Box Score OXFORD, Ohio –
Austin Ortega scored two goals to help the No. 12/13 Omaha hockey team beat No. 4/5 Miami 5-2 on Saturday night to earn a split of their weekend series.
The Mavericks improved to 8-4-2 overall and 4-3-1-1 in the NCHC, good for fourth. Miami dipped to 11-5-0 overall and 7-3-0-0 in the conference, putting it a tie for first. The Mavericks finished a string of 10 road games in the first half of the year with a record of 6-2-2.
It was just the second home loss of the year for Miami in 10 games.
One night after being drubbed 8-2 by the RedHawks, the Mavericks played with the lead throughout although there were some white-knuckle moments. Leading 3-1 early in the third period, Miami got a powerplay goal from Cody Murphy at 7:55 go draw to within a goal.
But Avery Peterson restored the two-goal advantage with a great individual effort. Cutting off a pass at center ice, he broke into the Miami zone, settling a bouncing puck just long enough to lift it over sprawling goalie Jay Williams at 15:52.
Jake Randolph scored into an empty net with 20.5 seconds to go for the final margin.
Ryan Massa stopped 40 shots, the second-highest save total of his career, to improve to 7-3-2 on the season. Williams made 20 saves for Miami.
The Mavericks scored on their first shot of the game to open the scoring.
Jake Guentzel stole the puck away from a Miami defender and sent a pass to Ortega stationed at the far post. He redirected the puck past Williams for his sixth goal of the year at 6:23.
UNO doubled its lead just 2:27 into the second when
David Pope pounced on the rebound of a shot by
Luc Snuggerud and fired home his fourth goal of the year.
Ortega struck again 1:21 later when he took a pass off the end wall from Guentzel and fired a shot past Williams for his team-leading seventh goal of the year. It was just the fifth shot on goal of the game for the Mavericks.
Miami bounced back 40 seconds later. Off a mad scramble in the Mavericks' crease, Riley Barber poked the puck past Massa. The goal was upheld after a lengthy video review.
The Mavericks begin an eight-game home stand next weekend when they host St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13.
