Series Preview: Omaha at Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI), Jan. 30-31, 2026

By Bridget (Weide) Brooks

Omaha heads to Kalamazoo this weekend for one of the toughest matchups in the NCHC: a two-game road series against defending national champion and No. 3 Western Michigan at Lawson Arena.

The Mavericks enter the weekend at 9-17-0 overall and 5-11-0 in league play, coming off a split at home against Colorado College. Western Michigan, meanwhile, has been rolling — 18-6-0 overall, 10-4-0 in the NCHC, and winners of nine of its last 10 conference games 

Omaha’s weekend split with Colorado College didn’t move the standings, but it did provide the team with momentum, something that had been missing in recent weeks. Friday night, the Mavs stayed patient. They didn’t force offense early, stayed structured defensively, and eventually were rewarded for their patience with a 3-1 victory.

“I think just kind of sticking to our game and just trying to play the right way the whole time,” sophomore forward Trevor Wong said. “Not cheating for offense and just playing a 200-foot game, so luckily it got rewarded.”

Head coach Mike Gabinet echoed that sentiment, noting how close both games were — and how thin the line can be in this league between wins and losses.

“It’s one or two crucial plays that ultimately make the difference in the game,” Gabinet said. “The longer you can do that consistently, that’s what separates good teams from great teams.”

That theme will matter even more against a Western Michigan team that thrives in transition and excels in capitalizing on small mistakes.

Wong’s two-goal night on Friday didn’t surprise his teammates or his coaching staff. Gabinet said he’s been seeing it build for a while.

“He’s been one of our best players here as of late,” Gabinet said. “You can see it in practice before you see it in games — feeling the puck, not rushing plays, being quick but not hurrying.”

Wong leads Omaha with 14 points and has become one of the Mavericks’ most reliable offensive players. 

But when asked what the biggest challenge will be this weekend, his answer was blunt.

“We’ve got to score more goals,” Wong said. “We’re not going to win scoring one or two goals and just rely on our goalies.”

With Western Michigan averaging nearly four goals per game, the Mavericks will need to increase their offensive production, and also lock down their defense.

Omaha added some stability on defense last weekend with the debut of junior Ryan McCleary, who joined the program midseason. 

“Really solid,” he said. “Very efficient. Hard to play against. He moves pucks quickly, and having another right shot helps our transition.”

In goal, Simon Latkoczy is back. The senior made his 100th career appearance last weekend and was named NCHC Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season after stopping 57 shots against Colorado College 

Gabinet framed Latkoczy’s recent performances as a reminder of how confidence and belief factor into consistency.

“Sometimes you need somebody to believe in you,” he said. “That’s part of coaching — knowing when to push and when to reinforce belief.”

What makes Western Michigan dominant

The Broncos rank among the national leaders in scoring offense (3.88 goals per game), shots on goal, and faceoff percentage, winning nearly 54% of their draws this season 

That possession advantage fuels everything else they do.

Up front, Grant Slukynsky leads the team with 27 points, while William Whitelaw paces the Broncos with 15 goals. On special teams, Liam Valente has been lethal, accounting for seven power-play goals — nearly 40% of Western Michigan’s total power-play scoring 

They’re also coming off a road sweep at Minnesota Duluth, winning both games 4-3 (Saturday night in overtime).

This series also marks Omaha’s first visit to Lawson Arena this season — one of the most intimidating buildings in the conference, due in large part to the Lawson Lunatics. For several Mavericks, this will be their first game inside Lawson Arena. The student group is a “less nice” version of the Maverick Maniacs. They will work to make the atmosphere even more difficult for the visiting Mavericks.

Gabinet’s message to his team was simple: embrace it.

“Take it as a challenge,” he said. “Walk right into it head-on rather than worry about it too much. Try to keep it quiet in there.”

That approach mirrors the same mindset Omaha used in Friday’s win last weekend.

As Wong put it, this group is still finding its footing together.

“When you come to the rink and you’ve felt welcomed, it’s just a great feeling being part of something bigger than yourself,” he said.

That connection as a team will need to be sharp this weekend against one of the nation’s best.

When:
> Friday, 6 p.m. CT at Lawson Arena (Kalamazoo, MI)
> Saturday, 5 p.m. CT at Lawson Arena (Kalamazoo, MI)

Radio:
The game 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:
The game will be streamed on NCHC.tv ($) 

Live Stats:
Game stats will be available here. 

On this episode of the Mavpuckcast, Jon and Jason talk about the University of Nebraska - Omaha Maverick Hockey team’s recent series against Colorado College at Baxter Arena (includes their picks for “Player of the Week”). They present this week’s “Weekly Top 20.” They discuss the mystery behind the National Anthem shout outs at Omaha Hockey games. They wrap up the episode with their preview and predictions for Omaha’s upcoming hockey series versus the Western Michigan Broncos at Lawson Ice Arena.

Next Weekend:

After wrapping up the road series at Western Michigan, Omaha heads into a much-needed bye week before returning home to Baxter Arena for a marquee matchup against Denver. Omaha hosts the Pioneers on Thursday, Feb. 13 for Stripe the Arena, followed by Senior Night on Friday, Feb. 14. Both games will stream on NCHC.tv, with radio coverage on 1290 KOIL.