Box Score Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – Josh Archibald had a hat trick, and Ryan Walters had a four-point night to power the No. 15/16 Omaha hockey team to an 8-4 win over Colorado College on Friday night at the CenturyLink Center.  

Tanner Lane added his first two career goals, and Matt White added a goal and two assists as the Mavericks matched their highest goal total of the season.

UNO improved to 12-8-1 overall and 8-4-1 in the WCHA, putting it in a three way tie with North Dakota and Denver for second place.  Colorado College dropped to 8-11-2 overall and 5-7-1 in league play.

The game turned in the second period when UNO outscored CC 4-2 to stretch a 2-1 lead into a 6-3 advantage.

Just 25 seconds into the period, Walters lifted the puck out of his own zone.  Zahn Raubenheimer caught the pass, spun around defenseman Peter Stoykewych and cut to the net.  Raubenheimer got tripped but was able to slide the puck home for his eighth goal of the year.

On the ensuing power play resulting from Stoykewych's trip, Walters set up Archibald on an odd-man rush for an easy tap in to make it 4-1.

Colorado College got one back on its first power play of the game.  Mike Boivin took a pass from Scott Winkler and wristed home his seventh goal of the season.

The Mavericks responded quickly to restore the three-goal lead.  Andrej Sustr hit Dominic Zombo coming off the bench.  Zombo raced down the right wing and then cut to the net before sliding a pass across the crease to Lane.  He tapped in his second goal of the game at 7:25.

Just 25 seconds later, White, on the forecheck, forced the CC defense into a turnover, and Walters picked up the loose puck and slammed home his team-leading 13th goal of the year.

The Tigers closed the gap in the final minute of the second period.  Skating shorthanded, Boivin earned his second of the game, beating John Faulkner with a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle.

In the third, Boivin completed his own hat trick when he beat Faulkner at 15:08 to close the gap to 6-4.

But White answered just 17 seconds later, and Archibald completed his hat trick by knocking in a feed from Mike Young at 19:19.

The Mavericks got off to a quick start, striking just 1:13 into the game.  White's blind backhander from the right wing caromed off goalie Josh Thorimbert into the low slot.  Lane crashed the net and fired home his first collegiate goal.

The Tigers tied the game on a turnover by UNO at the offensive blueline.  Charlie Taft raced around the defense and broke in alone on Faulkner, beating him with a backhand shot from in close.

UNO retook the lead later in the period.  Walters deflected the puck back to White at the top of the slot.  His hard wrist shot was stopped by Thorimbert, but Archibald was there to swat in the rebound for his eighth goal of the year.

Archibald's trifecta was the first hat trick for a UNO player since Joey Martin netted three in an 8-4 win at North Dakota on Jan. 21, 2011.  The eight goals scored by UNO matched its season high in an 8-0 win over Alabama-Huntsville on Nov. 24.

Each team finished the game with 30 shots on goal.  Faulkner earned his 10th win of the year and 48th of his career with 26 saves.  He is now just five wins from tying Dan Ellis for most all-time for a UNO goalie.  Thorimbert was lifted after UNO's fifth goal and was saddled with the loss, making 12 saves.  Joe Howe allowed three goals on 13 shots in relief.

The two teams finish the series on Saturday night at 7:07 p.m.