Weekly Release
This Week: The UNO hockey team steps outside the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for its annual non-conference series with Minnesota State of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. UNO will visit the “Northern Mavericks” on Friday, Dec. 18 for a 7:37 p.m. face off. The two teams will square off again on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 7:05 p.m. at Qwest Center Omaha.
Last Week: The Mavericks split their final CCHA series of 2009 at Alaska, losing 4-3 on Friday before rebounding for a 5-3 win on Saturday in Fairbanks. On Friday, #
Jeric Agosta# scored 17 seconds into the game to give UNO a 1-0 lead, but Alaska scored the next four goals before #
Nick Fanto and Brent Gwidt# tallied in the second period to make it 4-3. In spite of a 24-12 shot advantage over the last two periods, the Mavs could not tie the game. On Saturday, UNO spotted Alaska the first goal and then scored five straight including four in the third period. The Nanooks scored two in the closing five minutes for the 5-3 final. #
Matt Ambroz#, #
Joey Martin#, #
Mark Bernier#, Fanto and Agosta all scored for UNO while #
John Faulkner# made 24 saves to earn his sixth win.
The Records: The Mavericks are now 8-7-3 this season and 5-7-2-1 in the CCHA, putting them in tie for seventh place with Northern Michigan. Minnesota State is 9-8-1 overall and 5-8-1 in the WCHA. The Mavericks are coming off an impressive sweep of previously fourth-ranked Bemidji State, winning 5-1 and 3-2 at Bemidji, Minn.
The Series: UNO trails the all-time series with Minnesota State, 7-13-4 and has posted a home record of 3-6-3 and a road mark of 4-7-1 in the series. Last season, the UNO Mavericks lost 4-3 at Mankato on Jan. 3 before skating to a 2-2 tie in Omaha on Feb. 24.
The Coaches: #
Dean Blais# is in his first year as the head coach of the Mavericks. He brings an impressive resume to Omaha, having led the University of North Dakota to national titles in 1997 and 2000. He won five WCHA regular season titles with UND and two playoff championships. He is a two-time winner of the Spencer Penrose Memorial Award given to Division I hockey's top coach. The native of International Falls, Minn. has a career record of 270-122-36. Blais will not be coaching this weekend as he has joined Team USA which he will lead as head coach in the IIHF World Junior Championship beginning Dec. 26. Blais is assisted by former Omaha Lancer head coach and first-year associate head coach Mike Hastings, who will assume head coaching duties in Blais' absence, and third-year assistant coach
Nick Fohr.
Troy Jutting is in his tenth season as head coach at Minnesota State. The former MSU player and 1987 graduate is 151-170-45 at his alma mater.
Media: Both games will be broadcast live on “The Voice of Omaha's Team”, KVNO 90.7 FM.
Dave Ahlers will call the action, and Terry Leahy will provide analysis. Coverage begins 20 minutes before the face-off. Live audio is available at kvno.org and live stats at omavs.com.
Coming Up: The Mavericks will have next week off for the Christmas Break. They will return to action at the Denver Cup on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 1 and 2, 2010. They'll face host #2 Denver on Friday at 8:35 p.m. CT on Friday and face off with St. Lawrence of the ECAC on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. CT.
