Series Preview: Omaha vs. North Dakota, March 6-7, 2020

The other team, besides Western Michigan, in the scheduling “pod” with UNO this year, is North Dakota. This means the Mavericks face the Fighting Hawks four times this season. In January, the Mavs split a series in Grand Forks. The final two games — in fact, the final two home games of the 2019-20 season — will be this weekend at Baxter Arena.

UNO will honor five seniors on Saturday night, Senior Night.

Both games will be televised locally on YurView, with #oldbull Alex Blankenburg providing color commentary. They will also be available on MidcoSN in the Grand Forks TV market.

The Mavs were swept by Miami in Oxford, OH last weekend and are 2-6-0 in their last 8 games. UNO is 13-16-5 overall and 7-12-3-0/0 in the NCHC. UNO is 12-23-1 all-time against UND, but are 6-7-3 at home during the 2019-20 season.

The Mavs are currently in sixth place in the NCHC, but home ice is no longer a possibility. Omaha can finish in sixth or seventh place in the conference after this weekend’s games.

North Dakota is 25-4-4 this season and 16-3-3-1/1 in the NCHC. The Fighting Hawks have already secured at least a portion of the Penrose Cup, which they were awarded last weekend in Grand Forks. The Fighting Hawks swept Western Michigan in the series (Saturday's game was an OT win). UND is 7-3-4 on the road this year. In contrast to the Mavs, the Fighting Hawks are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.

Series preview articles:

OMavs.com:
https://omavs.com/news/2020/3/5/hockey-mavericks-finish-regular-season-against-no-2-north-dakota.aspx

UNO Gateway article:
http://unothegateway.com/omaha-hockey-versus-north-dakota-series-preview/

UND Hockey:

https://fightinghawks.com/news/2020/3/4/mens-hockey-notes-north-dakota-aiming-for-outright-title-no-1-seed-in-nchc-tourney.aspx

Omaha.com ($):
https://www.omaha.com/sports/college/uno/uno-hockey-s-seniors-hope-for-special-sendoff-against-no/article_ab0ea289-20af-5294-b440-c5a0f3762716.html

When:

> Friday, 7:07 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 and Lester St. James will report rinkside. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off. 

TV:

Both games will be televised locally on Cox Yurview Channel 1013. Dave Ahlers will provide play-by-play and former Maverick goaltender Alex Blankenburg will provide color commentary. Both games will also be streamed on NCHC.tv ($)

Live Audio and Stats:

Live Audio: Click here

Live Stats: Click here

Also check out episode 19 of the second season of the “MavPuckCast with Jason & Jon.” This episode features Jon and Jason talking about the sweep at Colorado College, an update about some #futurebulls (recruits), and their predictions about Mavericks vs. the Fighting Hawks.

Next up: 
The first round of conference playoffs begins next weekend with a best-of-three series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary), March 13-15. The opponent and site of the series will be determined at the end of play on Saturday.