Omaha traveled north to AMSOIL Arena for a tough early-season test against No. 3 Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs program is off to one of the hottest starts in college hockey this season. The Mavericks dropped Friday’s opener 5-2, but responded with one of their most complete performances of the season, earning a 2-0 shutout victory on Saturday behind a breakout night from freshman goaltender Dawson Cowan.
The split moves Omaha to 5-5-0 overall and 3-3-0 in the NCHC, with all five wins (and all five losses) coming against ranked opponents.
Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
No. 3 Minnesota Duluth 5, Omaha 2
Omaha opened the game with jump — and a milestone — as freshman Joel Plante scored his first collegiate goal six minutes in, finishing a pass from Brett Hyland to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs surged late in the first, outshooting Omaha 11-2 over the final 13 minutes, but senior netminder Simon Latkoczy turned away all 14 shots he faced to keep the Mavs in front after one.
Duluth found its stride early in the second, scoring twice in the opening minutes to take a 2-1 lead. Omaha answered quickly when senior forward Jacob Slipec collected a puck in the left circle and snapped home his second goal of the season just 21 seconds later to tie the game 2-2.
The Bulldogs regained the lead midway through the frame, and carried a 3-2 edge into the third.
UMD opened the final period on a power play and capitalized just 22 seconds in, as defenseman Ty Hanson — who entered the night with three goals on the season — scored his second of the game. Hanson completed the hat trick with 11:30 remaining, putting the Bulldogs up 5-2 and sealing the win.
Omaha generated three power-play opportunities in the third but couldn’t convert, finishing the night 0-for-4 with the man advantage. Duluth outshot Omaha 43-25, with Latkoczy making 38 saves in the effort.
Period scoring: Omaha 1-1-0 = 2; Minnesota Duluth 0-3-2 = 5
Key moment: Hanson’s power-play goal 22 seconds into the third extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 4-2, halting Omaha’s momentum and reshaping the period before it began.
Standout performances:
For Omaha:
Plante (1G — his first collegiate goal)
Slipec (1G)
Latkoczy (38 SV, strong first period kept Omaha ahead early)
For Minnesota Duluth:
Hanson (3G – hat trick)
Arnott (1G)
UMD penalty kill (4-for-4)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025
Omaha 2, No. 3 Minnesota Duluth 0
Omaha responded in a big way on Saturday night, earning its first shutout of the season, doing so against one of the nation’s top teams.
Freshman goaltender Dawson Cowan made the most of his second start of the year, stopping all 32 shots he faced. The Mavericks leaned on sharp defensive play, strong penalty killing, and timely offense to secure the road win.
After a scoreless first period, Omaha struck two minutes into the second when sophomore forward Myles Hillman buried a rebound for his second goal of the season. Senior defenseman Griffin Ludtke picked up his eighth assist on the play.
Duluth pressed hard the rest of the period — including four power plays — but Cowan was outstanding, turning away all 17 shots he faced in the frame.
Omaha doubled its lead midway through the third. On the power play, sophomore defenseman Marc Lajoie redirected a point shot from junior defenseman Aidan de la Gorgendiere to make it 2-0, giving the Mavs breathing room down the stretch.
UMD pulled goaltender Adam Gajan in the closing minutes of the third period but were unable to get a puck past Cowan.
The Mavericks’ penalty kill finished a perfect 5-for-5, and Cowan closed out the night with poise as Omaha secured its fifth win of the year — all against ranked opponents.
Period scoring: Omaha 0-1-1 = 2; Minnesota Duluth 0-0-0 = 0
Key moment: Cowan’s 17-save second period held the lead and swung momentum to Omaha. Duluth generated sustained pressure and multiple power plays, but the freshman netminder kept the Bulldogs off the board.
Standout performances:
For Omaha:
Cowan (32-save shutout, first Maverick shutout, career statement game)
Hillman (1G)
Lajoie (1G, PPG)
Ludtke & de la Gorgendiere (key assists, strong defensive minutes)
For Minnesota Duluth:
32 saves allowed, but steady defensive effort
Persistent pressure in the second period
Weekend Takeaways
- Resilient Response: After a tough Friday loss and a third-period surge from Duluth, Omaha bounced back with one of its sharpest defensive games of the season.
- Goaltending Depth Shines: Cowan’s performance gives Omaha a strong one-two punch in net, complementing Latkoczy’s workload and proving he is capable of winning big games.
- Special Teams Split: Omaha struggled on the power play Friday (0-for-4) but converted a huge chance Saturday. The penalty kill delivered a perfect 5-for-5 performance in the shutout.
- Ranked Wins Keep Coming: All five Maverick victories have come against top-20 opponents — a promising early-season trend as Omaha faces another top-10 opponent in Western Michigan in the upcoming series.
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