This Week
The Omaha hockey team opens regular season play this weekend when it visits Union of ECAC Hockey on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12-13. Each game begins at 6 p.m. CT from Frank L. Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y.
The Teams
Omaha was 17-17-2 overall and finished the regular season 10-13-1-0/0 in the NCHC, good for fifth place. The Mavericks lost a best-of-three NCHC playoff series at North Dakota, 2-0, to end their season. All time, UNO is 5-2-0 against Union including a mark of 1-1-0 in Schenectady. Last season, the Mavericks swept a two-game series with the Dutchmen at Baxter Arena in December.
Union has already played its first NCAA game, beating Army West Point, 4-1, on Saturday at home. The Dutchmen have been picked to finish fourth in ECAC Hockey this season. Last year, they were 16-5-1 in the conference, good for second place, and finished 21-15-2 overall. Union saw its season end with a sweep at the hands of eventual conference playoff champion Princeton in the quarterfinals.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks opened play with a 6-1 win over Manitoba in an exhibition game at Baxter Arena on Sunday, Oct. 7.
Teemu Pulkkinen had a hat trick, and
Fredrik Olofsson notched four assists to lead the offensive attack as the Mavericks scored two goals in each period.
Ryan Galt and
Tyler Weiss each had a goal and an assist, and
Zach Jordan had the other goal.
Evan Weninger made nine saves and allowed no goals in a little less than 30 minutes of work to earn the win.
Matej Tomek, in relief, made 13 saves and allowed one goal.
The Coaches
Mike Gabinet is in his second season as head coach of the Mavericks, posting a 17-17-2 record last season. The 2004 graduate of Omaha served as an associate head coach during the 2016-17 season before being elevated to the head coach position last season.
Gabinet returned to his alma mater after four seasons at NAIT in Edmonton, Alberta, the last as its head coach. That season, he led the Ooks to a 36-0-0 record and the ACAC Championship. He was named the conference Coach of the Year and became the first rookie head coach in Canadian college hockey to guide his team to an undefeated record.
Gabinet, a standout defenseman for the Mavericks from 2000-04, is assisted by
Dave Noel-Bernier (Omaha, 2001) and
Paul Jerrard (Lake Superior State, 1987).
Rick Bennett is in his eighth season as the head coach of Union. The 1990 graduate of Providence College led the Dutchmen to the 2014 NCAA Championship and is 159-84-32 at the helm of Union. He is assisted by Jason Tapp and John Ronan.
Media
Both games can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2.
Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, and Terry Leahy provides analysis. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show.
Live video, audio and stat links are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next
The Mavericks open their home schedule by hosting 2018 NCAA runner-up Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-20. Friday's game begins at 6:38 p.m. and will be seen live on CBS Sports Network, the premier television partner of the NCHC. Saturday's game will start at 7:07 p.m. and be seen statewide on NET.
