Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Series Preview: Ice Breaker Tournament, Las Vegas, Oct. 11-12, 2024


The 2024-25 hockey season kicks off at the Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Omaha Mavericks will face the UMass Minutemen on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. Central. The Mavs will face either the University of Minnesota or the Air Force Academy on Saturday, depending on the outcomes of Friday’s games.

No. 15/17 Omaha and No. 14 UMass last faced off almost 20 years ago — in December 2004 in Amherst, Mass. — with Omaha Hockey losing 5-2. The overall series is 5-2-1 in favor of the Mavericks all-time. 

UMass has played two games already, a regular-season win against Bentley and an exhibition loss in overtime versus RPI.

Omaha fell 3-2 in overtime to the University of Wisconsin in an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Baxter Arena. Omaha had jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals from junior forward Tyler Rollwagen before surrendering two goals in the third period. 

Coach Mike Gabinet said the team “got some really good feedback from the game.” He added, “It didn’t feel like an exhibition game. It felt like a game almost in February or March, to be honest, with the pace and tempo to that.”

Looking ahead to UMass, Gabinet said, “It will be an exciting test to get those guys to open the season.” He noted they are a ranked team that won a national championship in 2021.

UMass is one of the top 3 college hockey teams by average height (6'1.3"), while Omaha is one of the 5 smallest teams (average height of 5'11.6"). The height difference doesn’t worry Coach Gabinet. “So long as you are ultra-competitive and get inside and have good posture, have good leverage — good things happen, no matter [the] size of the [team] you’re going against.” 

For Fans Attending the Games in Person in Las Vegas:

The Omaha vs. UMass game starts at 4 p.m. local time at Orleans Arena, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue in Paradise, Nevada. Orleans Arena has a clear bag policy and is cashless for concession purchases. Parking is free for all guests. (Full arena policies.) 


Game tickets can be accessed from the Boyd Gaming Ticketmaster site here


The “Mavs on the Move” event, sponsored by the UNO Alumni Association, will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 in the Dauphine Ballroom in the Orleans Hotel & Casino. Registration has closed. Omaha fans WILL be able to re-enter the arena for the Air Force vs. Minnesota game. Please stop at the box office to have your hand stamped BEFORE leaving the arena (your game ticket will not work for a second entry). 


For Fans Not Attending In Person:

All games will be on the Big 10+ Livestream ($).


When:
> Friday, 6 p.m. Central at Orleans Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
> Saturday, either 6 p.m. Central or 9:30 p.m. Central (depending on outcome of Friday’s game)

Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1290 AM and on The Varsity Network app. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off with the FNBO Pre-Game Show. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play, with color commentary provided by Terry Leahy.

TV:
Friday and Saturday night’s games will be streamed on the Big 10+ Network. 

Here is the link to the Friday broadcast:

(It’s $12.99 to subscribe to the Big 10+ Network for one month; be sure to cancel your subscription after the weekend so it doesn’t automatically renew next month)

(Note: the Saturday game streams will be activated after the outcome of Friday’s games is known.)

There is a watch party on Friday night at Aksarben Cinema; however, it is sold out.

Live Stats:
Friday and Saturday night stats will be available here.


Catch up on the MavPuckCast podcast by watching a special mini episode of the podcast. In the 13-minute Season 7, Episode 4, Jon recaps the Wisconsin series, previews the Ice Breaker, and showcases our amazing Founding Members! 


Next up: Omaha faces Augustana at Baxter Arena on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. Puck drop for both games is at 7:07 p.m.  

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Game Preview: Omaha vs. Wisconsin (Exhibition), Oct. 5, 2024

Hockey is back at Baxter Arena!

The no. 15/17 Omaha Maverick Hockey team faces no. 10/10 Wisconsin Badgers in an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Baxter Arena. 

Wisconsin Head Coach Mike Hastings is a familiar face, having previously been head coach at MSU-Mankato from 2012 to 2023 after being an assistant for Coach Dean Blais at UNO from 2009-2012. He also served as head coach and general manager of the Omaha Lancers (USHL) from 1994 to 2008.

Omaha is 5-9-1 all-time in games versus the Badgers. Their last matchup — a home series at Baxter Arena — resulted in a split, with Omaha losing 5-2 in the Nov. 8 game, and winning 5-2 on Nov. 9.

A rule change in 2021 allowed NCAA teams to schedule each other in exhibition contests, with the results not counting towards official season records. Previously, NCAA teams would typically schedule Canadian college teams or teams from the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) for exhibition matchups. Omaha is scheduled for another exhibition later in the season on Dec. 29 against Manitoba at Baxter Arena.

A ceremony to dedicate “Mike Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena” will be held before the 6:07 p.m. puck drop of the Wisconsin exhibition. 

Kemp was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin from 1983 to 1996 before he was chosen as UNO's first head coach (Kemp also had a stint as the school’s club hockey team coach in the 1975-76 seasonread our blog post on that era). 

"It’s a real special beginning to this season Saturday with an on-ice ceremony for the dedication of the Mike Kemp Ice, which is really a privilege for us to be there,” Coach Mike Gabinet said. “I’m really excited to start our season off with that.”

Captain Nolan Krenzen addressed the number of new faces on the Maverick squad (14 new players in total for the 2024-25 season — read our feature on the newcomers). “It gives us the opportunity to bring in guys — aside from freshmen — that we wouldn’t normally see — guys who have a lot of college hockey experience — and not just great players, but great people as well, that can contribute to the Omaha culture.”

Coach Gabinet addressed a question about implementing a team culture when half the team is new. 

“You have to approach it as this is the one time this team will be together — to make sure you’re doing things step-by-step,” he said. “I do believe that culture is an ‘our’ thing. It’s not a ‘my’ thing. It‘s not a ‘him or her’ thing. It’s an ‘our’ thing. And when you do that, I think that creates ownership with everybody.”

“The group has really come together fast, which is really cool to see,” Krenzen said. “I think we have a good combination of age, skills, and just overall grit.”

“It’s important for us to know where we have been, but set new goals for ourselves — and especially in the last few years, expectations have, I think, grown higher and higher, and we just plan on pushing ourselves to those.”

Coach Gabinet attempted to temper expectations about the exhibition and the Ice Breaker Tournament that follows. “We’ll be potentially playing a lot of ranked teams right off the bat, with Wisconsin coming in, obviously ranked high as well,” he said. “I like it. I would rather have some failures early on, especially in the exhibition game; to be tested. If gives you some really immediate feedback for your players — which I think is a good thing sometimes early on, when you’re developing and learning — to get that immediate feedback from the game.”

“It should be a great start to the season.”

Watch the full preseason press conference here

For Fans Attending the Game in Person: 

The west lot outside Baxter, Lot 25, is open to donors only and parking passes are required to park in that lot. The north lot, Lot 27, offers free parking on a first-come, first-served basis, as is Lot 26 (west of the arena, across the creek). Omaha Athletics is also encouraging fans to park in one of the public garages at Aksarben Village.


Fans should arrive early, especially if entering via the west entrance. Have digital tickets ready to scan in the Omaha Mavericks app (or add them from your MyMavs account to your phone’s wallet app). If you have questions, stop by the box office at Baxter Arena before the game or call 402-554-MAVS.

The clear bag policy remains in effect at Baxter Arena, and metal detectors are in place at all entrances. All concession stands are card only (no cash).

Promotions:

None.

Series preview articles:

The Gateway: 

Omaha.com ($):

When:
> Saturday, 6:07 p.m. CT at Baxter Arena (Omaha, NE)

Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1290 AM and on The Varsity Network app. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off with the FNBO Pre-Game Show. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play, with color commentary provided by Terry Leahy.

TV:
The game will be streamed on NCHC.tv ($) 

Live Stats:
Game stats will be available here.


We haven’t even started the season yet, and there are already three episodes of season 7 of the MavPuckCast! In the newest episode (S7, E3), Jon and Jason give their NCHC preseason rankings and predictions, talk about UNO’s #WearBlackGiveBack fundraising campaign, look at the team’s annual Open House & Scrimmage, discuss the UNO Blue Line Club’s Dinner with the Mavs event, offer their national championship predictions, and preview the upcoming exhibition with Wisconsin.


Next up: Omaha Hockey heads to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Ice Breaker Tournament. Omaha will face Massachusetts in the first game of the tournament on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. Central. The Mavs will take on either Minnesota or Air Force on Saturday, Oct. 12. 

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Tuesday, October 1, 2024

MavPuckCast Podcast – S7 E3: NCHC Rankings and Predictions


On the third episode of Season 7 of the #mavpuckcast, Jon and Jason are back!

The duo discuss the Omaha Maverick Hockey program’s recent Open House and Scrimmage event at Baxter Arena. They talk about ways that you can support the hockey program with the upcoming “Wear Black Give Back” campaign (UNO Giving Day). They share their thoughts on the UNO Hockey Blue Line Club’s recent “Dinner With The Mavs.” They dive into their preseason rankings and predictions for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) — Omaha’s hockey conference home. They also pick the team they think will win the NCAA D-1 Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship. 

The episode concludes with a discussion of what they are “looking for from the team” in Omaha Hockey’s upcoming exhibition against the Wisconsin Badgers at Baxter Arena on Oct. 5. 

Special thanks this season to our Founding Members for their support of the podcast and MavPuck.com this season. Your support is greatly appreciated!!

Chapters:

00:00 - Become a Member
04:27 - Wear Black Give Back
07:03 - Open House & Scrimmage
11:35 - Dinner With The Mavs
15:03 - Our NCHC Preseason Rankings
40:00 - Who Will Win the National Championship?
44:25 - Wisconsin Badgers Preview

Video version:



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Monday, September 30, 2024

Introducing the 2024-25 Omaha Hockey Captains



Omaha hockey head coach Mike Gabinet announced the program's leadership group for the 2024-25 season. Graduate student defenseman Nolan Krenzen will don the “C” as the 25th captain in program history. Krenzen, the inaugural recipient of the Menke Family Captain’s Scholarship, will be joined by graduate student forward Harrison Israels (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada/Alaska Fairbanks), junior defenseman Griffin Ludtke (Elko, Minn./Sioux City) and graduate student forward Sam Stange (Eau Claire, Wis./Wisconsin) to round-out the Mavericks' leadership group.

Nolan Krenzen and our entire leadership group have earned this honor and responsibility,” said head coach Mike Gabinet. “With their actions, encouraging words and play on the ice, I have no doubt this group will do a remarkable job and continue to set the standard of what it means to wear an Omaha sweater and represent our program. This group epitomizes our Maverick mindset, core values as a program and will play a huge role in achieving our goals for the season.”

Krenzen scored two goals in 40 games last season for Omaha. The blueliner notched eight assists for 10 points with 27 total shots. Krenzen has appeared in 125 games for Omaha over the past four seasons and has been named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference and a Distinguished Scholar three times in his career.

A newcomer to Omaha this season, Israels was the leading goalscorer for Alaska Fairbanks last season, lighting the lamp 20 times in 2023-24. Playing in 33 of the 34 Fairbanks contests, he was tied for second on the team in points with 27. The centerman closed out the season on a five-game point streak where he produced four goals and added one assist. Israels served as the Nanooks’ captain for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

Ludtke returns to Omaha for his third season as a Maverick. He scored four goals for the Mavericks last season in 40 games played. The Elko, Minn. native recorded 23 helpers for 27 points with one game-winning score and one goal on the man-advantage.

A 2020 NHL fourth round draft pick, Sam Stange joins the Mavericks this season after totaling 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points at Wisconsin. Stange has three multi-point games under his belt including a two-goal performance against Penn State his freshman season. During his junior campaign, he logged points in four of five contests against Michigan, Minnesota and Lake Superior State.

The Mavericks had a complete turnover of team leadership after the 2023-24 season as Captain Nolan Sullivan and Assistant Captain Jack Randl completed their eligibility and Assistant Captain Matt Miller departed the team to pursue a professional hockey career. 

If you enjoyed this content, please consider following us on Twitter/X: @mavpuck 

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

MavPuckCast Podcast – S7 E2: Interview with NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems


On the second episode of Season 7 of the #MavPuckCast, Bridget interviews NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems.

Weems is entering her third season as commissioner. Immediately prior to her time as NCHC commissioner, she was the Director of Athletics at St. Cloud State (a NCHC member school), and had stints at the University of Denver (also a NCHC member school) and Drake University. 

Weems discusses the state of the NCHC, challenges facing NCAA men’s ice hockey in today’s athletic environment, the student-athlete experience, the conference’s online streaming service (NCHC.tv), getting more media coverage for the sport, ways to attract more female fans to NCHC games, and a “day in the life” of a hockey conference commissioner.

Chapters: 
00:00 - Challenges Facing Collegiate Athletics 05:15 - Student-Athlete Experience in the NCHC 10:00 - Growing NCAA Hockey 15:10 - NCHC TV Changes? 17:07 - Getting More Media Coverage 21:28 - NCHC and College Hockey Fans 23:50 - Day in the Life of an NCHC Commissioner

Video version:


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Monday, September 23, 2024

Omaha Picked No. 15 in the USCHO Preseason Poll


Omaha Hockey is no. 15 in the 2024-25 USCHO.com Top 20 Preseason Poll, released on Monday, Sept. 23. The Mavericks are one of eight NCHC teams showing up in the national rankings, a first in the NCHC’s 12-year existence.

The Mavericks made history in the 2023-24 season, earning a trip for the first time to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, but falling to Denver in the title game after beating the University of North Dakota in the first game of the playoff finals. Omaha finished the season at no. 12 in the USCHO poll after an NCAA Tournament appearance in Sioux Falls. The Mavs finished the season with a 23-13-4 record.

Omaha starts the 2024-25 season hosting no. 10 Wisconsin in an exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 5 and then takes on Massachusetts in the opening game of the 2024 Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mavericks will face either no. 6 Minnesota or Air Force in the second game.

The eight ranked NCHC teams lead all conferences by at least two teams, with 88.9 percent of the Conference (8 of 9 teams) ranked in the USCHO Preseason Poll. NCHC teams make up 38.1 percent of the total teams in the Preseason Poll. Hockey East is second with six ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten with five and ECAC Hockey with two.
 
Not only does the NCHC lead all conferences in the poll, but an NCHC team sits on top as reigning National Champion Denver is ranked no. 1 in the Preseason Poll. The Pioneers received 42 of 50 first-place votes in the poll. North Dakota comes in at no. 5, followed by Colorado College at no. 11. NCHC teams then hold spots 15-18 with Omaha, St. Cloud State, Western Michigan and Minnesota Duluth ranked consecutively, respectively. NCHC newcomer Arizona State rounds out the poll tied for no. 20.
 
The Pioneers enter the 2024-25 season coming off the program’s 10th NCAA title, becoming the kings of men’s college hockey with the most national championships in the sport’s history. DU collected 988 points total in the USCHO Preseason Poll, ahead of no. 2 Boston College, who the Pioneers defeated in the 2024 National Championship Game last year. BC garnered six first-place votes and 945 points total. Denver, the preseason favorite in the NCHC as well, opens the season Oct. 5-6 at Alaska Anchorage. DU went 32-9-3 overall last season.
 
North Dakota ranks no. 5 in the Preseason Poll after finishing last season ranked 8th in the USCHO Poll with a 26-12-2 record. The defending Penrose Cup champions, who were picked second in the NCHC Preseason Poll this year, collected 755 points and sit between no. 4 Michigan State and no. 6 Minnesota. This marks the fifth straight year UND has started the season in the top 10 nationally. The Fighting Hawks open the 2024-25 campaign with an exhibition game against Augustana on Saturday, Oct. 5 before hosting no. 13 Providence in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game on Oct. 12.
 
The third ranked NCHC team is Colorado College, which starts the year at no. 11 in between no. 10 Wisconsin and no. 12 Maine. The Tigers had a breakout season in 2023-24, earning a fourth-place finish in the NCHC, their best ever, while posting a 21-13-3 record overall. Despite narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament, CC finished last season ranked no. 15 and starts this year with its best ranking since the 2011-12 campaign. The Tigers, who were picked third in the NCHC Preseason Poll, start the season with an exhibition against Briercrest College on Oct. 5, before hosting Northern Michigan a weekend later.
 
Right behind the Omaha Mavericks is St. Cloud State at no. 16 with 247 points, just in front of no. 17 Western Michigan. The Huskies are coming off a season that saw them end the year ranked no. 18 with a 17-16-5 record. SCSU was picked fourth in the NCHC Preseason Poll this year and starts the season hosting no. 6 Minnesota in an exhibition game on Oct. 5. The Huskies then open the regular season Oct. 11 against Bemidji State, which is receiving votes.
 
No. 17 Western Michigan picked up 224 points in the poll, well ahead of no. 18 Minnesota Duluth (95 points). The Broncos finished last season ranked no. 14 in the USCHO Poll after making a program-record third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. WMU posted a 21-16-1 overall record last year and was picked sixth in this year’s NCHC Preseason Poll. Western Michigan starts the season on Oct. 5 by hosting the U.S. National Team Development Program in an exhibition, before welcoming Ferris State the following Friday. WMU has been ranked in the USCHO Poll consecutively since Oct. 11, 2021.
 
Ending the run of four straight NCHC teams in the USCHO Preseason Poll is the 18th-ranked Bulldogs. UMD collected 95 points in the poll and sits between WMU and no. 19 Notre Dame. Minnesota Duluth is looking to bounce back from a seventh-place finish in the NCHC last season after going 12-20-5 overall. The Bulldogs, who were picked seventh in the NCHC Preseason Poll, open the year hosting Bemidji State on Saturday, Oct. 5.
 
The final ranked NCHC team is newcomer Arizona State, which is tied for no. 20 with Northeastern of Hockey East after both picked up 61 points in the poll. The Sun Devils won a program-record 24 games last season, compiling a 24-8-6 overall record as an independent team last season, but landed eighth in its first NCHC Preseason Poll. Arizona State starts the season at Air Force on Oct. 4-5 and is set to play its first NCHC games on Nov. 8-9 at no. 11 Colorado College.
 
The USCHO.com Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Poll is compiled weekly and consists of 50 voters, including coaches and media professionals from across the country. To see the complete USCHO.com Preseason Poll, click here


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