Friday, January 31, 2020

Series Preview: Omaha vs. Western Michigan, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2020



Western Michigan is in a scheduling “pod” with UNO this year, meaning the Mavericks face the Broncos four times this season. In November, Omaha split a series in Kalamazoo. The last two games will be this weekend at Baxter Arena. Note the later game time for Friday’s night's matchup due to the game being televised on CBS Sports Network.

 The Mavericks are riding some momentum coming into this, as Jon noted on the MavPuckCast, “pivotal” NCHC conference series. UNO is unbeaten in its past four games (2-0-2), and swept Colorado College in Colorado Springs last weekend after tying Denver twice at Baxter Arena the weekend before.

 UNO is just above .500 overall (11-10-5) and is just below .500 in the NCHC (5-6-3-0/0), currently in fifth place in conference standings.

 UNO is 27-20-6 all-time against Western Michigan, including 15-7-2 at home. (Fun fact: UNO swept WMU at the CenturyLink Center in October 2004 on the weekend that Jon and I got married.)

 The Broncos are also riding a high — they swept St. Cloud twice last weekend, 6-2 in both games. WMU is unbeaten (4-0-1) in their last five games. Western is 11-9-4 on the season and 7-5-2-0/2 in the NCHC. (Seven points ahead of Omaha in the standings.)

 The Broncos will be without junior forward Paul Washe, who is serving a two-game suspension for confronting NCHC officials. Washe is the #2 points producer on the WMU roster this season with 9 goals and 9 assists. 

 UNO Gateway reporter Jordan McAlpine reports the Mavs are a bit banged up heading into the series. The link to his series preview is below.

Series preview articles:

WMU Hockey:
When:
> Friday, 7:36 p.m. CT (late start due to CBS Sports Network coverage)
> Saturday, 7:07 p.m. CT

Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1180 AM (Zone 2). Donny Baarns will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy will provide analysis and Lester St. James will report rinkside. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off. 

TV:
> Friday night’s game will be aired nationally on CBS Sports Network (and will not be available on NCHC.tv). For the TV broadcast, Ben Holden will provide play-by-play, Dave Starman will give analysis, and Shireen Saski will report rinkside. Saturday’s games will be streamed on NCHC.tv ($)

Live Audio and Stats:
Live Audio: Click here
Live Stats: Click here


Also check out episode 15 of the second season of the “MavPuckCast with Jason & Jon.” This episode features Jon and Jason talking about the sweep at St. Cloud, a recent article that sparked controversy among Mav fans, and their predictions about Mavericks vs. the Broncos.


Next up: 
The Mavs travel to face Minnesota Duluth in Duluth next weekend. 
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Friday, January 24, 2020

Series Preview: Omaha at Colorado College, Jan. 24-25, 2020


Even the “easy” series in the NCHC aren’t sure wins. This weekend’s hockey action features a pair of pretty evenly-matched teams meeting up.

After tying No. 4 Denver in both games at Baxter Arena last weekend (with scores of 1-1 and 2-2), UNO travels to Colorado Springs, Colorado to take on the Colorado College Tigers. On paper — and especially considering how well the Mavericks have played against top-4 teams North Dakota and Denver in recent weeks — the Mavs should have a chance to get six conference points.

 But nothing is guaranteed in NCHC conference play. Both teams have similar overall and conference records. 

 UNO Hockey is 9-10-5 overall and 3-6-3-0 in the NCHC (tied for sixth place with Miami). Colorado College is 8-11-1 this season and 3-8-1-0 (eighth place). Omaha is 15-9-5 all-time against Colorado College. (Last year, the Mavs faced the Tigers only once, in a series at Baxter Arena that Colorado College took with a win and a tie.)

 CC was swept last weekend at Western Michigan. 

 The games will be at 8:37 p.m. local time on Friday night and 5:07 p.m. on Saturday night.

When:
> Friday, 8:37 p.m. CT
> Saturday, 4:07 p.m. CT

Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1180 AM (Zone 2). Donny Baarns will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy will provide analysis. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off. 

TV:
> Friday and Saturday’s games are available on NCHC.tv ($).

Live Audio and Stats:
Live Audio: Click here.
Live Stats: Click here.



Check out the 14th episode of the second season of the “MavPuckCast with Jason & Jon.” 



Next up: The Mavs return home to face Western Michigan at Baxter Arena next weekend, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2020.

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Friday, January 10, 2020

Series Preview: Omaha at North Dakota, Jan. 10-11, 2020


The temperatures are plunging, but the NCHC conference race is heating up.

 The Mavericks traveled up to Grand Forks for the first conference series of the new year. Omaha is currently 8-9-3 on the season (2-5-1-0 in the NCHC, good for seventh place, tied with Colorado College). The Mavs suffered a tie and a loss in a non-conference road series in Maine last weekend.

 The games will be at 7:37 p.m. on Friday night and 7:07 p.m. on Saturday night.

 The Mavs are taking on a surging Fighting Hawks team that is 16-1-2 this season (including 11-0-0 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena). UND is in first place in the NCHC (7-0-1-1/0). North Dakota swept Alabama Huntsville in a home series last weekend. The Mavs are 11-22-1 all-time against UND, including a record of 6-11-1 at the REA.

 UND won 3 out of the 4 games last season against UNO, its travel partner. This included a sweep at The REA that started its current 15-game home unbeaten streak (which dates back to the 2018-19 season).

 Isaiah Saville is expected back in net for UNO on Friday night. Austin Roden had been in goal for the Mavs for the previous two series as Saville made the roster for Team USA in the World Junior tournament in the Czech Republic. He returned to the U.S. last weekend.

When:
> Friday, 7:37 p.m. CT
> Saturday, 7:07 p.m. CT

Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1180 AM (Zone 2). Donny Baarns will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy will provide analysis. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off. 

TV:
> Friday and Saturday’s games are available on NCHC.tv ($) and will also be broadcast on Cox’s YurView: Channel 13/1013 (HD).

Live Audio and Stats:
Live Audio: Click here.
Live Stats: Click here.



Check out the 12th episode of the second season of the “MavPuckCast with Jason & Jon.” 


Next up: The Mavs return home to face Denver at Baxter Arena next weekend, Jan. 17-18, 2020.
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Friday, January 3, 2020

Series Preview: Omaha at Maine, Jan. 3-4, 2020


The holidays are over and it’s time for the Mavs to go back to work! The team is in Maine for a non-conference series with unusual start times — Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. It’s also an unusual series in that the games will be played in two different arenas in two different cities. Friday night's game will be played at Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine, while Saturday morning’s game will be played at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

 After splitting the series with non-conference foe Arizona State before Christmas, the team traveled to Maine (although half the bags and none of the sticks made the trip without trouble), leading to this lighthearted moment during practice:

It’s been quite some time since the Mavs have faced the Black Bears. More than 20 years, in fact. The last time UNO traveled to Maine, the Black Bears swept the series, 6-2 and 3-0. The two teams have only played each other four times, and the Black Bears have won three out of the four, outscoring the Mavs 23-6.

 But that was a long time ago.

 UNO is 8-8-2 overall on the season (2-5-1 in the NCHC, in seventh place, tied with Colorado College). The Mavs are 4-3-1 in away games, while Maine is unbeaten at Alfond Arena (6-0-1). The Black Bears are 9-8-3 this season and are coming off a 5-1 home win over AIC on Dec. 29.

 Fans can expect to see Austin Roden in net for the Mavs, as Isaiah Saville will be returning from the Czech Republic after participating in the World Junior tournament as part of Team USA.

When:
> Friday, 5:00 p.m. CT
> Saturday, 11 a.m. CT

Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1180 AM (Zone 2). Donny Baarns will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy will provide analysis. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off. 

TV:
> Friday’s game is available on CBSAllAccess.com ($$). 
> No TV coverage for Saturday’s game.

Live Audio and Stats:
Live Audio: Click here.
Live Stats: Click here.

 Friday TV($): Click here.



Check out the 11th episode of the second season of the “MavPuckCast with Jason & Jon.” 

Next up: The Mavs travel to Grand Forks to face the #1 team in the NCHC, North Dakota, next weekend, Jan. 10-11.

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