No. 13 Mavericks Close Home Stand with No. 4 UND
Feb 25, 2016 | Hockey
This Week
The No. 13 Omaha Mavericks finish their six-game home stand by hosting No. 4 North Dakota on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27. The two games mark the conclusion of the four-game season series between the two teams. Both games start at 7:07 p.m. from Baxter Arena with Senior Night festivities scheduled for Saturday.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 18-11-1 overall and 8-11-1-0/0 in the NCHC, putting them in a tie with Minnesota Duluth and Miami for fourth place. Omaha was swept by visiting St. Cloud State last weekend. The Mavericks trail the all-time series with North Dakota, 7-10-1 and trail 3-5-0 in games played in Omaha. The Mavericks are 10-6-0 at home and are 4-6-0 in the last 10 games.
North Dakota is 24-5-3 overall and 15-4-1-0/1 in the conference, putting it in a tie with St. Cloud State for first place. The Fighting Hawks swept a series from Minnesota Duluth last weekend, winning 2-1 each night. UND is 11-3-1 on the road this season and 6-3-1 in the last 10 games.
Omaha and North Dakota split a two-game series in Grand Forks last month. UNO won 4-3 in overtime to open the series, and UND responded with a 5-1 win the next night.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks lost both games to St. Cloud State last week. On Friday, Joey Benik had two goals to help the Huskies pull away for a 4-1 win. SCSU sandwiched goals by Robby Jackson and Jacob Benson around a tally by Mason Morelli in the first. Benik got his first at 11:20 of the third and added an empty netter with nine seconds remaining. Evan Weninger made 18 saves in the loss.
The next night, SCSU got out to a 3-0 lead before Luke Nogard and Jake Guentzel scored late in the second to draw the Mavericks to within one. Blake Winiecki scored his second of the game at 8:07 of the third, but UNO got the game to within a goal again on Guentzel's second of the night. Kalle Kossila and Judd Peterson (empty net) put the game away late. Weninger again suffered the loss, making 21 saves.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his seventh year as the head coach of the Mavericks, having led UNO to three 20-win campaigns in that time. The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a record of 391-225-58 (.623) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 129-110-25 (.536).
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.
Brad Berry is in his first season as head coach at North Dakota. The 2002 graduate of UND is 24-5-3 leading his alma mater. The one-time Blais assistant at UND is assisted by Dane Jackson and Matt Shaw.
Media
Both games can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Dave Ahlers will call the play-by-play, Terry Leahy provides analysis, and Lester St. James reports from ice level. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Live video is available at NCHC.tv while live audio and stats can be found at OMavs.com.
Saturday's game also will be televised live on the American Sports Network and shown in Omaha on KXVO CW15. Joel Goldberg will call the action, and Pat Micheletti will have the color commentary.
Up Next For The Mavericks
The Mavericks finish the regular season at Denver on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5. Friday's game starts at 8:36 p.m. CT, and Saturday's game begins at 8:06 p.m. CT from Magness Arena in Denver, Colo.
The No. 13 Omaha Mavericks finish their six-game home stand by hosting No. 4 North Dakota on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27. The two games mark the conclusion of the four-game season series between the two teams. Both games start at 7:07 p.m. from Baxter Arena with Senior Night festivities scheduled for Saturday.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 18-11-1 overall and 8-11-1-0/0 in the NCHC, putting them in a tie with Minnesota Duluth and Miami for fourth place. Omaha was swept by visiting St. Cloud State last weekend. The Mavericks trail the all-time series with North Dakota, 7-10-1 and trail 3-5-0 in games played in Omaha. The Mavericks are 10-6-0 at home and are 4-6-0 in the last 10 games.
North Dakota is 24-5-3 overall and 15-4-1-0/1 in the conference, putting it in a tie with St. Cloud State for first place. The Fighting Hawks swept a series from Minnesota Duluth last weekend, winning 2-1 each night. UND is 11-3-1 on the road this season and 6-3-1 in the last 10 games.
Omaha and North Dakota split a two-game series in Grand Forks last month. UNO won 4-3 in overtime to open the series, and UND responded with a 5-1 win the next night.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks lost both games to St. Cloud State last week. On Friday, Joey Benik had two goals to help the Huskies pull away for a 4-1 win. SCSU sandwiched goals by Robby Jackson and Jacob Benson around a tally by Mason Morelli in the first. Benik got his first at 11:20 of the third and added an empty netter with nine seconds remaining. Evan Weninger made 18 saves in the loss.
The next night, SCSU got out to a 3-0 lead before Luke Nogard and Jake Guentzel scored late in the second to draw the Mavericks to within one. Blake Winiecki scored his second of the game at 8:07 of the third, but UNO got the game to within a goal again on Guentzel's second of the night. Kalle Kossila and Judd Peterson (empty net) put the game away late. Weninger again suffered the loss, making 21 saves.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his seventh year as the head coach of the Mavericks, having led UNO to three 20-win campaigns in that time. The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a record of 391-225-58 (.623) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 129-110-25 (.536).
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.
Brad Berry is in his first season as head coach at North Dakota. The 2002 graduate of UND is 24-5-3 leading his alma mater. The one-time Blais assistant at UND is assisted by Dane Jackson and Matt Shaw.
Media
Both games can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Dave Ahlers will call the play-by-play, Terry Leahy provides analysis, and Lester St. James reports from ice level. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Live video is available at NCHC.tv while live audio and stats can be found at OMavs.com.
Saturday's game also will be televised live on the American Sports Network and shown in Omaha on KXVO CW15. Joel Goldberg will call the action, and Pat Micheletti will have the color commentary.
Up Next For The Mavericks
The Mavericks finish the regular season at Denver on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5. Friday's game starts at 8:36 p.m. CT, and Saturday's game begins at 8:06 p.m. CT from Magness Arena in Denver, Colo.
Players Mentioned
Tuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
