OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha Hockey (3-7-0, 1-3-0 NCHC) returns to Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena looking to claim its first NCHC win at home in the 2024-25 campaign when it hosts Miami (3-9-2, 0-4-0 NCHC) with games starting at 7:07 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, and Saturday, Nov. 23 on 1290 KOIL AM/Varsity and streaming on NCHC.tv.

The Mavericks, entering the series, picked up their first conference win last weekend, 4-2, on Friday night in Arizona State's first NCHC home game ever. Omaha split with the Sun Devils, but the weekend saw three points (2G-1A) and a game-winning goal on Friday night for graduate forward Sam Stange.

Miami comes to Omaha, Neb., for the first time since 2022-23 when the Mavericks swept them in two games, outscoring them 5-1 between Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, 2023.

The RedHawks are on a six-game losing streak and have no NCHC wins under their belt so far. Last weekend, Miami was swept by Minnesota Duluth in Oxford, Ohio and was outscored 2-12.

Miami leads the NCHC in most penalties (61), penalty minutes (169) and average penalty minutes per game (12:04). Its 169 penalty minutes are the third-highest in the nation.

Despite the mounting penalties, the penalty kill has been one of the most efficient. It is seventh nationally, operating at .917, good for second in the NCHC.

The Mavericks have collected 34 penalties and 68 penalty minutes, both the second-least in the conference.

On the scoring side of the game, Omaha is led by senior forward Zach Urdahl in goals (5) and points (7). Junior defenseman Jacob Guevin is second on the team with six points (2G-4A) and currently ranks third in the NCHC for active career leaders in points among blueliners with 37 (9G-28A) through 86 career games.  

Stange ranks second in goals among Mavericks with four and has the fourth-highest shot percentage in the NCHC at .235.

New RedHawks this season in forwards Matt Choupani (5G-6A) and Colby Ambrosio (3G-8A) lead the team in points with 11 this season. Choupani's five goals lead the team, and Ambrosio's eight assists rank first among Miami skaters.

Omaha and Miami enter the weekend with a .511 faceoff winning percentage, tied for seventh in the NCHC. The RedHawks have also appeared in 14 games this season, two more than the next-most in the conference.

The RedHawks have blocked 157 shots this season, ranking first in the conference. However, the Mavericks are averaging 11.30 blocks per game, which is third in the conference, and the RedHawks are averaging 11.21 blocks per game.

Omaha will have next week off but will travel to face NCHC foe No. 11 St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minn., in two games on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m.