By Bridget (Weide) Brooks
Omaha returned home to face No. 8 Denver at Baxter Arena, looking to build momentum in the final stretch of conference play. The Mavericks competed tightly for long stretches both nights but were undone by key momentum swings, falling 5-2 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday as the Pioneers extended their unbeaten streak.
Friday, Feb. 13, 2026:
No. 8 Denver 5, Omaha 2
Omaha struck first Friday night, but Denver’s four-goal surge across the second and third periods proved decisive in a 5-2 Pioneers victory.
The Mavericks opened the scoring at 5:20 of the first period when Samuel Huo capitalized on the power play, giving Omaha early momentum against a top-10 opponent. Denver answered later in the period, and the teams battled evenly through much of the second.
The turning point late in the period. The Pioneers took a face-off in the Omaha defensive zone with five seconds left in the period. Clarke Caswell scored at 19:59 to give Denver a 2-1 lead heading into the locker room.
The Pioneers added two more goals early in the final period to extend the lead to 4-1. Ryan McCleary netted his first goal as a Maverick midway through the third to pull Omaha within two, but Denver sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the closing minutes.
Omaha finished with 29 shots on goal. Simon Latkoczy made 34 saves in the effort.
Period scoring:
Omaha 1-0-1 = 2
Denver 1-1-3 = 5
Key storyline:
A late second-period goal shifted the game state, forcing Omaha to chase against a deep, disciplined Denver lineup.
Goaltending:
• Simon Latkoczy (Omaha): 34 saves
• Johnny Hicks (Denver): 27 saves
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026:
No. 8 Denver 3, Omaha 1
Omaha tightened defensively Saturday and carried a 1-1 tie into the third period, but an early Denver goal in the final period proved decisive in a 3-1 result.
After a scoreless first period, Denver opened the scoring midway through the second. Omaha responded on the power play at 12:11 when Jérémy Loranger finished a clean man-advantage opportunity to even the game at 1-1 heading into the third.
The Pioneers regained the lead just 1:22 into the final period, capitalizing on early pressure. Omaha pushed back throughout the third, generating 13 shots in the period and finishing with 27 overall, but Denver’s defensive structure held.
An empty-net goal at 19:29 sealed the 3-1 final.
Omaha went 1-for-3 on the power play and held Denver scoreless in four man-advantage opportunities.
Period scoring:
Omaha 0-1-0 = 1
Denver 0-1-2 = 3
Key storyline:
Omaha carried play for stretches and won the special teams battle, but an early third-period goal forced the Mavericks back into chase mode.
Goaltending:
• Simon Latkoczy (Omaha): 21 saves
• Johnny Hicks (Denver): 26 saves
Takeaways:
- Play to the whistle and get off to a good start: A Denver goal at 19:59 of the second period Friday and a Pioneer goal 1:22 into the third Saturday shifted momentum at critical points in both games.
- Special teams: Omaha scored a power-play goal in each contest and held Denver scoreless on Saturday’s four man-advantage opportunities.
- Be resilient: The Mavericks were resilient in both games, particularly Saturday, when they carried shot volume and played from even ice deep into the third period.
- Goaltending workload: Latkoczy faced 61 shots across the weekend and kept Omaha within striking distance in both contests.
Up Next…
Omaha travels to face Arizona State next weekend in a pivotal conference matchup as the Mavericks work to avoid staying in ninth place in the NCHC. (Only the top 8 teams in the conference will make the playoffs.)
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