Mavericks Return Home To Host No. 18 Denver
Feb 13, 2014 | Hockey
This Week
The Omaha Mavericks are back on familiar ice this week, hosting No. 18 Denver on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game starts at 7:07 p.m. These are the final two meetings of the teams' four-game season series.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 11-13-2 overall and 8-6-2-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, putting them in a tie with North Dakota for third place. The Mavericks are coming off a 4-2 loss and a 6-3 win at North Dakota last weekend. The Mavs are 6-8-0 at home this year. They trail the all-time series with the Pioneers, 5-12-2, a ledger that includes a pair of wins in Denver in November. The Mavericks are 3-4-0 all-time vs. DU at home.
Denver is 13-9-6 overall and 7-6-3-2 in the NCHC, putting it in a tie with Western Michigan for fifth place. Denver tied St. Cloud State, 2-2, before taking a 3-2 shootout victory last Friday and then dropped a 4-2 decision the next night. The Pioneers are 4-3-5 on the road this year and 4-3-3 in their last 10 games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks are coming off a split at then-No. 16 North Dakota last weekend. On Friday, they took the lead at 8:15 of the first when Brian Cooper scored his first of the year. UND tied the game on Mark MacMillan's goal at 11:04 of second and then got goals from Michael Parks and Brendan O'Donnell early in the third to lead, 3-1. Ryan Walters scored at 17:29 to draw the Mavericks to within one, but UND got an empty-net goal to seal the win. Reed Peters made 18 saves in the loss.
On Saturday, Josh Archibald had a natural hat trick as the Mavericks scored five unanswered goals to win, 6-3. Tanner Lane scored first at 12:24, but Derek Rodwell evened the game at 19:52 of the opening period. UND then tacked on two goals in the first 2:07 of the second to lead 3-1 before the Mavs started their comeback. Dominic Zombo scored at 5:55 and then Archibald notched his first two to put the Mavs up, 4-3, after two. Archibald completed the hat trick at 2:51 of the third, and Zahn Raubenheimer also scored to finish the barrage. Kirk Thompson made 23 saves for his first win since November.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his fifth 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 347-196-51 (.627) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 84-80-18 (.511).
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 .
Jim Montgomery is in his first season at Denver. The 1993 graduate of Maine is 13-9-6 leading the Pioneers. He is assisted by David Lassonde and David Carle.
Media
Saturday's game will be televised statewide on NET1. Dave Ahlers will call the game, and former Maverick David Brisson will have the analysis. Both games also can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Ahlers will have the play-by-play on Friday, and Frank Adkisson will call the game on Saturday. Terry Leahy will handle the analysis both nights and Lester St. James reports. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Streaming audio, video and live stats are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks are back on the road at Western Michigan on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22. Each game begins at 6:07 p.m. CT from Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo.
The Omaha Mavericks are back on familiar ice this week, hosting No. 18 Denver on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game starts at 7:07 p.m. These are the final two meetings of the teams' four-game season series.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 11-13-2 overall and 8-6-2-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, putting them in a tie with North Dakota for third place. The Mavericks are coming off a 4-2 loss and a 6-3 win at North Dakota last weekend. The Mavs are 6-8-0 at home this year. They trail the all-time series with the Pioneers, 5-12-2, a ledger that includes a pair of wins in Denver in November. The Mavericks are 3-4-0 all-time vs. DU at home.
Denver is 13-9-6 overall and 7-6-3-2 in the NCHC, putting it in a tie with Western Michigan for fifth place. Denver tied St. Cloud State, 2-2, before taking a 3-2 shootout victory last Friday and then dropped a 4-2 decision the next night. The Pioneers are 4-3-5 on the road this year and 4-3-3 in their last 10 games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks are coming off a split at then-No. 16 North Dakota last weekend. On Friday, they took the lead at 8:15 of the first when Brian Cooper scored his first of the year. UND tied the game on Mark MacMillan's goal at 11:04 of second and then got goals from Michael Parks and Brendan O'Donnell early in the third to lead, 3-1. Ryan Walters scored at 17:29 to draw the Mavericks to within one, but UND got an empty-net goal to seal the win. Reed Peters made 18 saves in the loss.
On Saturday, Josh Archibald had a natural hat trick as the Mavericks scored five unanswered goals to win, 6-3. Tanner Lane scored first at 12:24, but Derek Rodwell evened the game at 19:52 of the opening period. UND then tacked on two goals in the first 2:07 of the second to lead 3-1 before the Mavs started their comeback. Dominic Zombo scored at 5:55 and then Archibald notched his first two to put the Mavs up, 4-3, after two. Archibald completed the hat trick at 2:51 of the third, and Zahn Raubenheimer also scored to finish the barrage. Kirk Thompson made 23 saves for his first win since November.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his fifth 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 347-196-51 (.627) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 84-80-18 (.511).
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 .
Jim Montgomery is in his first season at Denver. The 1993 graduate of Maine is 13-9-6 leading the Pioneers. He is assisted by David Lassonde and David Carle.
Media
Saturday's game will be televised statewide on NET1. Dave Ahlers will call the game, and former Maverick David Brisson will have the analysis. Both games also can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Ahlers will have the play-by-play on Friday, and Frank Adkisson will call the game on Saturday. Terry Leahy will handle the analysis both nights and Lester St. James reports. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Streaming audio, video and live stats are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks are back on the road at Western Michigan on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22. Each game begins at 6:07 p.m. CT from Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo.
Players Mentioned
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