No. 12 Omaha Rings In New Year With New Hampshire
Dec 29, 2014 | Hockey
This Week
The No. 12 Omaha Mavericks play their final non-conference games of the season this week, hosting New Hampshire on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 30-31. Tuesday's game begins at 7:07 p.m., and Wednesday's contest has a special 4:07 p.m. start at the CenturyLink Center.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 11-4-3 overall this season and 6-3-1-1 in the NCHC this season, putting them in third place. They are coming off a 2-1 win and 3-3 tie vs. Alabama-Huntsville on Dec. 20-21. UNO trails the all-time series with UNH, 1-3-0 but is 1-1-0 all-time against the Wildcats in Omaha. The Mavericks are 5-2-1 at home this season.
The Wildcats are 5-10-1 overall and 1-5-1 in Hockey East this season, good for 11th place. UNH hasn't played since splitting a home-and-home series with Maine on Dec. 12-13. New Hampshire is 2-5-0 on the road this season including a mark of 2-2-0 in non-conference road games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks picked up a 2-1 win and a 3-3 tie with visiting Alabama-Huntsville in their last series on Dec. 20-21. On Friday, Brian Cooper scored a powerplay goal late in the first period to stake the Mavericks to the lead. Justin Parizek added his eighth of the year in the second. Tyler Vesel assisted on both goals. UAH ruined the shutout bid of Kirk Thompson with a goal from Jeff Vanderlugt with just 11 seconds to go in the game. Still, Thompson made 24 saves for his second win of the year.
On Saturday, UNO spotted the Chargers a 2-0 lead after two periods but pulled off the comeback in the third. Austin Ortega started it with a powerplay marker at 5:08. Just 14 seconds later, the Chargers scored to make it 3-1, but Ortega would score on another power play at 9:42 to make it 3-2. Then with 20.8 seconds remaining in regulation, Jake Guentzel fired home the tying goal past UAH's Carmine Guerriero. Ryan Massa, playing more than 24 minutes of relief, earned the tie with nine saves.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his sixth year as the head coach of the Mavericks, having led UNO to two 20-win campaigns in that time. The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a record of 364-205-54 (.628) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 102-90-21 (.528). He coached in his 200th game at UNO on Oct. 31 at Cornell.
Blais is a two-time Spencer Penrose Memorial Award winner as the Division I coach of the year and a four-time winner of the WCHA's Coach of the Year Award. He spent 10 years as head coach at North Dakota where he led UND to national championships in 1997 and 2000. He is assisted by coaches Troy Jutting and Alex Todd who both have extensive head coaching experience, Jutting at Minnesota State and Todd at Castleton (Vt.) State.
Dick Umile is in his 25th season as head coach of New Hampshire. The 1972 graduate of UNH is 546-304-96 at his alma mater. He is assisted by Scott Borek and Glenn Stewart.
Media
Both games can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy will handle the analysis, and Lester St. James will report from rinkside. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Streaming video is available through NCHC.tv, while live audio and live stats are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks return to NCHC action on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10 when they host the Denver Pioneers. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game starts at 7:07 p.m. from CenturyLink Center Omaha.
The No. 12 Omaha Mavericks play their final non-conference games of the season this week, hosting New Hampshire on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 30-31. Tuesday's game begins at 7:07 p.m., and Wednesday's contest has a special 4:07 p.m. start at the CenturyLink Center.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 11-4-3 overall this season and 6-3-1-1 in the NCHC this season, putting them in third place. They are coming off a 2-1 win and 3-3 tie vs. Alabama-Huntsville on Dec. 20-21. UNO trails the all-time series with UNH, 1-3-0 but is 1-1-0 all-time against the Wildcats in Omaha. The Mavericks are 5-2-1 at home this season.
The Wildcats are 5-10-1 overall and 1-5-1 in Hockey East this season, good for 11th place. UNH hasn't played since splitting a home-and-home series with Maine on Dec. 12-13. New Hampshire is 2-5-0 on the road this season including a mark of 2-2-0 in non-conference road games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks picked up a 2-1 win and a 3-3 tie with visiting Alabama-Huntsville in their last series on Dec. 20-21. On Friday, Brian Cooper scored a powerplay goal late in the first period to stake the Mavericks to the lead. Justin Parizek added his eighth of the year in the second. Tyler Vesel assisted on both goals. UAH ruined the shutout bid of Kirk Thompson with a goal from Jeff Vanderlugt with just 11 seconds to go in the game. Still, Thompson made 24 saves for his second win of the year.
On Saturday, UNO spotted the Chargers a 2-0 lead after two periods but pulled off the comeback in the third. Austin Ortega started it with a powerplay marker at 5:08. Just 14 seconds later, the Chargers scored to make it 3-1, but Ortega would score on another power play at 9:42 to make it 3-2. Then with 20.8 seconds remaining in regulation, Jake Guentzel fired home the tying goal past UAH's Carmine Guerriero. Ryan Massa, playing more than 24 minutes of relief, earned the tie with nine saves.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his sixth year as the head coach of the Mavericks, having led UNO to two 20-win campaigns in that time. The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a record of 364-205-54 (.628) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 102-90-21 (.528). He coached in his 200th game at UNO on Oct. 31 at Cornell.
Blais is a two-time Spencer Penrose Memorial Award winner as the Division I coach of the year and a four-time winner of the WCHA's Coach of the Year Award. He spent 10 years as head coach at North Dakota where he led UND to national championships in 1997 and 2000. He is assisted by coaches Troy Jutting and Alex Todd who both have extensive head coaching experience, Jutting at Minnesota State and Todd at Castleton (Vt.) State.
Dick Umile is in his 25th season as head coach of New Hampshire. The 1972 graduate of UNH is 546-304-96 at his alma mater. He is assisted by Scott Borek and Glenn Stewart.
Media
Both games can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy will handle the analysis, and Lester St. James will report from rinkside. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Streaming video is available through NCHC.tv, while live audio and live stats are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks return to NCHC action on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10 when they host the Denver Pioneers. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game starts at 7:07 p.m. from CenturyLink Center Omaha.
Players Mentioned
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