Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha hockey team fell one second short of a tying goal, losing to Cornell 4-3 on Saturday night at the CenturyLink Center.  

Cornell swept the two-game series to improve to 2-0-0 while the Mavericks fell to 2-4-0.  The two schools met for the first time this weekend.

The Mavericks had pulled goalie Ryan Massa for an extra attacker during a late power play and kept him off in the dying seconds of the third period as they pressed for the equalizer.  Ryan Walters turnaround shot from the slot went in just after the final horn had sounded, touching off a fracas in front of the Cornell net that was quickly quelled.

The drama was set up earlier in the period.  Trailing 4-2, the Mavericks pulled back to within a goal when Johnnie Searfoss tucked in a pass from Jake Guentzel at 14:49.  It was his first goal of the year.

The Mavericks were attempting to come back from a two goal deficit which they faced multiple times during the game.  They trailed 3-2 entering the third period but again fell behind by two goals when Joel Lowry scored on a power play at 9:03.

The man advantage was once again the story of the game as Cornell scored all of its goals during seven power plays.  They finished the weekend going 7-for-15.

Cornell forged a 2-0 lead early in the first period.  With two Mavericks in the penalty box, Dustin Mowrey picked up his second goal of the weekend when he knocked in a rebound at 7:04.

On the ensuing five-on-four, Cole Bardreau got loose in the low slot and snapped home the puck just 28 seconds later.

The Mavericks finally got on the board midway through the second period.  Brock Montpetit collected the rebound of a shot by Michael Young and flipped it just beyond the reach of Cornell goalie Andy Iles to make it 2-1.

Cornell retook a two-goal lead when Bardreau drew Alex Simonson into an interference penalty.  Christian Hilbrich scored on the ensuing power play to put the Big Red ahead, 3-1.

But the Mavericks used the power play to their own advantage late in the period.  Ian Brady dug the puck off the end wall, feeding Walters in the right wing corner.  Walters waited for Dominic Zombo to cut to the net before flinging a pass that Zombo steered past Iles to put UNO down just 3-2 after two.

The Mavericks outshot the Big Red 40-13 in the game, including holding them without a shot for a stretch of 20 minutes during the first and second periods.

Massa made nine saves in the loss while Iles turned aside 37.

The Mavericks begin their NCHC schedule next weekend when they travel to Denver for games on Nov. 1-2.