By Bridget (Weide) Brooks
Omaha came to Tempe needing points in the standings and left with three, splitting the weekend with Arizona State in a series that featured momentum swings, special teams success, and one explosive third period that got away from the Mavericks.
Omaha claimed Friday’s opener 4-2 behind two goals from Marcus Nguyen, but Arizona State responded Saturday night with a 6-3 win to earn the split and reclaim eighth place in the NCHC standings. With one weekend remaining, Omaha sits at 21 points — still within reach of making the NCHC playoffs, but with no margin for error.
Friday, Feb. 20, 2026
Omaha 4, Arizona State 2
Arizona State struck first Friday night, but Omaha responded immediately and never trailed again.
Cruz Lucius gave the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead just over four minutes into the game, but Marcus Nguyen answered less than a minute later, redirecting Griffin Ludtke’s shot to tie the game at 1-1.
That quick response set the tone.
Omaha grabbed the lead midway through the period on the power play when Brett Hyland capitalized on a rebound in front, and the Mavericks carried that 2-1 advantage through a tightly contested second period.
The turning point came early in the third.
With Omaha on the power play just 2:01 into the period, Ludtke found Jérémy Loranger in the slot for a one-timer that extended the lead to 3-1. The Mavericks added an insurance goal midway through the period when Nguyen scored his second of the night off a feed from Trevor Wong, giving Omaha a three-goal cushion.
Arizona State added a late goal with just over two minutes remaining, but the outcome was never seriously in doubt.
Nguyen led Omaha with two goals, while Ludtke and Wong each recorded two assists. Loranger and Hyland also scored, and Simon Latkoczy made 31 saves to secure the win.
Special teams played a major role. Omaha went 2-for-4 on the power play and killed all four Arizona State opportunities — a decisive advantage in a game where both teams generated consistent offensive pressure.
It was exactly the kind of game Omaha needed with the standings tightening late in the season.
Saturday, Feb. 21
Arizona State 6, Omaha 3
Saturday night was a very different game.
Arizona State built an early lead and capitalized on key moments, including a five-minute major penalty late in the first period that helped the Sun Devils take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
Omaha battled back behind Tyler Rollwagen.
Rollwagen scored twice in the second period, both on the power play, cutting Arizona State’s lead to 3-2. His first came on a 5-on-3 opportunity, and his second came off a rebound in front to keep Omaha within striking distance.
The Mavericks completed the comeback early in the third when Jérémy Loranger tied the game 3-3, finishing a play from Sean Tschigerl and Brett Hyland.
For a brief moment, Omaha had all the momentum.
It lasted 68 seconds.
Arizona State answered almost immediately to retake the lead, then added two more goals over the next five minutes to pull away and secure the 6-3 win. The Sun Devils scored three goals in a seven-minute span to break the game open after it had been tied.
Loranger led Omaha with a goal and two assists, while Rollwagen scored twice. Maxime Pellerin added two assists in the loss.
Arizona State’s top line — led by Cruz Lucius, who recorded five points — proved difficult to contain, particularly during the decisive stretch in the third period.
Takeaways from the weekend
- Special teams were a major positive. Omaha’s power play went a combined 4-for-9 on the weekend, including two power-play goals each night. That efficiency kept the Mavericks in position to win both games and helped fuel Saturday’s comeback attempt.
- Quick responses defined Friday’s win. Arizona State opened the scoring Friday, but Omaha answered immediately and never let the Sun Devils build momentum. Those quick responses — especially Nguyen’s tying goal just 59 seconds later — changed the trajectory of the game.
- Saturday showed how thin the margin is. Omaha battled back from a two-goal deficit and tied the game in the third period on the road. But Arizona State’s immediate response — followed by two more goals — underscored how quickly games can swing late in the season.
- The standings remain tight. The split allowed Arizona State to reclaim eighth place with 22 points, while Omaha sits just behind with 21. The final weekend will determine positioning heading into the NCHC playoffs.
Final thoughts
There were positives to take from the weekend, particularly Friday’s controlled road win and the power play success both nights.
But Saturday also showed how quickly momentum can shift, and how costly a few minutes of breakdowns can be.
Omaha proved it can generate offense, win special teams battles, and respond under pressure. Now, the Mavericks need to put together a full 60-minute performance when it matters most.
The regular season concludes next weekend at Baxter Arena, where Omaha will host Miami in a series that could determine postseason positioning.
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