he’s cold as ice.

It was a battle in Miami that left the Redhawks with nothing but feathers to spare after the two-game pounding the Fighting Hawks put on their opponents. Jackson Blake began the scoring five minutes into game one on the power play. A beautiful cross-ice pass to a wide open Blake ripping the one timer home before the goalie could even blink, 1-0 Fighting Hawks. One is never enough and Carson Albrecht answered the call before the end of the first period. Picking up a loose puck, and using his speed and strength to fend off the defenseman before elevating the puck over the goalies glove giving the Hawks a two-goal lead. The Hawks were all over the Redhawks like bees on honey and tallied two more goals from Tyler Kleven and Matteo Constantini before the Redhawks were able to light the lamp and give their fans something to cheer about.

Finishing with a 4-1 victory the Hawks looked to game two for the weekend sweep and a chance at the sixth seed in the NCHC rankings.

When it rains, it pours, and that was the story of game two for the Fighting Hawks. It was a feeding frenzy, the Hawks were as hungry as hungover college students for McDonald’s on a Sunday morning. Destroying the Redhawks 8-0 you can only hope their players and fan base have a short memory. Six players for the Hawks hit twine and Riese Gaber earned his first hat trick as a Hawk. He started things off in the first period on the power play with a wicked wrister finding the far side. His second tally came in the second period after a sneaky back door feed from Louis Jamernik that left the Redhawks defenseman in a pretzel. Keeping his audience waiting, Gaber found his hat trick in the final minute of the game and put the icing on the cake.

The Hawks knew what they needed to get done in order to put themselves in a position to climb NCHC standings, after a successful weekend, they move into the sixth seed. Duluth climbs to fifth, and Colorado College falls to the seventh after their three game loosing streak. Things won’t be getting an easier for the Hawks as they travel to Colorado and take on the number one seed Denver this weekend. Duluth and Colorado College are within one point and the Fightinghawks will be sure to leave everything on the ice.