OMAHA, Neb. – (RV) Omaha Hockey (12-10-0, 8-4-0 NCHC) returns to the Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena as it hosts No. 17 St. Cloud State (11-11-0, 4-8-0 NCHC) in a two-game tilt, with both contests starting at 7:07 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25. Friday's contest will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network with Alex Heinert and Dave Starman on the call and Shireen Saski reporting from the game. Both games will be broadcast on 1290 KOIL AM, and Saturday will be on NCHC.tv.

This is the second series between the two programs this season as Omaha made the trip to St. Cloud, Minn., for a series between Dec. 6-7, 2024. The Mavericks left the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" 1-1, achieving a Friday night overtime victory thanks to graduate forward Sam Stange's game-winner over then-No. 9 St. Cloud State.

The Mavericks enter the series with 7 wins since Dec. 1, which tied for third place in the nation and first place in the NCHC.

Junior defenseman Griffin Ludtke (4A) is on the second-longest active point streak (three games) among NCHC defensemen and has helped the Mavericks score three or more goals in four straight games.

Omaha is 3-2-1 in its last six games against the Huskies at Baxter Arena. In its last 10 games overall against St. Cloud State, the Mavericks are 5-3-2.

Stange enters the series as one of the most productive Mavericks offensively in 2024-25. Since Nov. 15, the Eau Claire, Wis., native is averaging a point per game with 14 (7G-7A) in 14 games played. The Hobey Baker Award nominee leads Omaha in goals (9) and points (16).

Additionally, the 6-foot-1, 211-pound forward is tied for the third-most points in the NCHC since Nov. 15.

Since Dec. 1, Omaha has posted a 7-3-0 record. No NCHC team has scored more goals than the Mavericks' seven since the last month of 2024 began. Since then, Omaha has scored 31 goals, which ranks second in the conference.

Senior forward Zach Urdahl has netted 21 of his 31 career goals during Friday games. Among all active skaters currently on NCHC rosters, Urdahl's 21 goals in Friday games rank fifth.

Junior goaltender Simon Latkoczy, along with Stange, is one of two Mavericks named Hobey Baker Award Nominees this week.

Omaha's netminder has helped it achieve success over the past few weeks.

Latkoczy's 548 saves through 18 games leads all NCHC goaltenders this season.

In fact, since the NCHC began in the 2013-14 season, no goaltender has made more saves in the first 18 games of a season than Latkoczy, with 548 recorded in 2024-25.

When Dylan Gratton won Defenseman of the Week for Jan. 13-19, it marked the first time the Mavericks won in consecutive weeks in 2024-25. Gratton was awarded his first NCHC honor after scoring two goals in Omaha's sweep of Miami, scoring for the first time in back-to-back games of his collegiate career. 

Following the home series, the Mavericks will travel to battle No. 5 Denver in Colorado at Magness Arena on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. MT/8 p.m. CT and on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT.

Season and single-game for Omaha hockey home games at Baxter Arena are on-sale now at OMavs.com/Tix.

Connect with Omaha Hockey on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram (@OmahaHKY) and Facebook.