This Week
The No. 18 Omaha hockey team hosts its first National Collegiate Hockey Conference home series when it welcomes Miami on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22-23. Both games start at 7:07 p.m. from Baxter Arena. These will be the first two of four meetings between the two teams this season.
The Teams
Omaha is 6-3-1 overall and 1-1-0-0/0 in the NCHC, putting it in a tie with Miami and Denver for fifth place. The Mavericks are coming off a split of their series at No. 20 Western Michigan last weekend. UNO is 19-22-6 all-time against Miami including a record of 11-10-1 at home. So far, the Mavericks are 3-1-0 on home ice. Last season, the Mavericks were 2-2-0 against the RedHawks and went 1-1-0 at home.
Miami is 3-6-2 overall and 1-3-0-0/0 in the NCHC. The RedHawks are coming off a 3-1 win and a 3-2 loss against Minnesota Duluth last weekend at home. Miami is 1-2-1 on the road this year and enters this weekend series with three losses in its last four games.
Last Time Out
Last week, the Mavericks split their first NCHC series of the season, losing at Western Michigan, 3-2, before storming back for a 6-3 win the next night. On Friday,
Chayse Primeau scored early in the second period to tie the game at one, but the Broncos popped home two to lead 3-1 after 40 minutes.
Taylor Ward drew the Mavericks to within a goal with 34 seconds remaining, but Western Michigan held off a late flurry to win.
Isaiah Saville made 22 saves in the loss.
The following night, the Mavericks got a hat trick from
Kevin Conley and single goals from Primeau, Ward and
Josh Boyer to win, 6-3.
Tyler Weiss and
Ryan Brushett each had two assists as 11 players found their way into the scoring column. Saville got his fifth win of the year with 26 saves.
The Coaches
Mike Gabinet is in his third season as head coach of the Mavericks, posting a 32-44-6 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 in 2017-18.
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).
Chris Bergeron is in his first season as head coach at Miami and his 10th overall as a head coach. The 1993 graduate of Miami came back to his alma mater after nine seasons at Bowling Green. He is 174-160-46 in his career. He is assisted by Barry Schutte (Miami, 1997) and Eric Rud (Colorado College, 1997).
Media
Both games 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 with enhanced coverage offered on Saturday through the Maverick Digital Network. Matt Kirkle and Owen Godberson will anchor the broadcast. Live audio and stat links are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next
The Mavericks will have a week off before welcoming two-time defending national champion Minnesota Duluth on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7. Both games will begin at 7:07 p.m. from Baxter Arena.
