Yesterday (Wednesday, Oct. 23) was the ninth anniversary of the first home series at Baxter Arena. It’s also been nine years since the “Red Mavericks” of Omaha Hockey have faced off in a regular-season series against the “Purple Mavericks” of MSU-Mankato. In the previous regular-season series — Oct. 9-10, 2015 — Omaha swept MSU-Mankato, 3-2 and 2-0 in Mankato.
In the intervening years, Omaha and MSU-Mankato have only met in exhibition games. In 2022, the teams played in Omaha, with Omaha beating MSU-Mankato 7-2. Last year, the exhibition was in Mankato, and UNO won 1-0. Forward Matt Miller scored the lone goal in that contest.
The “Spirit of the Mavericks Trophy” is at stake again. The “Red Mavericks” currently possess the trophy, awarded to the team that wins the annual series. The winner will be decided by one team winning both games, one team winning one game (with the other ending in a tie), or in the case of a series split, the winner will be determined by the total goals differential. Should the series end in a split — and both teams score the same number of goals — the trophy stays with the team that previously held the trophy.
Former MSU-Mankato Blue Line Club President Brad Reeves and UNO Blue Line Club President Jim Semerad (now deceased) originally came up with the trophy as a way to try and spur a rivalry between the two schools (who played more frequently two decades ago).
Fun Fact: I had the opportunity to be involved in the presentation of the Spirit of the Mavericks Trophy in February 2008. (I was the UNO Blue Line Club representative in attendance for the series finale that season.)
Interesting Tidbits:
Both teams made the jump to Division I men's hockey in the same season 1997-98) and have competed against one another in various conference and non-conference matchups since since that season (we were also in the same conference as Mankato from 2009 to 2013).
Omaha Coach Mike Gabinet played four games in the “Mavs vs. Mavs” series during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, recording several shots and serving one penalty.
MSU-Mankato leads the all-time series 18-16-5.
Coach Gabinet met the media on Wednesday and said the team is moving forward after getting swept last weekend by unranked Augustana at Baxter Arena.
“Losses are losses. They’re hard to take and don’t make you feel good,” Gabinet noted. He said they had good practices early in the week — including some special teams work.
“You got to just find ways to … just keep moving forward. What do you have to focus on this week? How did you get better? What was the feedback from the weekend that we can use to keep on developing? That’s exactly what we did,” he added.
Looking ahead to MSU-Mankato, Gabinet praised Coach Luke Strand’s team. “They beat Michigan, they beat North Dakota … they almost beat North Dakota twice. So you know they’re a good team. They play very fast, and they skate extremely well. It’s going to be a tough competition.”
With the Spirit of the Mavericks trophy on the line, “it’s kind of nice to revive a little bit of a rivalry that even goes back to when I played here,” Gabinet said. He added that it’s “nice to play some of these teams that are within driving distance for our fans and for the team. I think rivalries are good for sports, and especially with the proximity of the locations and obviously both (being) Maverick (named) teams.”
Gabinet said he is looking forward to the first real road games of the season. (The Ice Breaker games were neutral site contests.) “I think it will be a good experience for the guys. It’s always a hostile environment when you go on the road and teams have good fan bases. So I think it’s a really good opportunity to come together as a group… and face that head on as a group together.”
The series will be streamed on Midco Sports Plus. Subscribe to the Midco Sports Plus 2 package to view the games live or on demand. The app is available on mobile/tablet apps (iOS and Android), connected TV device apps (AppleTV, FireTV and Roku), and a web-based browser interface. A monthly subscription is $24.99. To subscribe, visit MidcoSportsPlus.com.
The series will be broadcast live on 1290 KOIL or the Varsity Sports app. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy is back with color commentary. Coverage begins 30 minutes before puck drop each night.
Omaha is off for a week following the MSU-Mankato series. The Mavs return to Baxter Arena to begin NCHC conference play on Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9 (Homecoming Weekend) in a series against the Western Michigan Broncos.
On the fifth episode of Season 7 of the #mavpuckcast, Jon and Jason recap and analyze the Omaha Maverick Hockey team’s recent appearance in the 2024 Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas, NV — where they played (and defeated) UMass and Minnesota. The duo look at some “Things You Missed in Las Vegas” (that Omaha Mavericks Hockey fans enjoyed on the trip). They wrap up the episode with a preview and predictions for Omaha Hockey’s upcoming series versus Augustana Hockey at Baxter Arena on Oct. 18-19.
Special thanks this season to our Founding Members for their support of the podcast and MavPuck.com this season. Your support is greatly appreciated!!
Chapters:
00:00 - Ice Breaker Tournament Recap and Analysis
14:45 - Players of the Week
19:25 - Things You Missed in Las Vegas
27:16 - Omaha Hockey vs. Augustana Preview
Video version:
If you enjoyed this content, consider following us on Twitter/X: @mavpuck
Coming off two wins at the Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas, the Omaha Hockey team is back in action at Baxter Arena this weekend.
Omaha defeated the UMass Minutemen 3-2 in overtime on Friday to advance to the championship game on Saturday, a rematch with Minnesota (which knocked Omaha out of the NCAA regionals in March 2024). The Mavericks beat the Gophers 2-1 in overtime to claim the Ice Breaker Tournament trophy.
Senior forward Zach Urdahl was named to the all-tournament team and junior goaltender Simon Latkoczy was named the tournament’s “Most Outstanding Player” after his school record-tying 53-save performance in the championship game.
Junior defenseman Jacob Guevin was named the KJ Branding NCHC Defenseman of the Week for his play in the tournament, including potting the game winning goal on Saturday. Latkoczy also was recognized as the KJ Branding NCHC Goaltender of the Week.
Coach Gabinet highlighted the “two big wins against two very good opponents” and spotlighted Latkoczy’s play. “He’s just been fun to watch.”
Latkoczy praised his teammates for contributing to his Saturday play. “The guys helped me a lot. So they made that work a little bit easier.” He added, “I think (the team) gave me many easy shots when our guys did a good job of not being in my way to try and block the shot. So I saw all the pucks, and they also helped me with the rebounds. There were many pucks that could (have ended) up in the net if the guys didn’t help me.”
When asked about the school record, he seemed unaware he had tied the record. “I didn’t know about it,” he said.
Latkoczy has previously said he visualizes the complete game in his head before the puck drops. He said his “everyday work” in practice helps him be prepared for the game. “I see all these saves before (the game) in my head. So, it’s not something that I’m not used to.”
Coach Gabinet said the team’s identity was solidified with the tournament win. “We’re just a team that finds a way to keep showing up and keep engaging, no matter what situation we get presented with.” He added, “It could be easy to throw in the towel when you face adversity.”
The no. 12 Mavericks face the unranked Augustana Vikings in a series on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19.
Augustana (1-1-0) is in its second season and was swept by Omaha last year in a home-and-home series. Omaha (2-0-0) won the Friday game at Baxter Arena 2-1 before traveling to Sioux Falls, SD and winning the second game 5-2.
UMass won the faceoff battle on Friday, 29-24 and Minnesota and Omaha both won 29 face-offs Saturday. Coach Gabinet said the team is working on face-offs in practice. “That’s something we’ve really challenged our center men and our wingers nowadays, that we can get rotated in to take a draw if you get kicked out.”
The team isn’t resting on its success in the Ice Breaker Tournament, however. “Whether it’s after two big wins or after a loss — or two losses — you have to be consistent in your approach to things. You have to constantly look (at) how to keep improving.”
Coach Gabinet said Augustana plays ”extremely hard.” He pointed to the Vikings’ 4-1 exhibition win over North Dakota a few weeks ago as an example. “You can see they like to push two guys all over the ice and (have) a very aggressive style of play.”
>> Watch the full preseason press conference here.
For Fans Attending the Game in Person:
The west lot outside of Baxter, Lot 25, is open to donors only (parking passes are required to park in that lot). The north lot, Lot 27, offers free parking on a first-come, first-served basis, as does Lot 26 (west of the arena, across the creek). Omaha Athletics is also encouraging fans to park in one of the public garages at Aksarben Village.
Fans should arrive early, especially if entering via the west entrance. Have digital tickets ready to scan in the Omaha Mavericks app (or add them from your MyMavs account to your phone’s wallet app). If you have questions, stop by the box office at Baxter Arena before the game or call 402-554-MAVS.
The clear bag policy remains in effect at Baxter Arena, and metal detectors are in place at all entrances. All concession stands are card only (no cash).
Blue Line Club members and Maverick Room pass holders may enter the arena 90 minutes before puck drop. (Learn more about how to become a Blue Line Club or Maverick Room pass holder here.)
Promotions:
The NCAA Regional banner (Sioux Falls Regional) will be unveiled pregame on Friday.
> Friday, 7:07 p.m. CT at Baxter Arena (Omaha, NE)
> Saturday, 7:07 p.m. CT at Baxter Arena (Omaha, NE)
Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1290 AM and on The Varsity Network app. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off with the FNBO Pre-Game Show. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play, with color commentary provided by Terry Leahy.
NOTE: If you subscribe to NCHC.tv, choose OMAHA as your home team and the program will receive 80% of your subscription fee for new subscriptions (as well as renewals).
In Episode 5 of Season 7, Jon and Jason recap the Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas. They also showcase some of the “Things You Missed in Las Vegas” (that Omaha Mavericks Hockey fans enjoyed during the trip). The episode concludes with a preview and predictions for the Augustana series.
Next up: Omaha Hockey goes on the road to Mankato, MN, for a non-conference series against MSU-Mankato. The Friday, Oct. 25 game will be at 7:07 p.m. The Saturday, Oct. 26 game is at 6:07 p.m.
The 2024-25 hockey season kicks off at the Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Omaha Mavericks will face the UMass Minutemen on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. Central. The Mavs will face either the University of Minnesota or the Air Force Academy on Saturday, depending on the outcomes of Friday’s games.
No. 15/17 Omaha and No. 14 UMass last faced off almost 20 years ago — in December 2004 in Amherst, Mass. — with Omaha Hockey losing 5-2. The overall series is 5-2-1 in favor of the Mavericks all-time.
UMass has played two games already, a regular-season win against Bentley and an exhibition loss in overtime versus RPI.
Omaha fell 3-2 in overtime to the University of Wisconsin in an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Baxter Arena. Omaha had jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals from junior forward Tyler Rollwagen before surrendering two goals in the third period.
Coach Mike Gabinet said the team “got some really good feedback from the game.” He added, “It didn’t feel like an exhibition game. It felt like a game almost in February or March, to be honest, with the pace and tempo to that.”
Looking ahead to UMass, Gabinet said, “It will be an exciting test to get those guys to open the season.” He noted they are a ranked team that won a national championship in 2021.
UMass is one of the top 3 college hockey teams by average height (6'1.3"), while Omaha is one of the 5 smallest teams (average height of 5'11.6"). The height difference doesn’t worry Coach Gabinet. “So long as you are ultra-competitive and get inside and have good posture, have good leverage — good things happen, no matter [the] size of the [team] you’re going against.”
For Fans Attending the Games in Person in Las Vegas:
The Omaha vs. UMass game starts at 4 p.m. local time at Orleans Arena, 4500 W. Tropicana Avenue in Paradise, Nevada. Orleans Arena has a clear bag policy and is cashless for concession purchases. Parking is free for all guests. (Full arena policies.)
Game tickets can be accessed from the Boyd Gaming Ticketmaster site here.
The “Mavs on the Move” event, sponsored by the UNO Alumni Association, will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 in the Dauphine Ballroom in the Orleans Hotel & Casino. Registration has closed. Omaha fans WILL be able to re-enter the arena for the Air Force vs. Minnesota game. Please stop at the box office to have your hand stamped BEFORE leaving the arena (your game ticket will not work for a second entry).
> Friday, 6 p.m. Central at Orleans Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
> Saturday, either 6 p.m. Central or 9:30 p.m. Central (depending on outcome of Friday’s game)
Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1290 AM and on The Varsity Network app. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off with the FNBO Pre-Game Show. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play, with color commentary provided by Terry Leahy.
TV:
Friday and Saturday night’s games will be streamed on the Big 10+ Network.
(It’s $12.99 to subscribe to the Big 10+ Network for one month; be sure to cancel your subscription after the weekend so it doesn’t automatically renew next month)
(Note: the Saturday game streams will be activated after the outcome of Friday’s games is known.)
There is a watch party on Friday night at Aksarben Cinema; however, it is sold out.
Live Stats:
Friday and Saturday night stats will be available here.
Catch up on the MavPuckCast podcast by watching a special mini episode of the podcast. In the 13-minute Season 7, Episode 4, Jon recaps the Wisconsin series, previews the Ice Breaker, and showcases our amazing Founding Members!
Next up: Omaha faces Augustana at Baxter Arena on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. Puck drop for both games is at 7:07 p.m.
The no. 15/17 Omaha Maverick Hockey team faces no. 10/10 Wisconsin Badgers in an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Baxter Arena.
Wisconsin Head Coach Mike Hastings is a familiar face, having previously been head coach at MSU-Mankato from 2012 to 2023 after being an assistant for Coach Dean Blais at UNO from 2009-2012. He also served as head coach and general manager of the Omaha Lancers (USHL) from 1994 to 2008.
Omaha is 5-9-1 all-time in games versus the Badgers. Their last matchup — a home series at Baxter Arena — resulted in a split, with Omaha losing 5-2 in the Nov. 8 game, and winning 5-2 on Nov. 9.
A rule change in 2021 allowed NCAA teams to schedule each other in exhibition contests, with the results not counting towards official season records. Previously, NCAA teams would typically schedule Canadian college teams or teams from the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) for exhibition matchups. Omaha is scheduled for another exhibition later in the season on Dec. 29 against Manitoba at Baxter Arena.
A ceremony to dedicate “Mike Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena” will be held before the 6:07 p.m. puck drop of the Wisconsin exhibition.
"It’s a real special beginning to this season Saturday with an on-ice ceremony for the dedication of the Mike Kemp Ice, which is really a privilege for us to be there,” Coach Mike Gabinet said. “I’m really excited to start our season off with that.”
Captain Nolan Krenzen addressed the number of new faces on the Maverick squad (14 new players in total for the 2024-25 season — read our feature on the newcomers). “It gives us the opportunity to bring in guys — aside from freshmen — that we wouldn’t normally see — guys who have a lot of college hockey experience — and not just great players, but great people as well, that can contribute to the Omaha culture.”
Coach Gabinet addressed a question about implementing a team culture when half the team is new.
“You have to approach it as this is the one time this team will be together — to make sure you’re doing things step-by-step,” he said. “I do believe that culture is an ‘our’ thing. It’s not a ‘my’ thing. It‘s not a ‘him or her’ thing. It’s an ‘our’ thing. And when you do that, I think that creates ownership with everybody.”
“The group has really come together fast, which is really cool to see,” Krenzen said. “I think we have a good combination of age, skills, and just overall grit.”
“It’s important for us to know where we have been, but set new goals for ourselves — and especially in the last few years, expectations have, I think, grown higher and higher, and we just plan on pushing ourselves to those.”
Coach Gabinet attempted to temper expectations about the exhibition and the Ice Breaker Tournament that follows. “We’ll be potentially playing a lot of ranked teams right off the bat, with Wisconsin coming in, obviously ranked high as well,” he said. “I like it. I would rather have some failures early on, especially in the exhibition game; to be tested. If gives you some really immediate feedback for your players — which I think is a good thing sometimes early on, when you’re developing and learning — to get that immediate feedback from the game.”
The west lot outside Baxter, Lot 25, is open to donors only and parking passes are required to park in that lot. The north lot, Lot 27, offers free parking on a first-come, first-served basis, as is Lot 26 (west of the arena, across the creek). Omaha Athletics is also encouraging fans to park in one of the public garages at Aksarben Village.
Fans should arrive early, especially if entering via the west entrance. Have digital tickets ready to scan in the Omaha Mavericks app (or add them from your MyMavs account to your phone’s wallet app). If you have questions, stop by the box office at Baxter Arena before the game or call 402-554-MAVS.
The clear bag policy remains in effect at Baxter Arena, and metal detectors are in place at all entrances. All concession stands are card only (no cash).
> Saturday, 6:07 p.m. CT at Baxter Arena (Omaha, NE)
Radio:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1290 AM and on The Varsity Network app. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off with the FNBO Pre-Game Show. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play, with color commentary provided by Terry Leahy.
We haven’t even started the season yet, and there are already three episodes of season 7 of the MavPuckCast! In the newest episode (S7, E3), Jon and Jason give their NCHC preseason rankings and predictions, talk about UNO’s #WearBlackGiveBack fundraising campaign, look at the team’s annual Open House & Scrimmage, discuss the UNO Blue Line Club’s Dinner with the Mavs event, offer their national championship predictions, and preview the upcoming exhibition with Wisconsin.
Next up: Omaha Hockey heads to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Ice Breaker Tournament. Omaha will face Massachusetts in the first game of the tournament on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. Central. The Mavs will take on either Minnesota or Air Force on Saturday, Oct. 12.
The duo discuss the Omaha Maverick Hockey program’s recent Open House and Scrimmage event at Baxter Arena. They talk about ways that you can support the hockey program with the upcoming “Wear Black Give Back” campaign (UNO Giving Day). They share their thoughts on the UNO Hockey Blue Line Club’s recent “Dinner With The Mavs.” They dive into their preseason rankings and predictions for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) — Omaha’s hockey conference home. They also pick the team they think will win the NCAA D-1 Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship.
The episode concludes with a discussion of what they are “looking for from the team” in Omaha Hockey’s upcoming exhibition against the Wisconsin Badgers at Baxter Arena on Oct. 5.
Special thanks this season to our Founding Members for their support of the podcast and MavPuck.com this season. Your support is greatly appreciated!!
Chapters:
00:00- Become a Member 04:27- Wear Black Give Back 07:03- Open House & Scrimmage 11:35- Dinner With The Mavs 15:03- Our NCHC Preseason Rankings 40:00- Who Will Win the National Championship? 44:25- Wisconsin Badgers Preview
Video version:
If you enjoyed this content, consider following us on Twitter/X: @mavpuck
Omaha hockey head coach Mike Gabinet announced the program's leadership group for the 2024-25 season. Graduate student defenseman Nolan Krenzen will don the “C” as the 25th captain in program history. Krenzen, the inaugural recipient of the Menke Family Captain’s Scholarship, will be joined by graduate student forward Harrison Israels (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada/Alaska Fairbanks), junior defenseman Griffin Ludtke (Elko, Minn./Sioux City) and graduate student forward Sam Stange (Eau Claire, Wis./Wisconsin) to round-out the Mavericks' leadership group.
“Nolan Krenzen and our entire leadership group have earned this honor and responsibility,” said head coach Mike Gabinet. “With their actions, encouraging words and play on the ice, I have no doubt this group will do a remarkable job and continue to set the standard of what it means to wear an Omaha sweater and represent our program. This group epitomizes our Maverick mindset, core values as a program and will play a huge role in achieving our goals for the season.”
Krenzen scored two goals in 40 games last season for Omaha. The blueliner notched eight assists for 10 points with 27 total shots. Krenzen has appeared in 125 games for Omaha over the past four seasons and has been named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference and a Distinguished Scholar three times in his career.
A newcomer to Omaha this season, Israels was the leading goalscorer for Alaska Fairbanks last season, lighting the lamp 20 times in 2023-24. Playing in 33 of the 34 Fairbanks contests, he was tied for second on the team in points with 27. The centerman closed out the season on a five-game point streak where he produced four goals and added one assist. Israels served as the Nanooks’ captain for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Ludtke returns to Omaha for his third season as a Maverick. He scored four goals for the Mavericks last season in 40 games played. The Elko, Minn. native recorded 23 helpers for 27 points with one game-winning score and one goal on the man-advantage.
A 2020 NHL fourth round draft pick, Sam Stange joins the Mavericks this season after totaling 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points at Wisconsin. Stange has three multi-point games under his belt including a two-goal performance against Penn State his freshman season. During his junior campaign, he logged points in four of five contests against Michigan, Minnesota and Lake Superior State.
The Mavericks had a complete turnover of team leadership after the 2023-24 season as Captain Nolan Sullivan and Assistant Captain Jack Randl completed their eligibility and Assistant Captain Matt Miller departed the team to pursue a professional hockey career.
If you enjoyed this content, please consider following us on Twitter/X: @mavpuck
