Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 6 Omaha hockey team earned its fifth series sweep of the season, holding on to beat Ohio State, 6-4, on Saturday night at Baxter Arena.
The Mavericks led 5-2 entering the third period but surrendered two goals before Jake Guentzel scored into an empty net for his fifth point of the game, tying a school record.
Omaha improved to 11-2-1 overall, the most wins before December in school history. It also improved to 8-0-0 in non-conference games and 6-0-0 at Baxter Arena. Ohio State dipped to 3-9-0 overall.
The Mavericks scored first for the 12th time in 14 games when Austin Ortega knocked in the rebound of a shot by David Pope just 30 seconds into the game.
The Buckeyes responded when Mike Gillespie finished off a slick passing play by deflecting a pass from Matthew Weis past Evan Weninger at 4:57. It was his first collegiate goal.
But UNO got a power play right after the goal, and Guentzel's shot from the right point slipped under goalie Matt Tomkins to put UNO up 2-1 after a penalty-filled opening period.
The Mavericks stretched their lead on their first power play of the second period. Ortega fired home his second of the night, a wicked wrist shot that beat Tomkins to the top corner at 9:17.
Pope scored his third goal in as many games less than two minutes later. Guentzel beat an OSU defender to a loose puck and found Pope charging the net. He punched home the pass for his third goal of the season.
UNO again cashed in on a power play at 15:37 when Fredrik Olofsson got open in the low slot and fired a shot between Tomkins and the near post.
Ohio State got one goal back before the intermission when Sasha Larocque fired a shot from the left point that beat Weninger just under the crossbar.
In the third, Anthony Greco and Nick Schilkey scored goals 3:13 apart to trim the UNO lead to one with 4:45 remaining.
But Guentzel capped off his night by scoring from 150 feet away to join six former Mavericks who also had notched five points in a game. The last player to do so was Scott Parse at Bowling Green on Dec. 2, 2006.
The Mavericks struggling power play broke out for three goals in six chances while the Buckeyes were held 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
Weninger improved to 8-1-0, making 42 saves. Tomkins took the loss, allowing five goals on 23 shots. He was replaced after UNO's fifth goal by Christian Frey who had 10 saves.
The six goals for were a season high for the Mavericks. They also allowed 24 shots in the third period, breaking the old school record of 23 shots against in a period set by Ohio State in a CCHA playoff game on March 14, 2003. UNO was outshot 46-34 in the game.
The Mavericks return to NCHC play next weekend when they visit No. 7 St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5.
