Weekly Release
This Week
The 10th-ranked University of Nebraska at Omaha hockey team renews acquaintances with an old foe as it travels to Ann Arbor this week to face the third-ranked University of Michigan. The two teams will square off on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 22 and 23 at Yost Arena with each beginning at 7:35 p.m. ET. The two schools squared off regularly for 11 years while the Mavericks were members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 4-0-0 after the first two weeks of the season, and they are 2-0-0 in the WCHA following 5-4 and 4-2 wins at Minnesota last weekend in their conference debut. The Mavericks have started the season 4-0-0 for just the third time in their history. They have never gone 5-0-0 to begin a campaign. Michigan is off to a 2-0-2 start following a 3-3 tie at New Hampshire last Saturday. Last season, the Wolverines finished with a record of 26-18-1 and a 14-13-1 mark in the CCHA, good for seventh place and one position behind the Mavericks. Michigan won the CCHA Championship and qualified for the NCAA playoffs. The Wolverines beat Bemidji State in the first round before losing to Miami in the quarterfinals.
Last Week
The Mavericks made quite a splash in their WCHA debut, sweeping Minnesota, 5-4 and 4-2, in a pair of games at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. In Friday's opener, the Mavericks raced out to a 3-0 lead on powerplay goals by #Rich Purslow and Alex Hudson and an even-strength marker from Matt White#. #Matt Ambroz# made it 4-0 in the second period before the Golden Gophers fought back for two in the second and two in the third to tie the game. But with just 96 seconds remaining in regulation, Hudson scored the game-winner. #John Faulkner# stopped a season-high 38 shots to earn the win. UNO got out to another big lead in the rematch, going up 3-0 on goals by White, Zahn Raubenheimer and Ambroz. The Gophers potted the next two before Purslow clinched it with an empty-netter. Faulkner stopped 29 for his fourth win.
The Coaches
#Dean Blais# is in his second year as the head coach of the Mavericks. The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a career record of 286-131-39 (.670) and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 24-16-6 since coming to Omaha. Blais is a two-time Spencer Penrose Memorial Award winner as the Division I coach of the year. He spent 10 years as head coach at North Dakota where he led the Fighting Sioux to national championships in 1997 and 2000. He is assisted by second-year associate head coach Mike Hastings and first-year assistant coach Mike Guentzel.
Red Berenson is in his 26th season as Michigan's head coach. He recently earned his 700th win at his alma mater (1962) and is now 701-328-71 in his career. He has twice led the Wolverines to the Frozen Four Championship (1996, 1998) and has guided them to nine CCHA playoff championships. He is assisted by Mel Pearson and Billy Powers.
Media
UNO hockey can be heard live on the Voice of UNO Athletics, KVNO, 90.7 FM. Dave Ahlers will call the play-by-play while Terry Leahy provides analysis for both UNO games this weekend. Coverage begins 35 minutes before game time. Live audio, streaming video and live stats are available at omavs.com.
Up Next For the Mavericks
UNO will have a week off before returning home for its first-ever WCHA home series. The Mavericks will host the Mavericks from Minnesota State University on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 5 and 6. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's starts at 7:07 p.m. from Qwest Center Omaha.
