Weekly Release
Live Audio
Live Stats
This Week
The UNO Mavericks finish a busy first semester when they travel to Grand Forks, N.D. this weekend for a WCHA series against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The games will be Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:37 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:07 p.m. at Ralph Engelstad Arena. While the post-Christmas part of the schedule is usually regarded as the second half of the season, the Mavericks begin the second half of their schedule this weekend, having already played 18 games in their 36-game schedule.
The Teams
The Mavericks are 8-7-3 overall and 6-3-3 in the WCHA, putting them in third place with 15 points, four points behind second-place Minnesota Duluth. UNO is 2-2-0 all-time against North Dakota as the teams met for the first time ever last season. The Mavericks are 1-1-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
The Fighting Sioux are 8-7-1 overall and 6-6-0 in the WCHA, putting them in a tie with Colorado College for fourth place with 12 points. After losing six of their first 10 games, the Sioux are surging with wins in four straight games and in five of their last six.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks split a non-conference series with Alabama-Huntsville in Nashville, Tenn. last weekend. UNO dropped the first game, 3-1, before bouncing back for a 6-2 win the following afternoon. In the opener, the Chargers scored two goals in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and win for the first time this season. Mac Roy had the game winner while Brice Geoffrion had two goals including an empty netter.
Michael Young had UNO's only goal, and
Dayn Belfour made 14 saves in the loss.
The following day, UNO got two goals each from Matt White and
Ryan Walters to pull away from the Chargers.
Brent Gwidt opened the scoring just 42 seconds into the game, and White added his first at 2:19 to put UNO up 2-0 after one. Walters got his first, and White his second on the power play to make it 4-0 before the Chargers struck back for two late goals to make it 4-2 after two. UNO iced the game with a powerplay tally from Alex Hudson and an unassisted goal from Walters in the third.
Ryan Massa earned the win with 24 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 311-154-44 (.654) and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 49-39-11 (.550) 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.
Dave Hakstol is in his eighth year at North Dakota, having succeeded Blais in 2004. The 1996 graduate of North Dakota is 195-100-28 all-time at his alma mater. He is assisted by fellow UND alums Cary Eades ('82) and Dane Jackson ('92).
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.” Streaming audio and live stats are available at OMavs.com. Friday's game can be seen on DirecTV channel 617, and Saturday's game will be available on DirecTV 623.
Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks will return to action following the Christmas break with a non-conference series at home with Quinnipiac of ECAC Hockey on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 30 and 31. Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game features a special 2:07 p.m. start at CenturyLink Center Omaha.
