NCHC Playoffs: Back to Denver: March 11-13, 2016

It's deja vu all over again as UNO returns to Magness Arena for the NCHC playoffs. For the first time in its short history in the conference (the conference has only been around for three seasons too), the Mavs will be on the road for the playoffs.

And it's "do or die" for the Mavs. Lose this weekend and the season is likely over. Win, and the path to a possible NCAA regional spot remains viable. UNO is currently in 15th place in the Pairwise, and Jim Dahl's "College Hockey Ranked" article outlines why a pair of wins are probably necessary to keep the Mavs season going. Read that here:
http://collegehockeyranked.com/2016/03/10/these-teams-should-really-try-to-win-this-weekend/

This weekend's games are a best-of-three series. Win two, and the Mavs would head to the Frozen Face-off in Minnesota for the first time ever.

The Mavs dropped to #17 in the USCHO poll this week, and dropped out of the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll entirely:
http://www.omaha.com/uno/mavericks-drop-out-of-one-poll-fall-to-th-in/article_5b736a22-e4ba-11e5-a2d6-2391b1232f5f.html

Headed into the postseason, it's time for awards!

The 2015-16 #NCHCHockey All-Rookie Team: https://t.co/IgEq9R743b
Boeser, Gambrell, Roslovic
Borgen, Schuldt
Weninger pic.twitter.com/yNPLHYVgtV

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) March 8, 2016

Evan Weninger was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team:
http://www.nchchockey.com/news_article/show/622526?referrer_id=878553

Jake was named to the NCHC All-Conference Second team. This is the third year Guentzel has received NCHC honors:
http://www.omavs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31400&ATCLID=210787015

And Guentzel was the only Mav tapped for possible NCHC awards next week:
He's a finalist for NCHC Forward of the Year:
http://www.omavs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=31400&ATCLID=210792689

Here's the media roundup for this weekend's series

OMavs. com series preview article:
http://www.omavs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31400&ATCLID=210790700

Here's the series preview from the Omaha World-Herald:
http://www.omaha.com/uno/mavs-hope-to-take-control-of-their-destiny-in-nchc/article_d30e4ffa-8949-5a63-ba47-188113bf5d54.html

Here's the series preview article from the Denver Post:
http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_29623886/montgomery-led-pioneers-reload-rather-than-rebuild

OMavs.com story after Friday's loss:
http://www.omavs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=795013&SPID=135111&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=31400&ATCLID=210796138


Game Times:
Friday night's game is at 8:37 p.m. Central time.
Saturday night's game is at 8:07 p.m. Central time
Sunday night's game (if necessary), will be at 8:07 p.m. Central time
(Don't forget to change your clocks, though, with Daylight Saving Time!)

TV Coverage:
All games will be on NCHC.tv.

Radio Coverage:
All games will be broadcast on 1180 AM (1180 The Zone 2). Dave Ahlers will provide play-by-play on the radio broadcasts and Terry Leahy will provide color commentary. Coverage begins at 8:07 Central Friday and 7:37 p.m. Central Saturday (and Sunday, if necessary) with the First national Bank Pre-Game Show.