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This Week
The UNO Mavericks play the first road games on their WCHA schedule this weekend when they travel to Wisconsin to face the Badgers in a pair of games at the Kohl Center. The games on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29 begin at 7:07 p.m. This is UNO's first trip to Madison since Dec. 31, 1998 when the Mavericks were still playing as an independent.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 3-3-0 overall and 2-0-0 in the WCHA following last weekend's league opener against Alaska Anchorage. UNO is 2-5-0 all-time against Wisconsin and 0-2-0 in action at the Kohl Center. The Mavericks' two wins against the Badgers came last year at home. Last season, the Mavs were 7-6-1 in WCHA road games.
Like the Mavericks, the Badgers are also 3-3-0 overall. They are 2-2-0 in the WCHA following 5-3 and 5-4 home wins over North Dakota last weekend. Wisconsin has been in its share of tight games this season. Five of their first six have been decided by one goal including three in overtime.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks opened WCHA play with 4-1 and 3-1 wins over visiting Alaska Anchorage last weekend. On Friday, the Mavs blew open a close game with three third-period goals to pull away from the Seawolves.
Terry Broadhurst had the game-winner while Matt White scored a shorthanded, empty-net goal and added an assist.
John Faulkner turned aside 19 shots to earn the victory.
On Saturday, the Seawolves grabbed the early lead, but the Mavericks responded with the next three to pull away. White tied the game at 1-1 in the first, and
Andrej Sustr scored his second of the weekend in the middle frame for the eventual game-winner. Freshman
Jayson Megna picked up his first collegiate goal in the third to ice it. Faulkner again was strong in goal with 20 saves.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his third year as the head coach of the Mavericks, having led UNO to back-to-back 20-win campaigns. The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a career record of 306-150-41 (.657) and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 44-35-8 (.552) since coming to Omaha. In 2010-11, he was named the WCHA Coach of the Year, the fourth time he's earned the honor. He will serve as the head coach of the 2012 U.S. World Junior Team in December.
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 third-year associate head coach Mike Hastings and first-year assistant coach Brian Renfrew who joins the UNO staff after eight seasons at Michigan State.
Mike Eaves is in his 10th season leading the Badgers. The 1978 graduate of Wisconsin is 195-141-42 all-time at his alma mater. He holds the distinction of being the only other coach in U.S. history to lead the U.S. National Junior Team to a gold medal at the IIHF World Championships, doing so in 2004. Eaves is assisted by Bill Butters and Gary Shuchuk.
Media
Both UNO games this weekend can be heard live on 96.1 The Brew.
Dave Ahlers will call the play-by-play while Terry Leahy will provide analysis. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time online at UNO's IHeart Radio channel, “Mavericks Radio.” Saturday's game also will be shown live statewide on NET and NET-HD, Nebraska's PBS station. Streaming audio, video and live stats are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks return home to host Colorado College on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5. It will be the Tigers' first-ever appearance in Omaha. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game faces off at 7:07 p.m. from the CenturyLink Center.
