Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – Josh Archibald added to his NCHC-leading goal total with two more tallies, helping the Omaha hockey team to a 4-2 win over No. 18 Denver on Friday night at the CenturyLink Center.

Brock Montpetit and Austin Ortega each had a goal and an assist as the Mavericks won on Friday for the first time since Nov. 22.

Omaha improved to 12-13-2 overall and 9-6-2-1, putting it in a tie with North Dakota for second place with 30 points.  Both Omaha and UND leap-frogged over Minnesota Duluth which lost 5-3 at St. Cloud State.

The Pioneers dropped to 13-10-6 overall and 7-7-3-2 in conference play, good for sixth place.

With the game tied at 2 in the third period, the Mavericks grabbed the lead when Archibald scored his second goal of the night.  He took a pass from Johnnie Searfoss, broke around behind the Denver defense and roofed a shot over the glove hand of DU goalie Sam Brittain.  

The goal was Archibald's NCHC-leading 23rd goal of the season.  His season total is the most by a Maverick since all-time leading scorer Scott Parse had 24 during the 2006-07 season.  Archibald has now scored four goals against Denver and notched the game winner in all three meetings this season.

Montpetit gave the Mavericks some breathing room with 3:53 remaining when he snapped a shot to the top corner during a power play for his 11th goal of the year, tying a career high.  

The Mavericks gave the Pioneers little room to operate in the final period, outshooting them 15-3.  They finished with a 31-22 edge for the game.

Kirk Thompson got his second win in as many starts for the Mavericks with 20 saves.  He is now 5-4-1 on the season while Brittain stopped 27 in the loss to fall to 13-9-6.

Denver opened the scoring late in the first period.  Daniel Doremus tipped a shot by Matt VanVoorhis past Thompson at 17:30.

The Mavericks tied the game early in the second period.  Ortega converted a breakaway by slipping the puck through the pads of Brittain for his seventh goal of the year at 1:53.

Just 16 seconds later, Archibald gave the Mavericks their first lead of the game when he hammered in a centering pass from Ryan Walters.

But Denver responded later in the period when Will Butcher tipped in a sharp-angle shot from Quentin Shore at 15:24.

Denver appeared to have retaken the lead just 1:05 later when Grant Arnold scored on a shot in traffic but after review, the referees ruled goaltender interference against Denver and the goal was waved off.

The Mavericks went 1-for-4 against Denver's NCHC-leading penalty kill while holding its conference-leading power play without a goal in just two chances.

Freshman Jake Guentzel had an assist to extend his point-scoring streak to a team season high eight games (1-10-11) and his assist streak to a season high seven games.

Dominic Zombo also had an assist and has now registered points in six straight games (5-6-11).

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