OMAHA, Neb. – (RV) Omaha Hockey (16-14-1, 12-8-1 NCHC) fell 1-4 in the first of two games against No. 12 Arizona State (19-12-2, 14-8-1) on Friday on Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena.
The Mavericks' seven-game home win streak was snapped, and they had also won eight straight conference games at home heading into the contest.
Junior goaltender
Simon Latkoczy stopped 35 of 39 total shots against him.
The first period had two goals apiece as Arizona State forward Cullen Potter scored 5:46 into the game with under 10 seconds on the game's first power play.
Omaha had yet to see a power play, and it was in a 0-1 hole on the scoreboard.
Defenseman Ty Murchison was sent to the box after a cross-check, and the Mavericks had their first power play. Junior defensemen
Jacob Guevin and
Griffin Ludtke sent the puck repeatedly as the power play dwindled.
Guevin from the visiting bench side circle centered it to Ludtke, who then took a shot. The puck bounced off Sun Devil goaltender Gibson Homer and took a friendly roll onto the stick of graduate forward
Brock Bremer.
Homer fell far out of the net, making the save, and it was far too late when he realized. Bremer had put the puck in the back of the net in front of the left side of the crease and struck back with a power play goal for the Mavericks.
Unfortunately for Omaha, that was the extent of its scoring night despite several grade-A chances and 33 shots on goal.
Arizona State defenseman Joel Kjellberg put the puck on net. Latkoczy stopped the initial shot, but the loose puck found its way to Sun Devil forward Ryan Kirwan.
Kirwa kept pushing and got a push from forward Artem Shlaine, who helped him connect and find the back of the net to make it 2-1 at 17:15 into the middle frame.
After trailing 1-2 heading into the third period, the Mavericks found themselves down 1-3 1:10 into the final frame after Potter scored his second of the game.
8:19 into the third period, Shlaine scored the final goal of the contest, sealing the deal for the visitors.
Omaha returns to action on Saturday. It begins March in a sea of fans partaking in the White Out game in the regular season home finale. The Mavericks will celebrate their seniors and graduate students before puck drop, which is set for 7:07 p.m. CT.
