OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami's Reilly Smith netted a hat trick to end Western Michigan's seven game conference unbeaten streak with a 3-1 loss at Steve Cady Arena on Friday night.

The Dallas Stars draft pick netted all three goals for Miami on the night, while WMU picked up one from Luke Witkowski. Miami's Connor Knapp made 26 saves on the night while Slubowski made 28 in the loss. Miami's Austin Czarnik had an assist on each of Smith's goals on the night for a three-point game.

Smith, Miami's leading goal-scorer, gave the RedHawks an early lead after he collected a rebound off of his own shot and put it into the high right corner of the net for his 15th of the year at 4:16 in the first period. Czarnik found Smith in the left circle and he let a shot go that bounced off Slubowski and right back onto his stick for him to bury the rebound.

Witkowski squared the game at 1-1 with his first goal of the season at 8:34 in the first period. On the power play Witkowski took a pass from Justin Kovacs at the middle of the blue line and wristed it past Connor Knapp for the power play goal. Kovacs picked up his fourth assist of the season and Greg Squires tallied his seventh.

Smith struck again for the RedHawks at 12:57 in the second period after a Bronco turnover created a short-handed two-on-one situation. Czarnik found Smith in the slot and he put it into the net for his second of the night, giving Miami a 2-1 lead.

Smith completed the hat trick at 10:13 in the second period when a bouncing puck dropped right at his feet to the right of the net and he pushed it in for his third on the night to give Miami a 3-1 lead.

The two teams battle it out once again on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.