The Mavericks returned home to Baxter Arena after a statement sweep at Colorado College, but ran into a North Dakota team firing on all cylinders. The No. 8 Fighting Hawks capitalized on special teams, sweeping Omaha with 7-2 and 4-1 victories to even the Mavericks’ record at 2-2-0 in the NCHC.
Despite the results, Omaha showed flashes of strong play, including two power-play goals, a solid weekend from defenseman Marc Lajoie, and a spirited Saturday night effort that saw the Mavs outshoot UND by double digits.
Friday, Nov. 7, 2025
North Dakota 7, Omaha, 2
Friday’s opener started as a tight special-teams battle before North Dakota pulled away with a big second period and a decisive third-period power-play surge.
The Fighting Hawks opened the scoring just over five minutes in, cashing in quickly on an early Omaha penalty. The Mavericks answered late in the first when Jacob Guevin blasted home a 4-on-3 power-play goal from the point to tie the game 1-1. Luke Woodworth and Trevor Wong drew assists on the equalizer.
North Dakota capitalized in the second period, scoring three times — including goals from Mac Swanson, Ben Strinden, and Will Zellers — to build a 4-1 lead. Omaha grabbed some momentum back in the final seconds of the period when Marc Lajoie scored with 5.6 seconds remaining (assisted by Tyler Rollwagen and Samuel Huo) to make it 4-2 heading into the third.
Any hopes of a comeback evaporated in the final period as UND’s power play went back to work. The Hawks added three more goals in the third, two of them with the man advantage, to close out a 7-2 win.
Period scoring: Omaha 1-1-0 = 2; North Dakota 1-3-3 = 7
Standout performances:
- For Omaha: Lajoie (1G), Guevin (1G), Rollwagen (1A); strong first-period push (before penalties shifted momentum).
- For North Dakota: Dylan James, Ben Strinden, and Will Zellers each scored twice; UND went 4-for-8 on the power play.
Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025
North Dakota 4, Omaha 1
Omaha rebounded with a stronger showing on Saturday, outshooting North Dakota 35-24 and generating sustained offensive pressure, but the Mavericks couldn’t overcome an early deficit.
UND’s Anthony Menghini scored less than four minutes in, and the Fighting Hawks never trailed. The Mavs peppered goaltender Gibson Homer throughout the night, including a first-period flurry that featured 14 shots and a near-miss breakaway from Luke Woodworth.
Trailing 2-0 late in the second, Omaha’s power play clicked again. Marcus Nguyen and Sean Tschigerl combined to set up Marc Lajoie, whose blast from the circle found the back of the net for his third goal of the year — and second of the weekend.
Omaha continued to pressure in the third, but North Dakota added insurance with goals from Jack Kernan and an empty-netter from Dylan James in the final minutes.
Period scoring: Omaha 0-1-0 = 1; North Dakota 1-1-2 = 4
Key moment: Homer’s save on Woodworth in the first period preserved UND’s early lead and shifted momentum.
Standout performances:
- For Omaha: Lajoie (1G), Tschigerl (1A), Nguyen (1A), and consistent offensive zone pressure.
- For North Dakota: Gibson’s 34 saves; Reschny and Menghini each with key tallies.
Weekend Takeaways
Special Teams Swing: North Dakota’s power play (4-for-10) was the weekend difference-maker, while Omaha’s man-advantage (2-for-7) showed improvement but couldn’t keep pace.
Lajoie Leads: The defenseman scored in both games and has emerged as a steady offensive contributor from the blue line.
Better Than the Box Score: Saturday’s effort — including a +11 shot margin — reflected the team’s ability to respond after adversity.
Encouraging response. Outshooting a top-10 opponent 35–24 on Saturday showed Omaha’s competitiveness; converting chances and minimizing penalties will be key going forward.
Next Up: Omaha (4-4-0 overall, 2-2-0 NCHC) hits the road to face Minnesota Duluth at Amsoil Arena on Nov. 14-15.
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