Mavericks Host Denver in NCHC Quarterfinals
Mar 12, 2014 | Hockey
This Week
The Omaha Mavericks host a playoff series for the first time in three years when they welcome Denver for an NCHC Quarterfinal series on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, if necessary, March 13-15. Thursday and Friday's games begin at 7:37 p.m., and a possible Saturday game starts at 7:07 p.m.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 16-16-2 overall and finished 13-9-2-1 in the NCHC, putting them in third place. They finished the regular season with an 8-2 loss and a 4-1 win at Minnesota Duluth last weekend. The Mavs are 9-9-0 at home this year. They trail the all-time series with the Pioneers, 6-13-2, a record that includes a mark of 3-1-0 this season. The Mavs are 4-5-0 vs. DU at home and 6-4-0 in their last 10 games.
Denver is 16-14-6 overall and finished 10-11-3-2 in the NCHC, putting it in sixth place. The Pioneers split at home last week with Miami, winning 5-2 before losing 2-1 the following night. DU is 6-6-5 on the road this year and 3-6-1 in its last 10 games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks finished the regular season with a split at Minnesota Duluth last week. On Friday, the Bulldogs blew open a close game with four goals in the third period to win, 8-2. Dominic Zombo had a powerplay goal in the first after UMD had gone up 2-0, and Michael Young tallied on the power play in the second after the Bulldogs had taken a 4-1 lead. But in the third, UMD pulled away, sending the Mavericks to their worst loss since the 2008-09 season. Ryan Massa took the loss with five goals against and 23 saves while Reed Peters made six saves in relief.
The next night, Young, Jake Guentzel and Josh Archibald all had a goal and an assist as the Mavs won, 4-1. Young opened the scoring with a powerplay tally at 3:43 of the first. Archibald scored off a Guentzel pass early in the second and then Guentzel tipped home a shot by Young late in the period to make it 3-1. Zombo closed the scoring at 17:21 of the third. As he did the night before, Ian Brady had two assists. Massa made 27 saves to earn the win.
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 352-199-51 (.627) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 90-84-18 (.516).
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 year as head coach at Denver. The 1993 graduate of Maine is 16-14-6 all-time at DU. He is assisted by David Lassonde and David Carle
Media
All 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 audio, video and live stats are available at OMavs.com. This week, streaming video will be offered free of charge.
Up Next For the Mavericks
If the Mavericks win this quarterfinal series, they will advance to the NCHC Frozen Face-Off in Minneapolis, Minn. next week. The weekend begins with two semifinal games on Friday, March 21 at the Target Center.
The Omaha Mavericks host a playoff series for the first time in three years when they welcome Denver for an NCHC Quarterfinal series on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, if necessary, March 13-15. Thursday and Friday's games begin at 7:37 p.m., and a possible Saturday game starts at 7:07 p.m.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 16-16-2 overall and finished 13-9-2-1 in the NCHC, putting them in third place. They finished the regular season with an 8-2 loss and a 4-1 win at Minnesota Duluth last weekend. The Mavs are 9-9-0 at home this year. They trail the all-time series with the Pioneers, 6-13-2, a record that includes a mark of 3-1-0 this season. The Mavs are 4-5-0 vs. DU at home and 6-4-0 in their last 10 games.
Denver is 16-14-6 overall and finished 10-11-3-2 in the NCHC, putting it in sixth place. The Pioneers split at home last week with Miami, winning 5-2 before losing 2-1 the following night. DU is 6-6-5 on the road this year and 3-6-1 in its last 10 games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks finished the regular season with a split at Minnesota Duluth last week. On Friday, the Bulldogs blew open a close game with four goals in the third period to win, 8-2. Dominic Zombo had a powerplay goal in the first after UMD had gone up 2-0, and Michael Young tallied on the power play in the second after the Bulldogs had taken a 4-1 lead. But in the third, UMD pulled away, sending the Mavericks to their worst loss since the 2008-09 season. Ryan Massa took the loss with five goals against and 23 saves while Reed Peters made six saves in relief.
The next night, Young, Jake Guentzel and Josh Archibald all had a goal and an assist as the Mavs won, 4-1. Young opened the scoring with a powerplay tally at 3:43 of the first. Archibald scored off a Guentzel pass early in the second and then Guentzel tipped home a shot by Young late in the period to make it 3-1. Zombo closed the scoring at 17:21 of the third. As he did the night before, Ian Brady had two assists. Massa made 27 saves to earn the win.
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 352-199-51 (.627) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 90-84-18 (.516).
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 year as head coach at Denver. The 1993 graduate of Maine is 16-14-6 all-time at DU. He is assisted by David Lassonde and David Carle
Media
All 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 audio, video and live stats are available at OMavs.com. This week, streaming video will be offered free of charge.
Up Next For the Mavericks
If the Mavericks win this quarterfinal series, they will advance to the NCHC Frozen Face-Off in Minneapolis, Minn. next week. The weekend begins with two semifinal games on Friday, March 21 at the Target Center.
Players Mentioned
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