Jan. 7, 2026 Press Conference Transcript
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Mike, just (your) general thoughts on the series against Cornell and looking ahead to St. Cloud State this week?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah. Yeah, obviously didn’t come away with a win there, which is disappointing. Wanted to get at least one win on the road there and if not two, and yeah, two essentially one-goal games there, two empty netters against us, or one empty netter and then a one-goal game on Saturday there. But again, dug back in kind of both games there.
They got off to a hot start and (we) found a way to climb back and get ourselves within the game. And then just kind of a little bit of a story right now of how it’s going for us right now, just not finding that next play or getting that right play at the right time and ultimately not coming with the win there.
So again, some positive things that you have to reflect on that you’re doing well — and then some things that just obviously still aren’t good enough, and that’s why we’re not coming away with the wins there. So, I liked our game Saturday better than Friday. But ultimately, again, we have to keep learning here from crucial mistakes at crucial times that are costing us games.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
As you head into conference play, what do you want the team to be better at six games from now than they are today?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, one is penalties. I think that was, again, just something we talked a lot about on Saturday before the game. We’ve been preaching it a lot there, but I thought it hurt us again on Friday night there. So that’s one. And then just again, I think really controlling the slot area of the ice, both offensively and defensively — not only the slot area, but the secondary opportunities that come from there.
And then just making just the decisions, right? I think that’s when you get a team that doesn’t have a lot of experience and playing this — not to make excuses, but at the end of the day, we got the second hardest schedule in the country, right? So right now we’re finding when you make that crucial mistake at that crucial time, whether it’s a penalty, whether it’s a turnover, whether it’s a save, whether it’s not executing on a goal, etc., that it really can come back to hurt you and ultimately be the difference in those one-goal games.
But again, I love this group, man. They’re dialed in, they’re learning, they’re hungry to get better. They’re not making excuses. They know we have to be better in areas and we’re doing the work to get better in those areas.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Mike, just talk about the second half of the season and getting back into the conference schedule, and really wanting to get off to a positive start.
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, again, it’s kind of a new schedule there in the second half there with the conference there. And obviously seeing St. Cloud coming in here right off the bat, which will be great. So I think the guys are excited. There’s points on the line here. It’s an opportunity to have some success here in conference play in the second half, and that’s where our focus is at.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You’ve talked in previous press conferences about the importance of getting off to a quick start. And St. Cloud is a team that when they jump out early, they usually keep that lead. What can you do to emphasize to the players the importance of that first 10 minutes or so? Because on Friday night, you gave up three goals, had to come back and get four goals. Coming from behind is a lot more difficult. How do you emphasize that quick start to them?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, talk about it. I think just talk about it and show it, and show the reasons why these things are happening — and then ultimately how you improve these things. And then it’s a little bit up to the staff and the players to then execute that, right? Then you got to go out there and execute that and making sure you’re doing those things there.
So again, we’re well aware of it, and know what we need to do. And I think sometimes, again, that comes down to just kind of making that smart decision at that crucial time of the game, whether it’s early in the period or late in the period or maybe when you have a one-goal lead — how are you playing the game and what decisions are you making consistently?
And again, we’ve got a lot of feedback on that, and (we) have to continue to get better at that.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Mike, what’s Simon’s (Goaltender Simon Latkoczy) status?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, we’ll see. He’s probably questionable for this weekend, I would say there. So again, (he’s) coming back and kind of practicing this week for the first time and stuff. So we’ll see. I haven’t talked to our trainer after today’s practice there. But good news is he’s back on the ice and starting to participate in practice there, which is nice. So we’ll see what happens here kind of this weekend, and then moving forward.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Friday night is Jake Guentzel bobblehead night. Even though you didn’t coach him directly, how important is his success in the NHL — and now on the Olympic team — to making prospective players aware of Omaha hockey?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I just think first off, just talking about it, it’s kind of cool. I don’t think we probably do it enough. Just obviously, I think he’s one of the best players in the National Hockey League, and (he) played in Omaha, comes back here in the summertime, (his) wife’s from this area, which is pretty cool. So just nice to recognize him with the bobblehead. I know a lot of guys in his class are still around Omaha, which is pretty cool.
I got a bunch of texts for some Guentzel bobbleheads to hang on to some. So just pretty neat. And he’s an Olympian, right? And he’s one of the best 20 players in all of the United States for Team USA. And I just thought watching (the) Four Nations (tournament) too, he was one of the best players at the tournament there for Team USA there. So (it’s) pretty special.
I think he’s pretty excited about it, and kind of nice to get to treat the fans to a pretty cool gift too for coming to the game. So I’m sure there’s going to be a rush to be one of the first 3,000 people. I saw it today, the bobblehead there, (it’s) pretty neat.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Speaking of development, Joe Gramer has moved on to the WHL after spending two seasons here at the Mavs. How do you view that decision from a development standpoint, and what does it mean for your blue line moving forward?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, (it’s) obviously tough to lose somebody. Joe’s a great kid and unfortunately just wants to play. He wants to play more. And welcome to 2025. I think we counted six or seven or eight of those things happening already this second half (of the season). And I think you’re just going to see a lot more of that in today’s landscape where there’s so many options now for the players there. So, disappointed to see him leave, but understand that if you want to play, he’s got choices to make too there too. So we wish him the best. And we’re looking now here to see if we can fill that spot here. So, it’s pretty late in the game, so we’ll see what happens there. But again, that’s just something you got to deal with now as a head coach. You got to wear your GM (general manager) hat a little bit too and deal with transactions that happened during the season now, not only after the season, but during the season too.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Mike, the player to your left, what can you say about his game this season?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Oh, on the left? Okay. Yeah, Jérémy. Yeah, great. Yeah, great. I think just again, Jérémy’s a great example. (He) obviously dealt with an injury — (was) out for quite a long time there, which we’ve had to deal with a little bit this year, obviously with Simon (Latkoczy) and him and Brett (Hyland) and Sam (Huo), and the list goes on.
But I think it’s just a great example of a little bit of patience and what hard work and dedication does. And again, for me, just getting to know Jérémy over his time here, and even last year and kind of just watching him play junior (hockey) and talking to the staff there, just he’s a worker and he’s a guy that really wants to put the work in to get better. And I think it’s a good reminder for coaching staff too. You have to be a little bit patient at times too with guys. And I think we have one junior in our class right now, the most — a lot of freshmen and sophomore players that are playing this level for the first time. And so with that comes, there’s going to be some ups and downs. But when you have good kids that put the work in, they want to be coached, they want to get better, I think over the long term, good things happen.
You’re seeing that exactly with Jérémy here, right? And man, he’s been playing some elite hockey as of late there, and does some certain skill sets that I think not a lot of our guys on our team can do. And that’s directly leading to offense there. And then as he will tell you, getting better away from the puck too, where Coach Gabinet likes to harp on there.
So it’s been fun, man. It’s been fun to watch him, and I think he’s just going to do nothing but keep on getting better. And I think you’re seeing it in just the goals we’re producing here as of late too, right? We’re trying to find the back the net here lately and able to get more goals on the board, and he’s been a big reason for that.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Can you preview the St. Cloud series for us? What can fans expect to see this weekend?
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, you can. I think just typical St. Cloud team. They got really good structure. They play a really structured game, very predictable in how they play. And so that’s good for us to pre-scout that, and make sure we’re prepared systematically and structurally for them. And yeah, I mean, they just came off two big wins there at the (Cactus Cup) tournament there. So again, it’s going to be another hard-fought series.
You got another quality opponent coming in here to play. But again, for us, we got to keep (the) focus on us and making sure we’re ready to go here and do the things that take that step here to be on the right side of one-goal games here coming up in the second half.
Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Okay, great. Thanks, guys. Thanks.
Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):
Questions for Jérémy?
Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:
Jérémy, you seem to be a lot more comfortable over the last couple of weeks since coming back from injury. How would you describe — not just your level of comfort, but the increased chemistry with your teammates on the ice?
Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):
I would say I’ll give a lot of credit to (my) teammates. (For) example, Luke Woodworth on the power play — just finding me in the bumper in the slot just for grade A’s (scoring opportunities). Like we talk about, we need some slot shots more and more in the coming games. So I think just great chemistry with my linemates too, Wonger (Trevor Wong) and Sam (Huo) there. I think we’ve done a great job on the forecheck, which created a lot of chances.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You finished last season with Sherwood Park with 16 multi-point games in your final 19 contests, and you’ve already had a couple of multi-point games here in the last couple of weeks in Omaha. Do multi-point nights feel like something that you create through momentum, or are they more about the habits that you bring from game to game?
Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):
That’s a great question. Momentum, I think, and just my mindset coming to games. I’m never satisfied about just one goal. Why not try to get three, right? So, it’s just a mindset, competitiveness, and just my character to my approach to the game as well. So yeah, I’ll give that to my mindset of the game.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Jérémy, the Mavs have had a lot of close losses this season. How do you keep a positive attitude going into another tough series?
Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):
I think we all know the last game (Saturday night vs. Cornell), we probably deserve better. So I think just being positive and having fun will probably help us more than just being negative and coming with just no smile on our face every single day. So, just bringing a lot of energy for the team — and yeah, get ready for Friday night, and it’s going to be a big series here in Omaha.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You went viral for a shootout goal last year that was featured in an NHL TikTok video. But we haven’t really got to see you in a shootout yet, even though we’ve had a lot of close games. When you review your own tape, what are you grading yourself on that most fans would never think to look for?
Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):
I’m not going to grade myself on a shootout, that’s for sure. Like (Coach Gabinet) said, details without the puck. I’ve got better. Still have a lot to work on. The first goal in Cornell, I take responsibility on it. So those are all the details that I want to work on, and bring my game to a complete level. So I think it’s just — that’s the way it is in the NHL. And if I want to make it there, it’s going to be a complete 200-foot game, and my offensive game will bring me there as well.
Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:
As you transition from juniors (junior hockey) into college hockey, what have been some of the challenges that you had to deal with on a day-to-day basis and overcome?
Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):
I think guys are older, guys are bigger. So it’s just one-on-one battles. Every 50-50s is a lot harder, and you got to, yeah, bring your 100% for every battle. And you got to win those, because it’s really important. It’s a detail of the game that we don’t talk about enough, but it brings a lot to the team. So yeah, guys are bigger. I think just the pace, just (the) transition game is way faster. So I got to be ready on my toes the whole game, yeah.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You grew up in a part of the country where hockey is described as a religion, and your dad built you a backyard rink, and he still plays and coaches. So you know what it takes to be successful. What does success look like for you as a player?
Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):
Discipline. Yeah. Always there. Every day just compete and bring your best, every day at the rink. And I think success is just repetition all day, just stacking up days like we do here.
Sometimes (a) two-hour practice, that’s what it takes to get better and just improve the details in our game and what Omaha Mavericks is all about.
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