OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 17 Omaha hockey team earned its first conference sweep of the season, beating No. 20 Miami, 4-3, on Saturday night at Baxter Arena.

The Mavericks used a four-goal second period to earn their 12th win of the season and fifth in conference play.  UNO is now 12-9-1 overall and 5-7-0-0/0 in the NCHC, tying it with Minnesota Duluth for fifth.  The RedHawks dropped their third straight game and are now 9-11-2 overall and 4-7-1-0/0 in the conference, putting them in seventh.

The game was scoreless after one period after Miami had an apparent goal late in the period overturned by video review.

The Mavericks broke the deadlock at 7:47 of the second period.  Zach Jordan collected a pass from Tristan Keck and from in tight, roofed a shot over goalie Ryan Larkin for his 11th goal of the year.

Jake Randolph picked up his third goal of the weekend to stretch Omaha's lead.  David Pope tipped a shot by Luke Nogard.  The puck hit Larkin and bounced to Randolph at the left of the goal.  He threw home his fifth of the season at 13:26.

Defenseman Grant Gallo, who broke a two-and-a-half-season goal slump in Friday's 11-7 win, got his second of the weekend.  Cole Pickup stole the puck, circled the net and fed Gallo in the low slot.  His shot broke off Larkin and trickled into the net at 15:47.

The Mavericks converted on their fourth power play to make it 4-0.  Randolph collected the rebound of a shot by Fredrik Olofsson and from one knee, fed Tyler Vesel at the left of the net.  He one-timed home his eighth goal of the year.  The goal came less than a minute after an apparent goal by Vesel was disallowed after a video review.

In the third, Miami battled back with a power play goal from Phil Knies and an even-strength marker from Josh Melnick in the first 6:28.

Knies would score again at 17:28, deflecting in a shot from Chaz Switzer, but the Mavericks were able to turn back the RedHawks from there.  They got several big saves from Evan Weninger as Miami outshot UNO 16-4 in the closing stanza.

Weninger picked up his fourth straight win, improving to 10-6-0 this season, with 28 saves.  Larkin took the loss with 23 stops.

The Mavericks return to Colorado to face defending national champion Denver on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 19-20.

GAME NOTES:

• The Mavericks improved to 5-1-0 since the Christmas break.
• The Mavericks scored a combined seven goals in the second period of the series, moving them into the NCAA lead for second-period scoring with 41 goals.  Nine of their 12 game winning goals have come in the middle stanza.
• Pope led all Mavericks in scoring during the series with one goal and six assists for seven points.  Randolph was second with a team-best three goals and three assists for six points.
• Jordan has now scored nine goals in the last 12 games.
• The Mavericks improved to 3-7-1 in the second game of a two-game series.
• Omaha is now 8-3-1 at home this season, eclipsing its win total from last season (6) over the weekend.

Three Stars:  1. Jake Randolph (UNO); 2. Fredrik Olofsson (UNO); 3. Phil Knies (MU)