OMAHA, Neb. –
Taylor Ward scored two goals, and
Isaiah Saville made 42 saves to lead the No. 11 Omaha hockey team to a 5-2 win over No. 15 Denver, snapping a 19-game winless streak against the Pioneers.
Kevin Conley had a goal and an assist, and
Brandon Scanlin had two assists to help the Mavericks avenge a 4-1 loss to DU the previous night. Omaha improved to 9-4-1 overall and 9-4-1-2-0 (1) in the NCHC, keeping them tied with Minnesota Duluth for third.
The Pioneers fell to 6-9-1 overall and 6-9-1-0-1 (1) in the conference, good for fifth.
Inside the First Period
The Mavericks opened the scoring late in the period. Conley sent a long pass up the middle of the ice, springing
Jimmy Glynn on a breakaway. Glynn flicked the puck over the glove hand of goalie Corbin Kaczperski for his first career goal at 17:19.
Inside the Second Period
Denver tied the game at 10:20 when Slava Demin got free in the slot and beat Saville with a wrist shot.
But the Mavericks retook the lead on a power play.
Tyler Weiss threw the puck to the front of the net where Ward tipped it home for his sixth of the year at 14:39.
Inside the Third Period
The Mavericks stretched their lead on a power play early in the third.
Kevin Conley fired home a feed from
Brandon Scanlin at 4:25.
Denver trimmed the lead back to one less than two minutes later when Hank Crone knocked in a loose puck in the crease at 5:59.
But 36 seconds after Crone's goal, Ward picked up his second, slipping the puck between Kaczperski and the post after a faceoff win from Primeau for his team-leading seventh of the year.
Matt Miller added an empty netter at 19:26 for the final margin.
Saville was the busier of the two goalies, making a season high 42 saves. Kaczperski stopped 24 for the Pioneers.
The Mavericks' home stand continues next weekend when they host North Dakota on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29-30.
GAME NOTES:
- The Mavericks had gone 0-16-3 against the Pioneers before the win.
- Omaha's last win over DU before tonight was Jan. 10, 2015, a 1-0 win at home.
- Sunday's win also was UNO's first against DU at Baxter Arena (1-6-3).
- Nate Knoepke blocked seven shots in the game, upping his team-leading total to 35.
- The Mavericks killed both Denver power plays in the game and went 7-for-7 in the series. They now have killed off 44 straight penalties and lead the NCHC at 94 percent.
- Omaha went 2-for-4 on the power play against DU and was 3-for-9 in the series.
- The Mavericks outdueled Denver in the faceoff circle, 42-18, a 70 percent success rate.
Three stars: 1.
Taylor Ward/Omaha (2-1-3); 2.
Kevin Conley/Omaha (1-1-2); 3.
Isaiah Saville/Omaha (42 saves)
