This Week
The Omaha Mavericks return to the CenturyLink Center to host No. 5 St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1.  Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's game starts at 7:07 p.m.  The games mark the only two meetings between the teams this season.

The Teams
The Mavericks are 9-11-2 overall and 6-4-2-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, putting them in fourth place. The Mavericks haven't played since a 2-2 tie (2-3 SOL) and 5-1 win at Miami on Jan. 17-18.  The Mavs are 5-7-0 at home this year.  They trail the all-time series with the Huskies, 5-7-2 but are 3-0-1 vs. SCSU at the CenturyLink Center.

St. Cloud State is 13-5-4 overall this season and 7-3-2-0 in the NCHC, putting it in third place.  The Huskies took part in the first-ever North Star College Cup in St. Paul, Minn. last week, losing to Minnesota, 4-1, before beating Minnesota State, 6-4, in the third-place game.  The Huskies are a 9-1-0 on the road this year.

Last Time Out
The Mavericks picked up a tie and a win against Miami on Jan. 17-18, finishing the season series with a record of 3-0-1-0 vs. the RedHawks.  On Friday, the Mavs spotted Miami a 2-0 lead before tying the game and forcing overtime and then a shootout.  UNO lost the shootout 3-2 in seven rounds.  Trailing 2-0 midway through the second, Brock Montpetit got the Mavs on the board with his eighth goal of the year at 9:53.  In the third, Austin Ortega scored on a power play to knot the game.  In the shootout, Josh Archibald and Nick Seeler both scored, but Miami got goals from Austin Czarnik, Cody Murphy and Sean Kuraly to earn the extra standings point.  Ryan Massa stopped 11 shots in regulation and overtime.

On Saturday, Miami again took the first lead of the game when Devin Loe scored at 1:24 of the second period.  But Archibald and Johnnie Searfoss each responded later in the period to put UNO up 2-1 at the intermission.  In the third period, the Mavs erupted for three powerplay goals - two from Archibald and one from Ortega - to put the game out of reach.  Massa stopped 25 shots to pick up the win.

The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his fifth year as the head coach of the Mavericks, having led UNO to two 20-win campaigns in that time.  The 1973 graduate of Minnesota has posted a record of 345-194-51 (.628) in his career as a head coach and has guided the Mavericks to a mark of 83-79-18 (.511).

Blais is a two-time Spencer Penrose Memorial Award winner as the Division I coach of the year and a four-time winner of the WCHA's Coach of the Year Award.  He spent 10 years as head coach at North Dakota where he led UND to national championships in 1997 and 2000.  He is assisted by coaches Troy Jutting and Alex Todd who both have extensive head coaching experience,  Jutting at Minnesota State and Todd at Castleton (Vt.) State .

Bob Motzko is in his ninth season as head coach at St. Cloud State.  The 1987 graduate of SCSU is 175-130-39 in his career at his alma mater.  He is assisted by Mike Gibbons and Garrett Raboin.

Media
Friday's game will be show statewide on NET1.  Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, and former Maverick David Brisson will provide analysis.  Both games also can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2.  Frank Adkisson will call the action on Friday, and Ahlers will provide play-by-play on Saturday.  Terry Leahy will handle the analysis both nights.  Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show.  Streaming audio, video and live stats are available at OMavs.com.  

Up Next For the Mavericks
The Mavericks are back on the road next week to play North Dakota on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8.  Friday's game begins at 7:37 p.m., and Saturday's tilt starts at 7:07 p.m. from Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.