OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha hockey team skated to 4-4 tie with Arizona State on Saturday night at Baxter Arena.

The teams skated through a scoreless five-on-five and exhibition three-on-three overtime before ASU won an exhibition shootout in two rounds.

The Mavericks are now 2-1-1 this season while Arizona State is 1-4-1.

Omaha led 3-2 entering the third period, but the Sun Devils tied the game at 10:51 when Brett Gruber deflected home a point shot for his first of the year.

Just 1:07 later, the Mavericks retook the lead on a highlight reel goal from Tyler Vesel.  He kicked the puck from his skates to his stick while weaving through traffic before lifting a backhander over the glove of goalie Joey Daccord.  It was his team-leading third goal of the year.

But in the final minute with Daccord out for an extra attacker, Max Balinson scored on a shot from the left wing to make it 4-4.

UNO outshot the Sun Devils 10-3 in the overtimes but without a deciding goal.  They held a 46-36 advantage for the game.

It took UNO just 56 seconds to get the lead.  Jordan Klehr kicked down a clearing attempt at the blue line.  Fredrik Olofsson grabbed the puck and walked in for a shot that was stopped by Daccord.  David Pope fired home the rebound for his first goal of the season.

UNO got a power play just 36 seconds later and cashed in when Tristan Keck knocked in the rebound of a shot by Olofsson for his second goal of the weekend.

Arizona State halved the Mavericks' lead when Gage Hough forced a turnover and fed Jakub Stridsberg who slipped a shot between the pads of UNO goaltender Kris Oldham at 7:47.

The Sun Devils tied the game early in the second.  Gvido Jansons took a shot from the blue line that eluded Oldham who was screened on the play.

The Mavericks converted their second power play of the game to retake the lead at 10:44.  Vesel dropped a rink-wide pass to Jake Randolph who fired a shot between the pads of Daccord for his first of the year.

The Mavericks will play their next six games on the road beginning at Notre Dame on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27.

NOTES:

• The Mavericks are now 3-0-1 all-time against Arizona State which is in its third season as a Division I program.
• David Pope led the Mavericks with five shots while Ryan Jones led the team with four blocked shots.
• The Mavericks scored on all three of their power plays while stopping all three ASU man advantages.
• Vesel (1-1-2) and Olofsson (0-2-2) led the Mavericks in points.

Three Stars:  1. Jack Rowe (ASU); 2. Tyler Vesel (UNO); 3. Fredrik Olofsson (UNO)