This Week
The Omaha hockey team concludes its four-game season series with No. 8 Western Michigan this week, hosting a pair of games at Baxter Arena. The two teams play on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1-2, at 7:07 p.m. each night.
The Teams
Omaha is 7-15-2 overall and 3-10-1-0/1 in the NCHC, putting it in eighth place. The Mavericks are coming off 7-2 and 3-1 losses at Minnesota Duluth last weekend. All time, the Mavericks are 25-18-6 against Western Michigan including a mark of 14-6-2 at home and 5-1-0 at Baxter Arena. The Mavericks are 6-5-1 at home this year and 3-7-0 in the last 10 games.
Western Michigan is 15-8-1 overall and 8-5-1-0/1 in the NCHC, putting it in third place. The Broncos are coming off two victories over Denver last weekend, winning 3-1 and 5-1. WMU is 3-6-0 in road games this season and 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks dropped a pair of games at then No. 5 Minnesota Duluth last weekend. On Friday, UMD used a five-goal second period to pull away for a 7-2 win.
Mason Morelli and
Teemu Pulkkinen had goals for Omaha.
Evan Weninger made 37 saves in two periods of work and allowed six goals.
Matej Tomek played the third period and made 12 saves on 13 shots.
The next night, the Bulldogs broke open a scoreless game with two goals in the second period. The Mavericks battled back with a power play marker from
Fredrik Olofsson in the third, but UMD added an insurance goal late to win, 3-1. Weninger made 49 saves.
The Coaches
Mike Gabinet is in his second season as head coach of the Mavericks, posting a 24-32-4 record all-time at his alma mater. 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 Omaha 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).
Andy Murray is in his eighth season as head coach at Western Michigan. The 1972 graduate of Brandon is 133-124-35 leading the Broncos. He is assisted by Dave Shyiak (Northern Michigan, 1991) and Todd Krygier (Connecticut, 1988).
Media
Both games will be televised statewide on NET Sports.
Dave Ahlers will call the action, former Maverick standout David Brisson will have analysis, and Thor Tripp will report. The games also will be available on Fox College Sports Central.
Both games also can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Donny Baarns will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy provides analysis, and Lester St. James reports. Coverage begins 30 minutes before game time with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show.
Live video is available on NCHC.tv, and audio and stat links are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next
The Mavericks travel to Miami for games on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8 and 9. Friday's game begins at 5:38 p.m. CT and can be seen nationally on CBS Sports Network. Saturday's game starts at 6:05 p.m. CT. Both games will be played at Steve Cady Arena in Oxford, Ohio.
