The "road warriors" return to Baxter Arena this weekend after what seems like an eternity without a home hockey series. Jon and I were fortunate enough to catch the last Maverick series, a road trip to St. Cloud where we saw Coach Dean Blais pick up his 400th career win during the Friday night game (3-1), but the Mavs dropped their first road game of the year, losing 4-2 on Saturday, Dec. 10. The Mavs have struggled at Baxter Arena over much of the the past year (dating back to January 2016). UNO is 2-5-1 at home this season, and the Mavs have gone 5-3-2 in their last 10 games. In an Omaha World-Herald article today, both Coach Blais and UNO Captain Justin Parizek talked about the importance of a second-half run, and how last year's second-half meltdown is still haunting them. The Mavs last faced the Lakers in 2010. Lake Superior State is 8-9-1 overall (the Mavs are 9-6-3), but the Mavs lead the all-time series with the Lakers 14-9-5. Let's hope the wins continue. Media Roundup Leading to the Series: OMavs series preview: http://www.omavs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31400&ATCLID=211382489 Lake State series preview: http://www.lssulakers.com/sports/m-hockey/2016-17/releases/20161229h6pes9 Tony Boone's Omaha World-Herald series preview: http://www.omaha.com/uno/hockey/while-painful-for-mavs-reminder-of-last-season-s-second/article_20f1f737-b919-5a0b-b1f2-67ae0d5d54f0.html OMavs Weekly News Release: http://www.omavs.com/pdf9/5161509.pdf Tickets: There are plenty of tickets available online for this weekend's series. UNO is offering a "BOHO" ticket offer for this series -- buy one, get one half off:
Radio/TV Coverage: Friday and Saturday night's games will be available by subscription ($) on NCHC.tv. Radio coverage begins with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy will give color commentary and analysis, and Lester St. James will report from ice level. Live Audio and Stats: Live audio link here. Live stats (Friday) here. Live stats (Saturday) here. Next Weekend: NCHC conference play heats up -- in a big way -- as North Dakota visits Baxter Arena on Jan. 6-7 with a pair of conference games at 7:07 p.m. each night. Baxter Arena and UNO have also announced the 2017 "Skate With the Mavs" event: https://www.facebook.com/events/931169010352240/ (Blog post on that later.)
I read somewhere this week on Twitter that the Big 10 has the best out-of-conference record of any conference in NCAA Division 1 hockey. We'll see how the NCHC compares to the Big 10 as UNO Hockey faces off with Wisconsin this weekend.
Coming off a tie and a win last weekend at Northern Michigan, the Mavericks are unbeaten on the road or at neutral sites this season (5-0-1). The Badgers are 7-5-0 this season, and are .500 at home (3-3-0). They won (2-1) at Colorado College and lost to Denver 6-5 at Denver.
Omaha World-Herald reporter Tony Boone reports that Freddy Olofsson will still be out for this series, and David Pope and Ian Brady will be joining him out of the lineup.
When:
Friday, 7:37 p.m. Central
Saturday, 8:07 p.m. Central
Radio/TV Coverage:
Both games will be broadcast live on 1180 AM (The Zone 2). Dave Ahlers will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy will give color commentary. Coverage begins at 7:07 p.m. on Friday night and 7:37 p.m. Saturday night with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show.
Friday night's game is available on ASN (check local listings here), on TSN2 in Canada and online at BTN2Go (must have a cable login to view).
Note: Because this is a non-conference road series, it is not available on NCHC.tv.
Live Audio and Stats:
Live audio link here.
Live stats (Friday) here.
Live stats (Saturday) here.
Next Weekend:
The Mavs complete their three weekend road series as they return to conference play, taking on St. Cloud State on Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:37 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:07 p.m. at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The Mavericks take on an old foe from the CCHA conference this weekend as they face off in a non-conference series with Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. NMU (3-10-1) is struggling at home, while the Mavs (6-5-1) have been "road warriors" so far this season, so expect good things from the Mavs in this series. However, the Wildcats play on the larger Olympic ice surface, so that could throw a bit of a wrench into UNO's play. On the positive side, Captain Justin Parizek is expected in the lineup after being held out for a concussion he suffered several weeks ago. The Mavs are 17-17-2 all time with the Wildcats, but NMU holds a decisive 12-5-2 advantage in games at the Berry Events Center in the upper peninsula. Series preview articles: Omaha World-Herald series preview article: http://www.omaha.com/uno/hockey/after-two-close-defeats-to-country-s-top-team-mavs/article_56318535-8afe-5b66-bb43-d2ed951f5a61.html Marquette Mining Journal series preview article: http://www.miningjournal.net/sports/nmu-sports/2016/11/omaha-omaha-omaha/ OMavs.com article: http://www.omavs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31400&ATCLID=211318793 NMU Wildcats article: http://nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2016-17/releases/20161123flr8i2 When: Friday, 6:07 p.m. Central Saturday: 6:07 p.m. Central Radio/TV Coverage: Both games will be broadcast live on 1180 AM (The Zone 2). Dave Ahlers will provide play-by-play and Terry Leahy will give color commentary. Coverage begins at 5:37 p.m. each night with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show. Video is available via WCHA.tv ($). A day pass is $8.99 for just the WMU game, or $9.99 for all the WCHA games for a single day: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wcha/ Live Audio and Stats: Live audio link here. Live stats (Friday) here. Live stats (Saturday) here. Next Weekend: The NMU series kicks off three weekends of away games for the Mavs before the Christmas break. Next weekend, the Mavs travel to the Kohl Center Madison, Wisc., to take on a former WCHA foe (now in the Big 10) on Dec. 2-3. Friday's game begins at 7:30 p.m. Central, and Saturday's game will start at 8 p.m.
The injury and illness bug is plaguing the Mavs this week after sweeping the Miami RedHawks last weekend on the road (the first time the RedHawks have been swept at home in three seasons). Forward Jake Randolph became ill during the third period of last Saturday night's game, and the bug swept through the team. Four players were held out of practice this week due to illness. Freddy Olofsson also suffered a lower body injury that is expected to keep him off the ice for 3-4 weeks. On a positive note, captain Justin Parizek has been cleared by doctors to resume practicing, although he won't be available for this weekend's series. The Mavs are 6-3-1 this season (3-1-0-0 in conference play), tied for third place with Western Michigan in the NCHC.
Radio/TV Coverage: Friday and Saturday night's games will be available by subscription ($) on NCHC.tv. In addition, Friday night's game can be viewed live statewide on NET and nationally on Fox College Sports Pacific (DirecTV channel 608-1 and Dish Network channel 453). Dave Ahlers will provide play-by-play and #oldbull David Brisson will offer color analysis. Larry Puteney will report from ice level. Here is a link to Friday night's free livestream (NET Nebraska): http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/sports/omaha-maverick-hockey-minnesota-duluth-hockey-vs-uno
Radio coverage begins with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m. both nights. Gary Sharp will have the play-by-play on Friday (Dave Ahlers will call the action Saturday night). Terry Leahy will give color commentary and analysis, and Lester St. James will report from ice level.
Live Audio and Stats: Live audio link here. Live stats (Friday) here. Live stats (Saturday) here.
Next Weekend: The road warriors head back out on the road for three straight weeks. They play at Northern Michigan on Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26.
The annual Sheila Leahy Toys for Tots drive will take place this Saturday, Nov. 19 during the home hockey series versus Minnesota Duluth.The Blue Line Club and the U.S. Marines will join forces to make Christmas special for area boys and girls.
"This is the 20th season of UNO Hockey, and our fans have helped out with donated unwrapped toys and dollars every year," says Rich Buckingham of the UNO Blue Line Club.
The annual Toys for Tots collection has occurred before a Maverick hockey game every year since 1997. In 2015, the collection was named for Sheila Leahy, the late wife of Maverick Hockey broadcaster Terry Leahy. Sheila died in May 2015. She had been the driving force behind the annual toy-and-cash collection since its inception.
Please bring your new, unwrapped toys -- and/or open your wallet and give a cash donation -- to help support the U.S. Marines' collection to benefit Omaha-area families. Collection points will be found at all three Baxter Arena entrances.
UNO travels to Oxford, OH, to take on the Miami University RedHawks in a two game series at Steve Cady Arena in the Goggin Ice Center. The RedHawks are looking for their first win in NCHC play after having been swept last weekend by Western Michigan. The Mavericks are looking to build on last weekends split with Colorado College at Baxter Arena. Series Preview Articles:
When: Friday: 6:35 p.m. Central, Friday Saturday: 6:05 p.m. Central, Saturday Radio/TV Coverage: Friday and Saturday night's games will be available by subscription ($) on NCHC.tv. Radio coverage begins with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m. both nights. Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy will give color commentary and analysis. Live Audio and Stats: Live audio link here. Live stats (Friday) here. Live stats (Saturday) here. Next Weekend: The Mavericks return to Omaha for a series with Minnesota-Duluth. on Friday, Nov. 18 at 7:07 p.m. Central and Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:07 p.m. Central.
What a couple of weeks it has been for Maverick Hockey! The Mavs played what many consider to be their best pair of games in quite some time, and came away with a decisive 5-1 win against then-number 5 UMass Lowell on Friday night, and stayed with the River Hawks through two-and-a-half periods on Saturday, giving up the go-ahead goal with only about five minutes left in regulation. UML then added an empty-net insurance goal to seal the score at 4-2.
This weekend, the Mavs open the NCHC conference play at home against Colorado College. The Tigers have struggled during their time in the NCHC, often finishing at the bottom of the conference standings. Despite this, the Tigers have often had UNO's number -- UNO is 10-6-3 all-time against CC, with most of those victories coming in games in Omaha. The Mavs are 3-2-1 coming into the weekend, and the Tigers are 2-4-0, including a win over New Hampshire two weeks ago. (CC had a bye week last weekend.)
So while it would be easy to predict a UNO sweep this weekend, there are a couple of factors that will likely come into play. One is the absence of Captain Justin Parizek this weekend. He suffered a pre-season concussion and is being held out due to health precautions both Friday and Saturday. Parizek has two goals and two assists in six games played so far in the 2016-17 season, so it will be interesting to see how this impact the Mavs, especially on special teams.
Finally, the other factor impacting the Mavs is something I brought up in last week's series preview -- previous Maverick teams have overlooked lower-ranked so-called "easy" foes, playing down to their competition. In Tony Boone's Omaha World-Herald article this week, the Mavs acknowledged this, and Coach Blais said they know "every point counts" in the toughest conference in college hockey.
Speaking of points, senior Austin Ortega needs just one point become the 15th player in UNO Hockey history to amass 100 career points. He's also chasing the NCAA record for most game-winning goals. He currently has 8 game winners. Ortega needs just two more to set the NCAA record.
The atmosphere should be electric on Friday night, as it's Homecoming for UNO students. UNO graduates are encouraged to stop by the UNO Alumni booth at the game and pick up a free pair of socks too.
And there are tickets for sale within the MavPuck Group on Facebook (must be approved for group membership to see the posts): https://www.facebook.com/groups/mavpuck/
Radio/TV Coverage:
Friday and Saturday night's games will be available by subscription ($) on NCHC.tv.
Radio coverage begins with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m. both nights. Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy will give color commentary and analysis, and Lester St. James will report from ice level.
Live Audio and Stats:
Live audio link here.
Live stats (Friday) here.
Live stats (Saturday) here.
Next Weekend:
The Mavericks take their games on the road after being at home at Baxter Arena for three weeks. They will travel to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami on Friday, Nov. 11 at 6:35 p.m. Central and Saturday, Nov. 12 at 6:05 p.m. Central.
Well, last weekend didn't really go how we thought it might. Mavs were ranked in the Top 20 in one of the major polls, but surrendered two goal leads both nights to end up with a tie (the goal by Jake Randolph in the second overtime period didn't count officially as a win) and a 5-2 loss.
I chalk it up to overconfidence. We saw this last season a bit too (and in previous seasons). The team just doesn't play as well when they think they're better than the opposition. So this weekend's contest should be better -- but UMass Lowell is going to be tough. Ranked fifth in the nation, the River Hawks are 3-1-2, coming off a split last weekend. However, the Mavericks have traditionally played better when they're up against tough competition. The Mavs and the River Hawks have only faced each other twice previously -- both were single games within tournaments. The Mavs won both match-ups. It will be interesting to see back-to-back games between the two teams.
Working against the Mavs is that fact that they haven't officially won a game at Baxter Arena since Feb. 13. Once almost unbeatable on home ice, the Mavs have struggled as of late at home, so a win (or a couple of wins) this weekend is a must before beginning conference play next week.
Penalties have also been a significant issue through the first four games, and Tony Boone's Omaha World-Herald article (linked below) describes how the Mavericks are working to change their style of play to avoid making as many trips to the box.
There are a couple of activities going on this weekend. It's the first weekend of homecoming week, so expect more students than usual (although the actual HOMECOMING game will be next Friday, Nov. 4). Students are being encouraged to wear costumes to Friday night's game. It's also supposed to be a "Pink Out," although that hasn't been well publicized.
And there are tickets available for sale within the MavPuck Group on Facebook (must be approved for group membership to see the posts): https://www.facebook.com/groups/mavpuck/
We're also giving away three tickets to the Saturday night game on our MavPuck Facebook page. Comment to win; a winner will be selected at 6:45 p.m. tonight: https://www.facebook.com/MavpuckPage
Radio/TV Coverage:
Friday and Saturday night's games will be available by subscription ($) on NCHC.tv.
Radio coverage begins with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m. both nights. Dave Ahlers will have the play-by-play, Terry Leahy will give color commentary and analysis, and Lester St. James will report from ice level.
Live Audio and Stats:
Live audio link here.
Live stats (Friday) here.
Live stats (Saturday) here.
Next Weekend:
The Mavs wraup up their three-weekend home stand -- and start NCHC conference play -- with a series against Colorado College at Baxter Arena on Nov. 4-5. Both games will begin at 7:07 p.m. Central.
Well, that was a less-than-awesome start to the three weekend home series at Baxter Arena. Friday's game officially went down in the books as a tie, and Saturday, the Mavs lost 5-2.
Fans got to see a little "free" hockey on Friday. Following the 5-on-5 overtime, the game was officially classified as a tie. However, the Mavs and Catamounts played a brief sudden death 3-on-3 that ended when Jake Randolph buried the puck. This gave the Mavs a symbolic "win" and culminated in the first post-game lobby celebration of the year:
Saturday night, the Mavs had a stellar first period, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. However, they surrendered the next five goals to the Catamounts, losing 5-2. Chalk it up to the Parent's Night curse (players and their parents were recognized during the first intermission).
The Mavs dropped out of the weekly USCHO poll following the tie and loss. They were number 20 last week. This week, they're "receiving votes."
Coming off the win of the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tournament last weekend (the first team from the lower 48 states to win the coveted "golden bowl"), the Mavs are ranked in the USCHO.com poll (#20) and "receiving votes" in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Hockey poll.
They take on the Vermont Catamounts of Hockey East, who are making their first trip to Omaha. (UNO also played Vermont for the first time last year, sweeping them in Burlington.) Vermont comes into the series 1-1-0 after a split with Clarkson last weekend to open the year. The Mavs are 2-0-0. (The exhibition loss to the University of Alberta does not factor into their record.)
The Catamounts are without four of their captains (two captains and two assistant captains), who are serving suspensions related to their involvement in a player hazing in September. They were suspended for five games, which began with last Friday's game -- and continues through this weekend's series. The players could practice with the team but could not travel for this weekend's series. You can't help but feel optimistic that the loss of these players will be beneficial for the Mavs, but scoring remains a big question mark, despite last weekend's wins. If Jake Randolph can continue feeding his linemates this weekend, though, it bodes well for the Mavs.
Blue Line Club Member Update:
Blue Line Club members will have access to the arena before it officially opens. The area located near the Blue Line Bar will be open from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. just for BLC members. To gain entrance to the arena before 6 p.m., show your BLC membership card at the MAIN ENTRANCE (by the Baxter Arena Team Shop). After 6 p.m., the arena is open to all. Free popcorn for BLC members will be available at the counter, however, popcorn must be consumed within the BLC area.
BLC members will be on hand to address questions about the One Fund and joining the Blue Line Club. When you submit your application to the One Fund, you must mark "HOCKEY" as one of the recipients of your donation. If you do not select hockey, you will not be considered a BLC member.
Radio/TV Coverage:
Friday night's game will be televised live on American Sports Network, which is available on Channel 42.2 (over the air), Cox Channel 6 (UPDATED INFO!), Centurylink Channel 43 and DirecTV channel 628. Joel Goldberg will have the play-by-play action and Pat Micheletti will provide color commentary. Both games will also be available by subscription ($) on NCHC.tv.
Radio coverage will begin with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m. both nights. Dave Ahlers will provide play-by-play, Terry Leahy will give color commentary and analysis, and Lester St. James will report from ice level.
Live Audio and Stats:
Live audio link here.
Live stats (Friday) here.
Live stats (Saturday) here.
Next Weekend:
The Vermont series begins a three weekend homestand for the Mavericks at Baxter Arena. The Mavs welcome UMass Lowell (also of Hockey East) next weekend, Oct. 28-29. Both games will begin at 7:07 p.m. Central.
In a week filled with highs and lows, the Mavs start the "real" 2016-17 season with the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tournament tonight, taking on Alaska Anchorage tonight at 7:07 p.m. Central time. The Mavericks will play Alaska on Saturday at 10:07 p.m. Central.
Before that article, Tony Boone actually had a really nice interview with Blais in which (as I put it), Blais "called his shot" and said the Mavs are going to win the Goal Rush. We'll see.
Alaska Anchorage is 0-2-0 on the season, getting swept at home by Minnesota last Friday night, and Alaska on Saturday night. Alaska, meanwhile, is 1-1-0, having beaten Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, but losing to Minnesota on Sunday.
One interesting note: The Mavericks left for Alaska on Wednesday, one day earlier than normal, after having encountered significant travel difficulties in their last trip up North. We'll see if getting acclimated to the time change makes a difference for the Mavs this time around.
Here's a roundup of articles leading up to the tournament:
(The monthly pass is $19.99, so you may be tempted to buy that instead of two one-day passes, but if it works like it used to, you will be auto-renewed for November if you don't cancel after this weekend's series, so I don't recommend that.)
Dudley's Pizza and Tavern in Aksarben Village will also be showing this weekend's games.
Radio Coverage:
The games will be broadcast on 1180 AM (1180 The Zone 2). Dave Ahlers will provide radio play-by-play and Terry Leahy will provide color commentary and analysis. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show, and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
Live Audio & Stats
Live Audio Link here.
Live Stats here.
Next Series:
After the trip to Alaska, the Mavs will return to Baxter Arena for the first home seires of the year, facing Vermont (Hockey East) on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22. Both games will begin at 7:07 p.m.
The good news is, the last time the Mavs lost an exhibition game, they ended up going to the Frozen Four.
The bad news is, the two times they lost an exhibition game before that, they didn't.
What kind of season will this be?
The game started well for the Mavericks, with goals from Fredrik Olofsson and Mason Morelli sparking the Mavs to a 2-0 lead in the first period. Evan Weninger took the first shift in goal (as is tradition, each of the goalies played a period in goal), but he allowed two goals. The score was tied 2-2 after one.
The score remained 2-2 after two periods. Alex Blankenburg had a good second period in goal, stopping eight shots, including a couple of solid Alberta attempts.
New goalie Kris Oldham was solid in net until late in the third period, when Austin Ortega lost the puck and Alberta turned it into a goal.
Next up:
UNO heads up to Alaska next weekend for the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tournament. The Mavs take on Alaska Anchorage in the Friday game, which will begin at 7 p.m. Omaha time. We'll have a blog post for you later this week with all the game info.
TV Coverage:Saturday night's game will be on NCHC.tv.
Radio Coverage:The games will be broadcast on 1180 AM (1180 The Zone 2). Dave Ahlers will provide radio play-by-play and Terry Leahy will provide color commentary and analysis. Lester St. James will report from the ice level. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with the First National Bank Pre-Game Show.
Live Audio & Stats:
Live Audio Link here.
Live Stats here.
Next Weekend:The Mavericks head north for the Brice Alaska Goal Rush hosted by Alaska on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15. They will play Alaska Anchorage on Friday at 4:07 p.m. Alaska time and then take on the host Nanooks on Saturday at 7:07 p.m. Alaska time from the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.
As of Friday, Sept. 30, the UNO Bookstore has taken over management of the Baxter Arena team store ("The Mav Locker Room") said Eric Hager, manager of the UNO Bookstore. The arena team store was run by the UNO Athletic Department in its first year of operation.
One of the biggest advantages for fans is that the apparel that the team (players and coaches) wear will now be available for purchase by the public.
The Team Store will open two hours before game time, and remain open after the end of the game. (“We’ll close when we get kicked out,’ Hager joked.) A common complaint from fans last season was that the store was often closed.
Other improvements:
There will be a phone number for the team store. (Believe it or not, it didn’t have a separate phone number previously.)
Hager expects that gift cards for the team store will be available for purchase before Christmas. (A great gift for the Mav Hockey fan in your life!)
Hager says fans can expect to hear more about the team store during games, especially hockey games. They are planning a “pop up” store in the concourse, and will be doing in-game promotions, including possibly using the MavX app.
The UNO Bookstore is located on the main campus in the Milo Bail Student Center.
While I was at the UNO Bookstore, I checked out some of the new merchandise. Here's a quick roundup of some key items:
Omaha Mavericks License Plate Holder – $16.99
UNO Hockey License Plate Holder – $16.99
Alumni license plate holder: $24.99
Keepsake Ticket Display Holder – $15.00
Wooden Sign – $30.00
Youth Under Armour All Season Tech Sweatshirts (Youth Small to Youth XL/Adult Small) – $49.99
The UNO Bookstore hours are Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The bookstore is closed Saturdays and Sundays. You can also shop the bookstore online here: http://www.unobookstore.com
While most people who read this blog are going to be AT the UNO Hockey games (at least the home ones!), I like to do a roundup post each season that has the TV schedule so you can either catch games that you can't make it to, or re-watch awesome match-ups.
I'll be updating this post as the season goes on as additional games on TV are announced. As of this update (Sept. 29, 2016), the Mavs will be featured in 10 televised games (not including NCHC.tv).
NCHC.tv
We LOVE our NCHC.tv subscription. We have the full conference subscription, so it allows us to watch most of the UNO Hockey away games as well as matchups between other conference foes.
According to the NCHC news release, this year's conference annual pass will have access to more than 130 games throughout the season, including almost all conference and home non-conference games. It will also include all exhibition games and the NCHC Tournament quarterfinal games.
The cost for a conference annual pass for this season is $104.95 -- making the cost less than $1 a game. (There was an earlybird special in August that was even less -- watch for that next year.) Or you can get a conference monthly pass for $24.95/month.
You can also get a school-specific annual pass (for example, JUST UNO Hockey games) for $89.95, or a school-specific monthly pass for $18.95 per month.
If you have questions about NCHC.tv, contact NeuLion at nchctv@neulion.com.
Please note: If you purchase a school-specific annual pass or monthly pass, these subscriptions automatically renew each year unless cancelled.
All games shown on NCHC.tv during the upcoming season will be in high definition (HD).
New this year: Viewers with subscriptions will be able to watch NCHC.tv on both Apple TV and Roku devices. (Last year, we mirrored our NCHC.tv feed to our TV using our iPad and Apple TV, but this year, you can watch it natively on the tv). Or, you can stream games from NCHC.tv on any desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device with an Internet connection.
Catch a preview of NCHC.tv here:
You can watch The NCHC State of the Conference address on Thursday, Sept. 22 here:
http://www.nchc.tv/nchc/schedule
CBS Sports Network
One thing I don't like about games shown on CBS Sports Network is that these games are then not available on NCHC.tv.
We asked the NCHC about this, and this was the answer:
The short answer:
"The CBSSN contract was created and signed before NCHC.tv existed and CBSSN wanted the digital rights, so they have them."
Here's the UNO Hockey games that will be on CBS Sports Network:
Friday, Jan. 27 – UNO at Denver, 8:30 p.m. Central
Friday, March 3 – Denver at UNO, 7:30 p.m. Central
NET Nebraska/Fox College Sports
Four of UNO's home games will be televised on NET Nebraska, with funding coming from the UNO Office of Academic and Student Affairs.
The games will include:
Friday, Nov. 18 – Minnesota-Duluth at UNO, 7 p.m. (Fox College Sports)
Friday, Jan. 6 – North Dakota at UNO, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21 – Miami at UNO, 7:30 p.m. (Fox College Sports)
Friday, Feb. 10 – Western Michigan at UNO, 7 p.m.
American Sports Network
This channel, available over the air in Omaha, will feature four UNO games:
Friday, Oct. 21 – Vermont at UNO, 7:07 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 2 – UNO at Wisconsin, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 7 – North Dakota at UNO, 7:07 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 13 – UNO at Colorado College, 8:37 p.m.
In the wake of the firings of UNO assistant coaches Troy Jutting and Alex Todd on March 31, the Mavericks have wrangled up a couple of assistants to try to reverse the fortunes of a program that started off the 2015-16 season 14-3-1, then finished with a 4-14 record.
UNO has hired Mike Gabinet and Leigh Mendelson as assistants for the 2016-17 season.
Many were surprised when Blais decided to clean house after the season, but the move shouldn't surprise anyone. Not only are expectations higher after the team's first-ever Frozen Four appearance in 2015, there are mounting bills coming due on the university's shiny new Baxter Arena.
Since most of the local media coverage of the hirings has been "press release" material, I thought I'd take a closer look at both coaches, and analyze the challenges and opportunities facing the entire staff moving forward.
Gabinet Returns After Coaching a Canadian College Team to a 36-0 Record
Mike Gabinet is not the first former UNO Hockey player to join the coaching staff as a full-time assistant (that honor goes to Nick Fohr).
Gabinet is, however, the first former UNO player to join the staff with head coaching experience -- one season with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).
Prior to the 2015-16 campaign, he was an assistant for three seasons with the Ooks (joining them after a nine-year professional career playing in North America, Sweden and Finland).
We profiled Gabinet in a March blog post focusing on hypothetical assistant coach candidates.
The Ooks finished their season with a perfect 36-0 record in the ACAC. Regardless of the circumstances or level of play, an unblemished record is worth lauding.
Canadian college hockey is different than NCAA hockey (or NCAA athletics in general). Athletes who have played professionally are allowed to come back to school and play in the league NAIT competes in.
In the case of the Ooks, their leading scorer the past two seasons was a forward named John Dunbar (not to be confused with the character Kevin Costner played in the movie Dances With Wolves).
Prior to joining the Ooks, Dunbar played three seasons professionally in the ECHL -- two with the Fort Wayne Komets and one with the Pensacola Ice Flyers. He also had a two-season stint with Quinnipiac University (2010-12).
The Edmonton Sun had an article praising Gabinet and other ACAC coaches in Cananda, talking about how the conference is a good proving ground for NHL coaches and that "the quality of ACAC competition remains almost unknown to the general public."
Another tidbit mentioned in the Edmonton Sun article is the fact that there is no "national championship of colleges" in Canada.
All schools in the ACAC compete under the same rules, but it illustrates the different dynamic at play north of the border. As such, we will have to see how Gabinet's experience translates to NCAA D-I hockey.
As a follower and supporter of the UNO program since its inception, I can say that Gabinet was top-notch defenseman with size and reach during his years as a Maverick. Not only that, his affable, polite and laid back manner with the fans during those years should go a long way with players and prospects in his new gig.
Gabinet, along with former NAIT Head Coach Serge Lajoie, put together a successful pool of talent for the Ooks.
Lajoie and Gabinet wanted to make a statement against UNO in the fall of 2014. According to the Edmonton Sun, they "hoped to make the North American hockey world come to realize that the hockey in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference is played at an extremely high level."
It worked. NAIT went on to defeat UNO 4-0 in their exhibition game on Oct. 6, 2014.
It's worth noting that UNO gave Gabinet a three-year contract at $120,000 per year. Multi-year contracts of this length are something of a rarity for assistant coaches at UNO.
Considering his past relationship with Associate Athletic Director Mike Kemp, it seems likely that UNO views Gabinet as a possible successor to Dean Blais (when the storied head coach decides to hang up his whistle someday).
Whether that happens remains to be seen, but that appears to be the direction Sapp Fieldhouse is heading at the moment.
Mendelson Brings a Long List of Coaching Experiences to the Bench
That wasn't meant to be a slight, but in the past, "volunteer assistants" with UNO have been on different career trajectories, many with families, and are aiding the team as an outlet to stay involved with the game they know and love. That's not the case with Mendelson.
Mendelson is owner and instructor with Goalietown Omaha -- working with youth goaltenders in the Omaha area.
(He also earned an undergraduate degree from UNO in 2015).
Mendelson has served as Volunteer Goaltending Coach for UNO the past two seasons. The results between the pipes have been impressive during that time -- in particular, Ryan Massa's performance during the 2014-15 season.
The list of coaching stops for Mendelson has been extensive the past 20 years, featuring brief stints with a variety of junior and professional teams in North America and Europe. He mentions on his Goalietown Omaha Facebook page that he has trained more than 40 NCAA Division I and professional goaltenders during his career.
He has served in both assistant and head coaching capacities. Local hockey fans might remember the 2000-01 Omaha Lancers (USHL) team that won the Clark Cup -- Mendelson was an assistant under Mike Hastings.
During a coaching stint in Finland, Mendelson studied at the Vierumaki Sports Institute with the likes of Erkka Westerlund, who led the Finnish national men's ice hockey team to a silver medal in the 2006 Olympics.
Mendelson has had a relatively "nomadic" coaching career, moving from team to team and not staying anywhere for long.
This chart from hockeydb.com shows the varied coaching experience Mendelson has had with 15 different teams over 20 years:
I've been told that the UNO Hockey players have a great deal of respect for Mendelson. That is an important attribute to have as an assistant -- especially during a period of transition.
Talent acquistion and scouting are two areas junior teams in the USHL and NAHL deal with on an annual basis. Mendelson's experiences suggest he has knowledge in that area.
Challenges and Opportunities: Where Does UNO Go From Here...?
The reality is that neither new assistant has experience recruiting players for a NCAA Division I hockey program. That alone makes the hires somewhat surprising for a program that is a season removed from a Frozen Four appearance.
To be sure, there will be a learning curve for both coaches. If anything, the NCAA game has changed during the past 10 to 15 years.
The recent addition of "full cost of attendance scholarships" (which UNO has said it isn't ready to offer) creates a new dynamic when recruiting student-athletes, and also creates challenges for schools like UNO.
The key will be for the coaching staff to continue making inroads with the youth and prep ranks -- as it is becoming more common for teams to garner verbal commitments from 15-year-old players. That trend creates uncertainty on the "risk/reward" spectrum, and coaching staffs have to have a discerning eye for talent.
UNO has had some impressive players during Dean Blais's tenure, and the program needs to continue landing recruits like Ryan Walters, Jake Guentzel, Josh Archibald and Andrej Sustr if it is going to progress into a perennial NCAA tournament participant.
The coaching staff also needs to find a way to harness the power of "lunch pail" players (along the lines of #oldbulls Jeff Hoggan and Mike Lefley, among others), and form a grittier squad better able to compete with the rigors of NCHC play.
You wonder if the team will shift from the top prep players in Minnesota and the USHL ranks and look for more "golden nuggets" in the Canadian junior ranks (as they did in the program's early years with players like Jeff Hoggan, David Brisson and Greg Zanon).
The second half of UNO's 2015-16 season featured lackluster performances. In particular, the power play looked anemic. But all aspects of play were suspect.
Over the years, Blais has tended toward a more freewheeling style of play, with an aggressive forecheck. When you have skilled players with speed, you can have success using that philosophy. Be that as it may, there were moments last season when the team looked slower and less athletic than their NCHC counterparts -- and it cost them in conference play.
With one assistant having worked extensively with defensemen and defensive systems, and another having spent his career working with goaltenders, it could mean the team will look to build from the "net out" in a more conservative, tough manner with rigid systems and formations.
Then again, it might not mean that at all.
One thing is for sure, the microscope will be on the team the next two seasons, and these two new hires will have a great deal of influence on the direction of the program.
