This Week
The No. 9/10 Omaha hockey team begins the belated second half of its NCHC schedule by visiting Colorado College for games on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 18-19. The games, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, will begin at 8:07 p.m. CT each night from Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The Teams
Omaha is 6-3-1 overall and 6-3-1-1-0 (1) in the NCHC, putting it in a tie with Western Michigan for fourth place. The Mavericks have not played since beating Colorado College, 3-0, on Dec. 21, concluding play in the NCHC Pod at Baxter Arena. That put their all-time record against the Tigers at 20-10-5. Heading into their series at CC, the Mavericks are 9-6-1 all-time at Colorado Springs. UNO is unbeaten in its last four (3-0-1) and has won six of its last seven at CC.
Colorado College is 3-7-2 overall and 3-7-2-0-1 (2) in the conference, good for eighth. The Tigers are coming off a pair of home losses to North Dakota, dropping 3-0 and 2-1 decisions on Jan. 10-11. CC is 1-2-0 at home this season and 3-6-1 in its last 10 games.
The Coaches
Mike Gabinet is in his fourth season as head coach of the Mavericks, posting a 46-61-11 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).
Mike Haviland is in his seventh season as head coach at Colorado College. The 1990 graduate of Elmira College is 66-143-22 in his career at CC. He is assisted by R.J. Enga (Colorado College, 1995) and Leon Hayward (Northeastern, 2002).
Media
All Omaha games can be heard live on 1180 The Zone 2. Donny Baarns will have the play-by-play, and Terry Leahy provides analysis. Coverage begins with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show.
Streaming video is available on NCHC.tv. Live audio and stat links are available at OMavs.com.
Up Next
The Mavericks will return home for six straight games beginning with two against No. 18 Denver on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23-24. Both games begin at 6:07 p.m. from Baxter Arena.
Briefly
- Junior Tyler Weiss enters the series with Colorado College with points in four straight games (2-3-5) and six of the last seven (2-5-7).
- Chayse Primeau has scored points in seven out of 10 games this year and leads the Mavericks in scoring (4-8-12).
- Taylor Ward and Martin Sundberg lead the Mavericks with five goals each while Primeau's eight assists are a team best.
- Jason Smallidge and Brandon Scanlin are tied for the scoring lead among UNO defensemen with eight points each (1-7-8).
- Matt Miller leads all Maverick freshmen with six points in 10 games (4-2-6).
- Team defense has been a big key to the Mavericks' start. They allowed more than two goals just three times during 10 games in the NCHC Pod and even managed to win one of the games in which they allowed five goals. They also picked up two shutouts.
- The Mavericks return to play having put up a penalty kill streak of 26 straight. They have not allowed a power play goal since Dec. 3 against Western Michigan, a span of more than eight games.
- Heading into the weekend, Smallidge leads all NCHC players with a +9 rating. Weiss and Nate Knoepke are in a seven-way tie for third at +7. In all, the Mavericks have seven players in the top 20 in +/-, the most of any team.
- The Mavericks are unbeaten in their last five overtime games (2-0-3) after going winless in 12 OTs.
