SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Omaha hockey team saw a frantic comeback bid fall just short in a 5-4 loss to Union on Saturday night at Messa Rink.

The Mavericks end their season-opening weekend series with a record of 0-1-1 following a 3-3 tie in Friday's opener.  Union improved to 2-0-1.

Trailing 4-2 entering the third period, the Mavericks punched home a power play goal to narrow the gap.  Teemu Pulkkinen got his first of the year when he converted the rebound of a shot by Fredrik Olofsson at :38.

The Dutchmen got the eventual game winner on their own power play.  Liam Morgan was stopped by Evan Weninger, but the puck fell into the crease.  Weninger and Lukas Buchta both tried to play the puck and inadvertently knocked it into the goal, making it 5-3 at 6:38.

The Mavericks once again trimmed the Union lead to a goal.  With two Dutchmen in the penalty box, Zach Jordan snapped home a top shelf shot from the left wing for his second goal of the game at 11:28.

Union killed the ensuing 5-on-4 and held off another push by the Mavericks at the end to get the win, their first over the Mavericks since 2007.

The Dutchmen struck first in the game when Sebastian Vidmar knocked in the rebound of a shot by Anthony Rinaldi that had hit the post and then lay in the crease.  The goal at 6:57 was part of a frantic first 10 minutes of the game for the Mavericks who spent much of the time fending off the Union attack.

UNO steadied itself midway through the period.  Olofsson sped down the right wing and fired a shot on goal.  Jordan collected the rebound and slipped it past goalie Jake Kupsky for his first of the year.

The Mavericks got their first lead of the night during a 5-on-3 late in the first.  Kevin Conley took a pass from Buchta and wristed the puck over Kupsky's shoulder at 17:10.

Union scored three times in the second period to take a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.  Rinaldi tallied twice, once on the power play, and Morgan also scored a power play goal as the Mavericks were whistled for three straight minors.

Weninger made 26 saves in the loss while Kupsky turned aside 24 shots.

The Mavericks will host their home opener next week, welcoming Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-20.

NOTES:

• The Mavericks are now 5-3-1 all-time against the Dutchmen, including a mark of 1-2-1 at Union.
• Olofsson leads the Mavericks in scoring through the opening weekend with five points, all assists.
• Omaha went 3-for-7 on the power play while Union was 3-for-5.  The Mavericks finished 5-for-10 on the power play for the series.
• Freshman Taylor Ward became the first UNO freshman to register a point when he assisted on Conley's goal.