By Bridget (Weide) Brooks
The Omaha Mavericks are back at Baxter Arena this weekend, hosting the defending national champion Western Michigan Broncos in a critical series on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22. Both games are scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT puck drop.
Omaha comes into the series 5-5-0 overall (3-3-0 NCHC), fresh off a road split at Minnesota Duluth and a 2-0 shutout win on Saturday in Duluth. Western Michigan arrives ranked No. 7 nationally, on a roll after a dominant sweep of Miami and in the midst of a multi-year run that includes four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and the program’s first NCAA title in 2025.
The series also marks a return to Baxter for a familiar foe. Omaha leads the all-time series 36-31-6, but Western has had the upper hand of late, going 7-3-0 over the last 10 matchups and winning all four meetings in 2024–25.
After a tough 5-2 loss on Friday at Minnesota Duluth, the Mavericks answered with a 2-0 victory on Saturday at AMSOIL Arena — their first shutout of the 2025–26 season.
Senior defenseman Jacob Guevin said the response fits the identity this group is building.
“I think that’s been an identity for our team this year. I think we’ve been really good at coming back, especially on Saturday night,” Guevin said. “I think our guys are not afraid of any team in (the) country.”
Head coach Mike Gabinet liked what he saw from his team in the second game of the series.
“I thought Saturday night especially, I thought we had our legs. I thought we looked a little tentative on Friday and just weren’t skating up to the tempo and pace that we need to do against a team like (UMD),” Gabinet said. “I thought Saturday, just right from the drop of the puck, we took the initiative necessary to be successful in those types of series against that type of opponent. I just liked our pace better, liked our initiative better a little bit.”
He also pointed to the way Omaha used its offensive zone play as a form of defense.
“One thing too, I thought we played in the o-zone (offensive zone) a little bit more too, which I think is the best way to defend,“ Gabinet noted. “If you ask me, I think keep the puck and keep it in the o-zone, and they’re not going to score as many goals.”
Saturday’s shutout in Duluth was another big step for freshman goaltender Dawson Cowan, who was named NCHC Rookie of the Week for his 32-save performance.
Guevin said Cowan’s demeanor has had a calming effect on the group.
“I thought he was super, super composed — and seeing him off the ice, too, he doesn’t look too nervous, so it’s kind of a calming factor for the whole team,” Guevin said.
Gabinet noted that Cowan’s progress has mirrored the growth he’s seeing across a young roster.
“I think it’s just been great to see — just like a lot of our guys on our team, I think you’ve seen that growth since when (he) first got here to where he’s at now,” Gabinet said. “I think as a coach, that’s what you’re looking for. You’re looking at guys that want to push themselves to continue to get better, and he’s doing that. He’s working really hard at his game, and working hard to improve and get better, and he is.”
The Mavericks have split the net on road games, between reigning NCHC Goaltender of the Year Simon Latkoczy (3-5-0, 3.65 GAA, .896 save percentage) and Cowan (2-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .944 save percentage). For Gabinet, the tandem rotation is as much about team confidence as it is about rest.
“I think anytime you know you’ve got good support around for anybody, I think it’s a positive thing,” Gabinet said. “Just like if you lose a defenseman, you know the next guy that can step in there can do the job. I think it helps not only those individuals, but also the team to have confidence in that too. And I think you’re seeing that now.”
“If Simon needs a night off, we know that Dawson can step in there and do the job,” Gabinet added.
Scouting the Broncos
Western Michigan comes into the series as one of college hockey’s standard-bearers over the last several seasons — four straight NCAA trips, a 2025 NCHC Tournament title, and the 2025 NCAA national championship.
The Broncos are coming off a 6-2 win over Miami to complete a sweep in Kalamazoo, with five different players scoring and freshman goaltender Hampton Slukynsky making 14 saves.
Offensively, they feature one of the hottest goal-scorers in the country in Liam Valente, who has eight goals and one assist on the season. Valente has five power play goals, ranking near the top of both the NCHC and the nation.
Western’s underclassmen have also been a major story. Freshmen and sophomores combined for 17 points in the sweep of Miami, led by Ty Henricks, Bobby Cowan, and Iiro Hakkarainen.
On special teams, the Broncos’ penalty kill has allowed just one power-play goal in the last four games (17-for-18), and they currently sit around the top 15 nationally on the PK at 84.3 percent. In contrast, Omaha is 9-for-38 on the power play (23.7%), and opponents are 12-for-43 (27.9% penalty kill).
WMU is also, as usual, elite in the faceoff circle, winning better than 53 percent of their draws behind centers like Ryan Kusler and Owen Michaels. Omaha sits at 46.6% (287-for-616) in the faceoff dot.
Gabinet summed up what Omaha can expect from this version of Western Michigan:
“They play that kind of north-style aggressiveness. They’ve played their last four games in (Kalamazoo), which is obviously a little bit different of a building (there) for ice dimension, zone dimensions, etc., but (they’re) just a team that goes north in a hurry and they’re hungry around the net — they transition well. You just got to be ready to go, because they’re going to play with a lot of pace and intensity.”
Guevin echoed the respect level in the locker room for the Broncos — and the challenge they present.
“I think they have experience. They have a good team. They won it last year, obviously,” he said. “And we’ve just got to make sure we play a full 60 (minutes). I think that’s the biggest thing. They come hard. They come quick. So just make sure we’re dialed (in) for the full 60.”
The Western series comes amid a grueling stretch of NCHC opponents. For a roster with a significant number of new faces, the level of competition could be overwhelming — but Guevin said the group is embracing it.
“I think it’s nice to be, you know, playing all those good teams, and we’re right in the mix with them,” Guevin said. “I think it’s good to build confidence — because, like I mentioned, to be the best, you got to beat the best, and I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that.”
He also highlighted his own development as part of that growth.
“I think I did a pretty good job in the summer with (improving) my speed. It’s always been something that I want to keep improving on, and I think I’ve improved on it a little bit. I want to keep doing a good job at it so I feel like I can close on guys quicker and jump into play as well.”
Gabinet praised Guevin’s all-around impact on the blue line.
“He’s just been one of those guys that’s such a steady force back there for us. He logs a lot of minutes back there for us, and plays the right side. And like he talked about, not only is he a good offensive defenseman, (you also see him) on the penalty kill, you see him out there in key situations defensively. So (he’s) just done a tremendous job really rounding out his game and finding ways to impact the game on both ends of the ice.”
And while the Mavs are still working toward a fully healthy roster, Gabinet sees value in the “next man up” reality of the season so far.
“I don’t think we’ve been (fully) healthy yet this year. I think we’ve always had one, two — if not three guys out — that we probably predicted to be in the lineup. And it’s a great opportunity for other guys to play and get experience,” Gabinet said.
“You need that depth in today’s game. There’s just too many injuries now. You’re going to deal with it throughout the season. And in college hockey now — and moving to the 26-man roster — you’re going to need guys that can play,” he added.
The coaching staff continues to emphasize high standards for each shift.
“Sometimes you do take two steps forward, and one step back. You’re not going to just be perfect from here to the rest of the year,” Gabinet said. “They’re going to keep making mistakes, and we have to keep helping them out.”
“Coach Noel-Bernier did a really good job — it was kind of his statement, you know, ‘We don’t need everybody to be great. We just need everybody to be good,’” Gabinet added. “I think sometimes when you’re playing at this high a level of a team, and when you’ve come from maybe junior (hockey) where you’ve been able to be that great player all the time, it’s just harder to be great at this level.”
Watch the full press conference or read the transcript here.
Fun Fact: Doug the Golden
On a lighter note, Guevin’s puppy — Doug the Goldenn — continues to be a fan favorite, with an Instagram account closing in on 4,000 followers. Asked whether there’s a recruiting battle in the locker room to be Doug’s favorite, Guevin laughed.
“No, I think it’s all good. I don’t really run his Instagram. It’s more of my girlfriend, so I’m not aware of all that. But I’ve brought him into the locker room a few times, and the guys have seen him before, so everyone likes him.”
Keys to the Weekend:
A few things to watch as Omaha hosts Western Michigan:
Start on time. Western plays fast and “north,” and both Guevin and Gabinet emphasized the need for a full 60 minutes against a team that “comes hard” and “comes quick.”
Stay out of the box. With Western’s power play clicking and Omaha’s PK still shaping up, discipline and “stick management” will be critical.
Win the little battles. From face-offs to net-front scraps to puck management in the o-zone, the Mavericks will look to build on the initiative and pace they showed Saturday in Duluth.
Lean on depth. Injuries have forced contributions from up and down the lineup — and with a deep, veteran opponent in town, that “next man up” mentality will be tested again.
As Guevin put it, “to be the best you got to beat the best.” This weekend at Baxter Arena, Omaha gets another chance to do exactly that.
