By Bridget Brooks
After getting swept by a surging Denver squad, Omaha is looking for some critical conference points in a weekend matchup with top-of-the-NCHC-ranked St. Cloud.
SCSU and North Dakota are currently tied for first place in the NCHC (each with 26 points), while Omaha currently sits in 7th place with 11 points.
St. Cloud is currently 11-7-4 on the season, but suffered a loss and a tie (shootout win) in a matchup with North Dakota last weekend. They are 7-2-3 in the conference. Omaha is 11-9-1 overall but 4-7-1 in the NCHC.
The Huskies and the Mavericks met in December at Baxter Arena. SCSU won Friday night's game 4-1, but Omaha forced the tie on Saturday night, winning the shootout and earning two conference points on the night (and in the series).
In the weekly press conference, UNO Hockey Coach Mike Gabinet said the team is moving on from the Denver series. "We are all competitive (and) you want to do well. It's tough to swallow," he noted. "It's also just a loss. Give them credit too — they're the number one offensive team for a reason."
Gabinet said the team will just keep moving forward. He praised the work of Coach Dave Noel-Bernier in scouting St. Cloud and preparing the team to play on the larger ice surface at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
“It's different. The game is different. There is more space out there. More possession entries and possession exits with the increased size of the rink," Gabinet said. He said the team was excited to get in a practice in St. Cloud on Thursday. “It definitely affects the game.”
Captain Nolan Sullivan said the team is ready to turn the page on the Denver series as well. "After last weekend, you're always looking forward to the weekend ahead …and getting back after it and working on what we do best,” he said. “The good thing about the conference is that it's a big weekend every weekend and there’s some huge points on the line here heading down the stretch.”
The mental resilience of the team is one of its strengths. “There will be highs and lows. The more you can learn — but learn quickly — and not dwell on it.” He sees his role as a leader as "being a confident voice, a peaceful voice."
Sullivan sees the bigger ice surface as an opportunity. "(It gives you) a little more time and space — more room to make plays.”
Reflecting on his career, Sullivan says, "At each stage of your career, you get a chance to look back." He says he wants to continue to play hockey and sees his pro prospects being focused on his niche of “faceoff, penalty kill, (and) power play."
Omaha and St. Cloud will meet for the 49th and 50th games all-time this weekend. The Huskies lead the series 29-16-3 overall, and are 17-6-1 in games in St. Cloud.
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