Omaha Hockey Press Conference: Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 (Colorado College Preview)

Jan. 21 Omaha Hockey Press Conference Transcript

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, good to see everybody. Uh, just, just first off, just want to announce an addition to the team here, uh, Ryan McCleary. Pretty excited to get him here and get him with the team. Obviously, with, uh, Joe Gramer departing there, (it’s) nice to get, uh, another body on the back end there. So, uh, (I’m) really grateful to our, our assistant coaches and just even the administration and, um, just getting every — it takes a lot of work to get a person into school that quickly. So, um, everybody was all hands on board getting that going, and he started classes this week, so we’re excited for his addition.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

I have a follow-up question to that. So how do you know somebody like him is interested in coming, and available and eligible, and how does that all work?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, that’s why you’re — the hours of being a coach nowadays are a lot different than they used to be. And, and again, just a lot of credit to the staff and, um, you know, you’re reaching out to — we actually thought we maybe had one other player lined up, and then, you know, that, you know, circumstances change. You got guys in junior hockey, obviously. You got guys nowadays in pro. Um, so it just kind of ended up working out through the advisor there that he had some interest there and, uh, coming back, coming to school and experiencing college hockey there. So, um, lots of moving parts there to make it happen there. But again, that’s where you gotta spend a lot of time on the phone and talking to people and figuring out who’s available and who’s interested.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Can you just talk a little bit about what you’re hoping that he brings to the blue line and how his addition is gonna help us down the stretch?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, again, I think he’s got some pretty good experience, right? Played a lot of junior hockey there and then a lot of, uh, you know, pretty substantial professional hockey as well there too. Some, so some lots of good experience there. He’s a right shot d-man (defenseman), a bigger body too, which is nice. Um, obviously we got Jacob Guevin right now with an injury too from Friday night in Miami there.

 

So, all of a sudden now you’re down another guy. So, um, just again, a big body. Um, he’s got lots of experience there, right shot there that I think will be able to step in right away and help contribute to the team.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

So following up on, uh, noticing Jacob (Guevin) being out, Hunter (McInnes) was in the lineup on Saturday night. How are you approaching those decisions with him in regards to him playing, redshirting, whatever, as the season goes on?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, to be honest, I think I was excited to get him in, and I know he was excited to play, and he’s done a great job in practice. Um, you know, for a while there (him) kind of being our eighth defenseman there and really contributing every day in practice. I know the guys were really excited for him to get into the lineup. So, and I thought he did a really good job. I think he played about 10 minutes and did a really solid job there. And, um, you know, we’re definitely not afraid to play him, that’s for sure. 

 

Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):

Questions for Simon (Latkoczy). 

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

Hey, Simon, when, uh, when you were out after that North Dakota series, what was your mindset as you had to sit back and, and watch your teammates play in practice? And how, how did you approach that time mentally?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Well, it’s never great to be injured. I mean, we all wanna play and we all wanna be healthy. Uh, unfortunately, that’s a part of the journey, and injuries are part of the seasons. Uh, I got one recently, and, uh, uh, the one sad thing was that, like, it was kind of like coming back. So it was supposed to be two weeks, then three weeks, and then it was four and five (weeks). So it, uh, took a longer time than expected, uh, throughout the Christmas break as well. And, uh, yeah, uh, I’m happy to be back, to be honest, and, uh, uh, ready to get started. I was happy to play on Friday.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

As a co-captain, how do you help your teammates stay confident without letting that frustration creep in when things get difficult during the season?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I think, uh, there is a lot of talking from, uh, me and Griffin (Ludtke) and (the) other captains. I think that we are doing a good job, especially, you know, like, it’s, uh, very easy to give up at this moment. Uh, but, uh, the coaches and the coaching staff are doing a great job too, uh, leading that way and showing us that, uh, that’s not an option, and that’s not the mentality right here.

 

And, uh, then it’s, uh, a little bit easier for us as captains to kind of like learn from that mindset, and that just kind of show it to the other guys too, you know, like they always look up to the leaders and coaches. And, uh, if we are on the same page, uh, as we are, I think that’s, uh, just really important to not give up.

 

And, uh, I, to be honest, I think that we are, uh, getting closer and closer to each other because, uh, in my opinion, these tough times, uh, are bringing the team more together. And, uh, everything’s perfect when we are winning, but, uh, really it just shows up how strong, how strong we are when the things are not, not going our way.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

When you stepped back into crease on, on Friday night, uh, what was the adjustment like? Did you feel like you were game speed ready? Did, did it take a couple of shots for you to kind of get back into the groove of things? How was that adjustment for you?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, mentally a little harder. Uh, I would say just to kind of get back into it after an injury. Uh, you are never really 100% sure that you can trust it as you, as it was before. Uh, if you are practicing with the pain, I would say, like, throughout that injury time, it doesn’t just go away like that. But I think that, uh, uh, the support staff, uh, did a good job, uh, kind of helping me there, and giving me the confidence. And then, uh, once I step into the net, I don’t try to think about anything else, and it’s just about, uh, to stop the puck.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Following up on Mike (Vaillancourt’s) question, on a night when you’re feeling good in net, how early do you know that it’s gonna be a good, good night? Do you know that right away, or does it take a couple of shots before you figure that out?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

That’s a tough question, to be honest, to answer. Uh, you know, it’s usually the feeling that you have. Uh, and it starts before a game. But, uh, (the) first couple of saves are always important. You never know how the game is gonna go. And, uh, yeah, uh, to be honest, I don’t know, uh, the answer to this question.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

So, for fans watching from the stands, what’s one misconception about the team right now, and what would you want them to understand as we go down these last couple of games of the stretch?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

You said from the team or from the fans?

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

From — if the fans are looking at the team, what’s one misperception that they have? They’re not in your shoes. They don’t know what you guys know. What would you tell them looking at these next 10 games?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

That we have not given up. Definitely. We are still here and we are fighting. And, uh, we believe in each other. Uh, I think that, uh, we still have, uh, 10 games is a good amount of games in college hockey, in my opinion. It’s, uh, more than 30% or around that, you know. Uh, that’s a good amount of, uh, hockey, and a good amount of points.

 

If we are still on the same boat, as we are, I think that there is a lot that can happen and a lot that can change from, uh, a game to game. We just gotta, uh, kind of stick to the process, in my opinion, and do the same thing again and again, and do the work.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

She brought up 10 games. This is your senior season. Uh, 10 games down the stretch here. Have, have you thought at all about the last few weeks, uh, of your senior year? Have you, have you even thought (about) the last three and a half years? Like, what, what does this experience mean to you?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

It gave me a lot. Omaha gave me a lot. Uh, people around me gave me, gave me a lot. And, uh, I’m excited about, uh, these last couple of games here, because I think that it’s all coming together. And I’m, uh, I believe and I’m sure that it’s all gonna show up at the right time. Now it’s time for me to, uh, I would say that, uh, enough was said in the locker room by me, but it’s, uh, time for me to lead on the ice by my performance and the results. And I’m excited to do it.

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Simon, it came out today that you were, um, on the Hobey Baker nomination list for the Hobey Baker Award. I know awards are not a big thing for you. You’re all about the team. But what does it mean to be one of just 18 players that are on that list (for the NCHC)?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Uh, I think that decision is made by the coaches, if I’m correct or not.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yep.

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Uh, I think that’s, uh, a great way to give your goalie confidence without any words and, uh, that they believe in me throughout the end of the season, even if the things are not going our way. And, uh, I’m, uh, thankful for that and, uh, uh, responsible and, uh, I’ll do my best to, uh, put it, uh, to play as I should and, uh, to done, uh, to, to just not, like, mess it up, kind of. 

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

You, you come into this weekend against CC, uh, goaltender on the opposite side of theice that you know quite well from your days back at the USHL. Um, maybe rivalry is not the right word, but it’s certainly a premier matchup. How do you approach these weekends when you know that you’ve got a guy that you’ve faced off against for several years, who’s quite good himself? Does that, uh, help give you an extra boost?

 

Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, (Kaidan) Mbereko is a good goalie. I think I talked about this, uh, before. I think that, uh, there is, uh, a lot of good goalies in our conference, and, uh, every team has some. Uh, we always have good matchups together. I’m excited that, uh, now it’s in our barn, and, uh, I’m just excited to get going and, uh, play some games, uh, with the support of the fans.

 

I think that it’s gonna be good. And, uh, yes, I’m excited about it, and I’m excited for this weekend.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
All right. Good job, man. Good job.

 

Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):

Questions for Coach (Gabinet)?

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

As you approach, uh, the CC (Colorado College) weekend, obviously, you know, 10 games, there’s a lot that can happen within those 10 games. How much, though, are you getting the guys focused on, “Let’s play one shift at a time. Let’s take one shot at a time, one pass at a time,” as opposed to looking at the big picture down the stretch here?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I think it’s smart anytime you’re going through adversity to, to narrow the focus a little bit there. And as you said, shift by shift, uh, kind of day by day, game by game is a smart place to live. You know, as much you can be in the present as possible, uh, that’s usually what, you know, drives the best outcome.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Looking back at the Miami series, what’s one thing that the team did better than the scoreboard reflected — and one thing that still needs to show up with more consistency with only 10 games left?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, again, I, I like some of our o-zone (offensive zone) play. I think if you look at the, you know, the results after, I think we, we won the o-zone possession time during the game there. Now it’s about finding ways to, to finish and, and put the back, uh, the puck in the back of the net. And then I think just, again, if you go through the process of reflecting on the goals against, you know, how are they scoring against us?

 

I think, again, a common theme right now are turnovers that keep showing up, right? So kind of turnovers at the wrong time. So again, when you break it down like that, it gives you a focus on what you need to keep working on. And, uh, so I think that’s an area of growth for us, uh, uh, you know, (to) keep managing the puck properly and making sure we’re, we’re making the right decision at the right time there and, and, uh, to keep working on those things.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

There’s been stretches this season where the effort hasn’t translated to results. The effort’s been there, but the results haven’t been. How do you diagnose that with the team? Is it confidence, execution? What is, what is it that that’s that little missing piece that just hasn’t quite clicked consistently?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Well, I think, like Simon mentioned, uh, you know, I, I, I don’t think this team is ever not trying hard, right? I think that’s one of the makeups we’ve been for a long time. It’s just that compete and that work ethic. And I think, you know, when you get punched in the face a couple of times, you’re gonna naturally have a little bit of a down (time), and then you gotta kind of get yourself right back up and get back to work.

 

So, um, I think one of the big things for that is leadership. You know, you gotta step up and be a leader, and you gotta communicate and talk about it. I think that’s something when you’re going through difficult times, it’s easy to get quiet or to not communicate as much or, you know, just hope things get better. And I think, you know, I think great leaders during difficult times communicate and talk about it and talk about the reality, the situation you’re facing and how you feel. And then ultimately, the most important thing is to step up and, and do the work, right? And I think, again, that’s what I’m really proud of, the, the staff and the group is we got to work this week, man. We’re getting better. We’re getting better at certain things, whether it shows up, uh, on Friday and Saturday or not, to be determined, but we’re getting better.

 

And I know we are, and I think that’s something we take a lot of pride in. And, and, uh, and the players, uh, you know, can earn their confidence that way as well.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Speaking of leadership, how important is it to have Simon back in the net this weekend?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, again, it’s, uh, you know, again, you know, if you would’ve said to me in the (beginning of the) season, “Hey, we’ll be without Simon for a long stretch of the season,” you know, he obviously was probably one of our top players returning. So that’s never easy on a team, especially when you’re going through a tough schedule. Um. So, uh, it’s always nice to have him back, right? He’s just got that experience. He’s been in these situations before. He’s played a lot. And, um, we’re definitely excited to, you know, get him back into game shape here. We gave him the one game on the weekend, uh, (we) didn’t wanna push it too much there. And I think he’s feeling better and better as he gets more practice time in there. So, um, (we’re) excited to have him back. 

 

And again, I don’t wanna downplay Dawson (Cowan). He’s been thrown into the fire as a freshman goalie. That’s not an easy task in this league and, and (he’s) got some very valuable, valuable experience along the way as well too. So it’s nice that he’s, you know, got a good chunk of experience as well that will serve him well in the future.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

You mentioned Dawson (Cowan). How valuable is it, though, to have that reliable backup, uh, should the situation arise? And now that Dawson’s got that experience, he knows — not just physically what it takes in this league, but the mental aspect of it too. How valuable is that, uh, as you hit the stretch run?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I think so. Sometimes there’s no, no substitute for experience, right? You know, you have to kind of go through it to actually know what it feels like to sit in that chair and experience it that day in and day out. And probably would’ve liked to do it a little bit slower for him, where he didn’t have to go all the time against those opponents that we had to face, you know, one after another. But hey, at the end of the day, you can just see his growth, and just even his mindset. 

 

And, and, you know, I spent a lot of time talking to him as well too. And it’s, it’s just kind of nice to see his development through this journey that he’s gone on. And there’s been some adversity as well. And again, that’s how you grow. Nobody wants to go through it, trust me. There’s, uh, not a guy in the locker room that wants to be in the situation we’re in and, and isn’t devastated by it. But at the same breath, like, that’s life, and you gotta freaking step up and, and do the work and deal with it. And that’s how you grow. You gotta attack it head on. And, and he’s a guy that has that same type of mentality.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

This group swept Colorado College back in Colorado Springs back in October. When you watch the tape now, what feels most transferable to this weekend, and what doesn’t anymore?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
I mean, uh, they’re a good hockey team, you know, right? Uh, uh, so again, I think you just gotta keep growing and, and learning and playing and, um, you know, (we’re) trying to simplify some things for our group. I think that’s important too, just to let guys play a little bit more free where they’re not overthinking. Um, they’re, you know, trusting their instincts a little bit just to play. And I think you’re faster that way. You’re more competitive that way when you’re not thinking. I think when, you know, you’re a little nervous or things have been tough, right, you don’t wanna make a mistake. You don’t wanna mess up. Um, and we have to be responsible that way at this level.

 

But at the same breath, I’d like to see our guys just play a little bit and, and simplify their game and just go — and go and compete and don’t overthink the future or what’s happened in the past. Just be as present as you can and engage and compete and, uh, be vocal and have great body language. And I think, you know, when you’re doing that, you’re showing confidence and you’re playing your best.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Are the guys having fun? Is it still fun for them even at this point?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah. Again, yeah. Again, if you really watch our games, I mean, it’s a lot of close hockey games, right? You know, so it’s, uh, which sometimes almost makes it, you know, talking to guys makes it more frustrating at times, you know, when you’re right there and, you know, you look back at Western or Nodak (North Dakota) or Cornell and you’re on these wrong ends of all these ones.

 

But in the same breath, that’s what’s happening. And you, you gotta deal with it. So I think, again, just to the communication (and) leadership, you have to acknowledge the feeling of down. I had a tough day on Sunday. That’s what I told the team. That was probably one of my toughest Sundays in a long, long time. And you just gotta share that. That’s, that’s how it feels. I can’t sleep. You’re overthinking things. You’re, you know, you’re trying to help everybody and probably got 20 other guys that feel the same way.

 

So I think by talking about it, and addressing it and then saying, “Okay, well, how does the best version of myself react to this?” And then stepping up and we can’t say, “Oh, shucks — we gotta freaking get to work today.” So it’s a workday. It’s gonna be a workday. And then you do it. And then after practice, you feel better, right? You feel better and you get a little bit of that juice back and you start feeling good ‘cause you did something about it.

 

You didn’t just think about it. You didn’t complain about it. You didn’t feel sorry for yourself. You did something about it. And I think that’s what the great leaders do, you know, and that’s what our team’s made of. And I’ve (said) from day one, I love this group, man. It’s nobody in there wants to be, to be losing, I’ll tell you that much, you know, but we gotta, you know, we gotta deal with it, but we gotta keep pushing and winning. And you never know when the tide’s gonna change. And I believe it’s gonna change.

 

Timothy Rohwer, UNO Blue Line Club Newsletter:

So it sounds like, I mean, you mentioned earlier you’re getting better, so that you still have that good optimism to end up having, you know, more success.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah.

 

Timothy Rohwer, UNO Blue Line Club Newsletter:

As they’re coming up. So it’s still there, that optimism.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah. You gotta be. It’s not there all the time. And you gotta, but you gotta find it again and, uh, and bring it up to light and, uh, um, 100%, man. You gotta believe. You gotta believe. 

Omaha Hockey Press Conference: Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 (St. Cloud Preview)

Jan. 7, 2026 Press Conference Transcript

Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:

Mike, just (your) general thoughts on the series against Cornell and looking ahead to St. Cloud State this week?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah. Yeah, obviously didn’t come away with a win there, which is disappointing. Wanted to get at least one win on the road there and if not two, and yeah, two essentially one-goal games there, two empty netters against us, or one empty netter and then a one-goal game on Saturday there. But again, dug back in kind of both games there.

 

They got off to a hot start and (we) found a way to climb back and get ourselves within the game. And then just kind of a little bit of a story right now of how it’s going for us right now, just not finding that next play or getting that right play at the right time and ultimately not coming with the win there.

 

So again, some positive things that you have to reflect on that you’re doing well — and then some things that just obviously still aren’t good enough, and that’s why we’re not coming away with the wins there. So, I liked our game Saturday better than Friday. But ultimately, again, we have to keep learning here from crucial mistakes at crucial times that are costing us games.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

As you head into conference play, what do you want the team to be better at six games from now than they are today?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, one is penalties. I think that was, again, just something we talked a lot about on Saturday before the game. We’ve been preaching it a lot there, but I thought it hurt us again on Friday night there. So that’s one. And then just again, I think really controlling the slot area of the ice, both offensively and defensively — not only the slot area, but the secondary opportunities that come from there.

 

And then just making just the decisions, right? I think that’s when you get a team that doesn’t have a lot of experience and playing this — not to make excuses, but at the end of the day, we got the second hardest schedule in the country, right? So right now we’re finding when you make that crucial mistake at that crucial time, whether it’s a penalty, whether it’s a turnover, whether it’s a save, whether it’s not executing on a goal, etc., that it really can come back to hurt you and ultimately be the difference in those one-goal games. 

 

But again, I love this group, man. They’re dialed in, they’re learning, they’re hungry to get better. They’re not making excuses. They know we have to be better in areas and we’re doing the work to get better in those areas.

 

Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:

Mike, just talk about the second half of the season and getting back into the conference schedule, and really wanting to get off to a positive start.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, again, it’s kind of a new schedule there in the second half there with the conference there. And obviously seeing St. Cloud coming in here right off the bat, which will be great. So I think the guys are excited. There’s points on the line here. It’s an opportunity to have some success here in conference play in the second half, and that’s where our focus is at.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

You’ve talked in previous press conferences about the importance of getting off to a quick start. And St. Cloud is a team that when they jump out early, they usually keep that lead. What can you do to emphasize to the players the importance of that first 10 minutes or so? Because on Friday night, you gave up three goals, had to come back and get four goals. Coming from behind is a lot more difficult. How do you emphasize that quick start to them?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, talk about it. I think just talk about it and show it, and show the reasons why these things are happening — and then ultimately how you improve these things. And then it’s a little bit up to the staff and the players to then execute that, right? Then you got to go out there and execute that and making sure you’re doing those things there.

 

So again, we’re well aware of it, and know what we need to do. And I think sometimes, again, that comes down to just kind of making that smart decision at that crucial time of the game, whether it’s early in the period or late in the period or maybe when you have a one-goal lead — how are you playing the game and what decisions are you making consistently?

 

And again, we’ve got a lot of feedback on that, and (we) have to continue to get better at that.

 

Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:

Mike, what’s Simon’s (Goaltender Simon Latkoczy) status?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, we’ll see. He’s probably questionable for this weekend, I would say there. So again, (he’s) coming back and kind of practicing this week for the first time and stuff. So we’ll see. I haven’t talked to our trainer after today’s practice there. But good news is he’s back on the ice and starting to participate in practice there, which is nice. So we’ll see what happens here kind of this weekend, and then moving forward.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Friday night is Jake Guentzel bobblehead night. Even though you didn’t coach him directly, how important is his success in the NHL — and now on the Olympic team — to making prospective players aware of Omaha hockey?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I just think first off, just talking about it, it’s kind of cool. I don’t think we probably do it enough. Just obviously, I think he’s one of the best players in the National Hockey League, and (he) played in Omaha, comes back here in the summertime, (his) wife’s from this area, which is pretty cool. So just nice to recognize him with the bobblehead. I know a lot of guys in his class are still around Omaha, which is pretty cool.

 

I got a bunch of texts for some Guentzel bobbleheads to hang on to some. So just pretty neat. And he’s an Olympian, right? And he’s one of the best 20 players in all of the United States for Team USA. And I just thought watching (the) Four Nations (tournament) too, he was one of the best players at the tournament there for Team USA there. So (it’s) pretty special.

 

I think he’s pretty excited about it, and kind of nice to get to treat the fans to a pretty cool gift too for coming to the game. So I’m sure there’s going to be a rush to be one of the first 3,000 people. I saw it today, the bobblehead there, (it’s) pretty neat.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Speaking of development, Joe Gramer has moved on to the WHL after spending two seasons here at the Mavs. How do you view that decision from a development standpoint, and what does it mean for your blue line moving forward?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, (it’s) obviously tough to lose somebody. Joe’s a great kid and unfortunately just wants to play. He wants to play more. And welcome to 2025. I think we counted six or seven or eight of those things happening already this second half (of the season). And I think you’re just going to see a lot more of that in today’s landscape where there’s so many options now for the players there. So, disappointed to see him leave, but understand that if you want to play, he’s got choices to make too there too. So we wish him the best. And we’re looking now here to see if we can fill that spot here. So, it’s pretty late in the game, so we’ll see what happens there. But again, that’s just something you got to deal with now as a head coach. You got to wear your GM (general manager) hat a little bit too and deal with transactions that happened during the season now, not only after the season, but during the season too.

 

Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:

Mike, the player to your left, what can you say about his game this season?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Oh, on the left? Okay. Yeah, Jérémy. Yeah, great. Yeah, great. I think just again, Jérémy’s a great example. (He) obviously dealt with an injury — (was) out for quite a long time there, which we’ve had to deal with a little bit this year, obviously with Simon (Latkoczy) and him and Brett (Hyland) and Sam (Huo), and the list goes on.

 

But I think it’s just a great example of a little bit of patience and what hard work and dedication does. And again, for me, just getting to know Jérémy over his time here, and even last year and kind of just watching him play junior (hockey) and talking to the staff there, just he’s a worker and he’s a guy that really wants to put the work in to get better. And I think it’s a good reminder for coaching staff too. You have to be a little bit patient at times too with guys. And I think we have one junior in our class right now, the most — a lot of freshmen and sophomore players that are playing this level for the first time. And so with that comes, there’s going to be some ups and downs. But when you have good kids that put the work in, they want to be coached, they want to get better, I think over the long term, good things happen. 

 

You’re seeing that exactly with Jérémy here, right? And man, he’s been playing some elite hockey as of late there, and does some certain skill sets that I think not a lot of our guys on our team can do. And that’s directly leading to offense there. And then as he will tell you, getting better away from the puck too, where Coach Gabinet likes to harp on there.

 

So it’s been fun, man. It’s been fun to watch him, and I think he’s just going to do nothing but keep on getting better. And I think you’re seeing it in just the goals we’re producing here as of late too, right? We’re trying to find the back the net here lately and able to get more goals on the board, and he’s been a big reason for that.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Can you preview the St. Cloud series for us? What can fans expect to see this weekend?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, you can. I think just typical St. Cloud team. They got really good structure. They play a really structured game, very predictable in how they play. And so that’s good for us to pre-scout that, and make sure we’re prepared systematically and structurally for them. And yeah, I mean, they just came off two big wins there at the (Cactus Cup) tournament there. So again, it’s going to be another hard-fought series.

 

You got another quality opponent coming in here to play. But again, for us, we got to keep (the) focus on us and making sure we’re ready to go here and do the things that take that step here to be on the right side of one-goal games here coming up in the second half.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Okay, great. Thanks, guys. Thanks.

 

Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):

Questions for Jérémy?

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

Jérémy, you seem to be a lot more comfortable over the last couple of weeks since coming back from injury. How would you describe — not just your level of comfort, but the increased chemistry with your teammates on the ice?

 

Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):

I would say I’ll give a lot of credit to (my) teammates. (For) example, Luke Woodworth on the power play — just finding me in the bumper in the slot just for grade A’s (scoring opportunities). Like we talk about, we need some slot shots more and more in the coming games. So I think just great chemistry with my linemates too, Wonger (Trevor Wong) and Sam (Huo) there. I think we’ve done a great job on the forecheck, which created a lot of chances.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

You finished last season with Sherwood Park with 16 multi-point games in your final 19 contests, and you’ve already had a couple of multi-point games here in the last couple of weeks in Omaha. Do multi-point nights feel like something that you create through momentum, or are they more about the habits that you bring from game to game?

 

Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):

That’s a great question. Momentum, I think, and just my mindset coming to games. I’m never satisfied about just one goal. Why not try to get three, right? So, it’s just a mindset, competitiveness, and just my character to my approach to the game as well. So yeah, I’ll give that to my mindset of the game.

 

Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:

Jérémy, the Mavs have had a lot of close losses this season. How do you keep a positive attitude going into another tough series?

 

Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):

I think we all know the last game (Saturday night vs. Cornell), we probably deserve better. So I think just being positive and having fun will probably help us more than just being negative and coming with just no smile on our face every single day. So, just bringing a lot of energy for the team — and yeah, get ready for Friday night, and it’s going to be a big series here in Omaha.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

You went viral for a shootout goal last year that was featured in an NHL TikTok video. But we haven’t really got to see you in a shootout yet, even though we’ve had a lot of close games. When you review your own tape, what are you grading yourself on that most fans would never think to look for?

 

Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):

I’m not going to grade myself on a shootout, that’s for sure. Like (Coach Gabinet) said, details without the puck. I’ve got better. Still have a lot to work on. The first goal in Cornell, I take responsibility on it. So those are all the details that I want to work on, and bring my game to a complete level. So I think it’s just — that’s the way it is in the NHL. And if I want to make it there, it’s going to be a complete 200-foot game, and my offensive game will bring me there as well.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

As you transition from juniors (junior hockey) into college hockey, what have been some of the challenges that you had to deal with on a day-to-day basis and overcome?

 

Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):

I think guys are older, guys are bigger. So it’s just one-on-one battles. Every 50-50s is a lot harder, and you got to, yeah, bring your 100% for every battle. And you got to win those, because it’s really important. It’s a detail of the game that we don’t talk about enough, but it brings a lot to the team. So yeah, guys are bigger. I think just the pace, just (the) transition game is way faster. So I got to be ready on my toes the whole game, yeah.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

You grew up in a part of the country where hockey is described as a religion, and your dad built you a backyard rink, and he still plays and coaches. So you know what it takes to be successful. What does success look like for you as a player?

 

Jérémy Loranger (Freshman Forward, Omaha Hockey):

Discipline. Yeah. Always there. Every day just compete and bring your best, every day at the rink. And I think success is just repetition all day, just stacking up days like we do here.

 

Sometimes (a) two-hour practice, that’s what it takes to get better and just improve the details in our game and what Omaha Mavericks is all about.

Omaha Hockey Press Conference: Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 (Western Michigan Preview)

Nov. 19 Press Conference Transcript

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, good to see everybody. Thanks for coming. We’re looking forward to getting underway here with Western Michigan this weekend here. And, yeah, nice to get a split up on the road against UMD here. So, again, continue to work on some things here, continue to improve, and looking forward to the weekend. 

 

Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):

Any questions for Jacob Guevin?

 

Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:

Getting kind of punched in the mouth Friday night, what did you guys do to kind of keep yourselves mentally in that game on Saturday to go and get that win?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I think that’s been an identity for our team this year. I think we’ve been really good at coming back, especially on Saturday night. I think our guys are not afraid of any team in this country, so we knew they had a good team, but like I said, we’re not afraid, so we kind of just stick to our game plan, and everything went well.

 

UNO Blue Line Club Newsletter Writer:

What did you see out of Dawson that night (Saturday night)?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
Really good. I thought he was super, super composed — and seeing him off the ice, too, he doesn’t look too nervous, so it’s kind of a calming factor for the whole team, and we’re just really happy for him.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:
Jacob, as you enter the (NCHC) slate, it’s the number one schedule, toughest schedule in the nation, weekend after weekend after weekend. How do you guys stay mentally sharp week to week (with) that kind of same grind over and over again?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I think we actually kind of enjoyed that process. I think it’s nice to be, you know, playing all those good teams and we’re right in the mix with them and I think it’s good to build confidence, because like I mentioned, to be the best you got to beat the best, and I think that’s what we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that. So yeah, I feel like it’s pretty easy to stay focused because every game is a really hard game and you know the the opponent is going to be really good, so it’s been a very, very cool progress for our team for sure.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Jacob, you’ve continued to grow your game defensively. Where do you think you’ve taken the biggest step this year?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I think I did a pretty good job in the summer with my speed. It’s always been something that I want to keep improving on, and I think I’ve improved on it a little bit, and I want to keep doing a good job at it so I feel like I can close on guys quicker and jump into play as well. So I would say that’s the biggest improvement in my game.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

The confidence level in the locker room as you’ve gone throughout the season and the team has grown and improved — where would you say you are with that, versus maybe where you started the season?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, with all the new guys, I feel like we have a lot of guys that are new to college hockey, so they don’t really know what they get into it. So the first few weekends, it’s a little different for them. And now that we’ve been rolling for a little bit, I think everyone knows what their job is. And yeah, we feel really, really confident every game.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

What do you think the biggest challenge that’s facing you guys this weekend with Western is?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
I think they have experience. They have a good team. They won it last year, obviously. And we’ve just got to make sure we play a full 60. I think that’s the biggest thing. They come hard. They come quick. So just make sure we’re dialed (in) for the full 60.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Okay. So your puppy, Doug the Golden (https://www.instagram.com/doug_the_goldenn/), has almost 4,000 followers on Instagram. At this point, is there a recruiting battle in the locker room to be Doug’s favorite teammate, or is it you?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
No, I think it’s all good. I don’t really run his Instagram. It’s more of my girlfriend, so I’m not aware of all that. But I’ve brought him to the locker room a few times, and the guys have seen him before, so everyone likes him, yeah.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

You mentioned a lot of the players not having prior experience of college hockey, and the rivalries and whatnot that go along with it. How much has the senior group that’s been here taken upon themselves to kind of really integrate all that cultural feel, and to help these guys understand week to week what the NCHC specifically is about?

 

Jacob Guevin (Senior Defenseman, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah, I mean, even though they haven’t played college hockey, I think everyone has played some good hockey coming here, and it’s pretty easy for them to understand. That, you know, with our shorter calendar, every game kind of matters, and I think everyone’s been doing a pretty good job at putting in the work and knowing that every single shift really matters out there.

 

Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):

Questions for Head Coach Mike Gabinet. 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

So, Coach, looking back at the Duluth weekend, What stood out to you most about the way the group competed?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I thought Saturday night especially, I thought we had our legs. Again, I thought we looked a little tentative on Friday and just weren’t skating up to the tempo and pace that we need to do against a team like that. And I thought Saturday, just right from the drop of the puck, we took the initiative necessary to be successful in those types of series against that type of opponent there. So, yeah, I just liked our pace better, liked our initiative better a little bit, I think. 

 

Like you mentioned, we’ve got lots of new guys that are getting used to the speed of the game, and I think when you watch too much against good teams there, it’s tough to contain them, and you end up being in your own end a lot. So I liked our initiative there to be a little bit more aggressive in our style of play, and I thought it was positive for us.

 

Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:

Was that part of the plan to start Dawson on Saturday night, (or was) that kind of a change after Friday night’s game?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

No, I made my mind up. It was the Saturday before, Saturday before. Sometimes, you know, depending on something, sometimes it’s nice just to make that decision way ahead of time there. So both guys know what to prepare for going on the week there. Simon was a little bit under the weather there, and with the travel, and it was not a super easy travel to get up there too for us there. So it was nice to split the series up there for both goalies to get a chance to play and stay fresh.

 

UNO Blue Line Club Newsletter Writer:

He’s been really good in his two starts.  What have you kind of seen out of him so far this year? 

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I think it’s just been great to see — just like a lot of our guys on our team, I think you’ve seen that growth since when you first got here to where he’s at now. And I think as a coach, that’s what you’re looking for. You’re looking at guys that want to push themselves to continue to get better, and he’s doing that. He’s working really hard at his game, and working hard to improve and get better, and he is. And I think it was just nice, again, like I think I made, again, the... decision to get him in (against) Colorado (College) a week before that game. In our conference, you can really get caught into that being reactive and sure at times you’re going to have to adjust your plans but I think if we can stick to a game plan there and get guys in for certain games, I think you know then it’s it serves us well in the future. And I thought he did a good job against CC there and then to get a boom another start again.

 

It’s nice too. And it’s nice to not have Simon to have to… He’s had a lot of shots in certain games this year too … not have to carry every single game and play every game. So it’s just nice to get him in early there. So now when he plays, it’s not like a big deal. He’s got some experience under his belt. He can be ready to go there whenever called upon there. But yeah, doing great. Keeps getting better. (Keeps) working hard. And just like all our guys, great to see the improvement.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

You mentioned the injury bug kind of bit you again last weekend. How do you feel…how comfortable are you, with the depth of the club? And that’s almost kind of how to force guys into the lineup. 

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I don’t think we’ve been healthy yet, right, this year. I think we’ve always had one, two, if not three guys out that we probably predicted to be in the lineup. And it’s a great opportunity for other guys to play and get experience and get those touches and get that real-life feedback.

 

So, you know you always want your best lineup “ready to go,” but I think it’s also real positive if you can get guys experience and they’re working really hard in practice and that’s what you talk about preparing for your moment as a player and “next man up” and we’ve had some really good guys step in and and … not only get experience, but help the team be successful so I think that’s what you’re looking for as a coach. You need that depth in today’s game. There’s just too many injuries now. You’re going to deal with it throughout the season. And in college hockey now — and moving to the 26-man roster — you’re going to need guys that can play, right? You’re going to have to find those guys that can help support, as injuries are going to happen.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

Speaking of guys that can play, talk about Jacob Guevin and his impact on the team this year and throughout his Maverick career.

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, he’s just been one of those guys that’s such a steady force back there for us. You know, he logs a lot of minutes back there for us, and plays the right side. And like he talked about, not only is he a good offensive defenseman, but he’s also really — you see him on the penalty kill, you see him out there in key situations defensively there. So (he’s) just done a tremendous job really rounding out his game and finding ways to impact the game on both ends of the ice.

 

So I can’t speak enough about him. A guy that really, again, does the right things off the ice too, takes care of himself, and is a good role model for our younger guys we have here as well.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

So Western’s coming off a sweep of Miami and scored 12 goals on the weekend. What stands out to you about how they’re playing right now?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, again, they play that kind of north-style aggressiveness. They’ve played their last four games in Western, which is obviously a little bit different of a building (there) for ice dimension, zone dimensions, etc. there, but (they’re) just a team that goes north in a hurry there and they’re hungry around the net — they transition well. You just got to be ready to go, you got be ready to go, because they’re going to play with a lot of pace and intensity there and I’m really looking forward to the matchup you know. Again, i think Fersch (WMU Coach Pat Ferschweiler)  as done a great job there, and, uh, I know our guys are excited to again take on one of the top teams in the country

 

Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:

Have you prepped any different coming off a split, and looking ahead to playing such a tough team like Western?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, again, I think I still like to keep the focus on us. I mean, obviously we’ll do a lot of preparation for who we’re playing. They’re a little bit different style than Minnesota Duluth, so you have to make those technical adjustments, and be prepared for that. But I think, again, we have so many things we need to keep improving at too as a team that you’ve got to make sure you keep coming back to those fundamentals, those certain things that are going to give you success no matter who you play against. So really, really finding that right marriage between those two things, you know, knowing about your opponent, how you have to prepare for them, but also keep working on yourself, and how to improve individually and collectively as a team. So we’ve really focused hard on that this week.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

On Saturday, you had mentioned before the game that you had challenged the team “not to be heroes, but to be good.” Do you think that that kind of maybe helped them relax a little bit and not grip the stick so tight, especially coming off a Friday night loss?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I thought Coach Noel-Bernier did a really good job — it was kind of his statement there was, you know, “we don’t need everybody to be great. We just need everybody to be good.” And I think sometimes when you’re playing at this high a level of a team, you know, and when you’ve come from maybe junior where you’ve been able to be that great player all the time, it’s just harder to be great at this level. There’s just so many good players. The competition is so tough. 

 

So, at times, you’re not going to be able to make a big play or do what you want to do with the puck because of your competition you’re facing. But if you can be really solid, really good, really competitive, smart with the puck, and everybody can be good, that’s how we’re going to win hockey games. So I think it was just a good message on — take some of that pressure off yourself to be the first star of the game, but put a lot of pressure on yourself to be really good with your B game, really help the team win. And I think sometimes if you’re struggling a little bit individually too, and you just take that pressure off looking internally at yourself and ask, how can you help? I think sometimes that relieves the pressure that sometimes us competitors put on ourselves and then we just can’t get out of our own way, because we’re just so focused on ourselves and, oh, I’m not feeling it. I should be doing better. I should be doing this instead of, Hey, how can I help my teammate be successful here? How can I help the team be successful? And then it frees you up just to kind of not keep as much focus on yourself.

 

Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:

The Western Series always seems to be a very physical one. What’s your message been to the group this week about staying disciplined but still finishing checks and competing physically?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

I thought we were better at that again against Duluth. That’s one thing I like about this team. Sometimes you do take two steps forward, and one step back. You’re not going to just be perfect from here to the rest of the year. They’re going to keep making mistakes, and we have to keep helping them out. I thought our discipline was better.

 

You know, (there’s) stuff to work on — controlling our sticks and how the game’s officiated now and all that stuff there. But again, I thought we were better on that. I think it’s a real key, you know, right? Again, if the less penalties you take, the less power plays you’re giving the opposition, the more power plays you’re going to have, good things are going to happen there. So that’s something we have to continue to harp on. 

 

We did a drill today just on stick management, you know, stick on the ice. It’s hard to get penalties when your stick’s on the ice. And that’s where you want it to be 95% of the time in hockey, right? So just working on some of those things, and keep reinforcing that behavior we want to see. And hopefully that allows us to not only create turnovers, but also keeps us out of the penalty box.

 

Mike Vaillancourt, Learfield Sports:

Real quick, turning back to the goaltending, you mentioned being good, and not having that much pressure. Do you think it might help Simon now, knowing that Dawson is behind him, that he can get a break every now and again, maybe lighten mental load a little bit, in addition to the physical load?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, absolutely. I think anytime you know you’ve got good support around for anybody, I think it’s a positive thing. Just like if you lose a defenseman, you know the next guy that can step in there can do the job. I think it helps not only those individuals, but also the team have confidence in that too. And I think you’re seeing that now. 

 

Like you said, if Simon needs a night off, we know that Dawson can step in there and do the job. Just like if we lose a forward like we’ve lost, you know that somebody else can step in there and fill that role there. It’s part of being a team, man. I mean, hockey is a team sport. You know, you can’t … I know, you know, my daughter’s playing basketball, so I’m learning more and more about basketball, but you can have a couple of really good individual players there and really carry the team. For hockey, you know, you need that, you know, you need that — not saying that it’s not a team sport too, but like, you know, you just, you just, you know, you really can’t just rely on one player. We got to, especially our team, I think that’s one of the fun things about us is that you got to really, really support each other, and really help out, you know, for different guys having different nights.

 

Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:

That Saturday night game was the first time that Duluth had been shut out in over a month. What did you see just from your defense and goaltending that really made that possible?

 

Mike Gabinet (Head Coach, Omaha Hockey):

Yeah, I think one thing too, I thought we played in the o-zone (offensive zone) a little bit more too, which I think is the best way to defend. If you ask me, I think keep the puck and keep it in the o-zone, and they’re not going to score as many goals. And so I think that was one. And then I think just, again, to Mike (Vaillancourt)’s comment about the physicality, like I think against good teams, you have to be physical. You have to end plays. You have to slow them down, right? You want that puck to stop moving in the d-zone (defensive zone) and then get it out of your zone. So I think it was some good things there defensively as well too. And again, I just thought we had more jump. We had a little bit more intensity. We’re quicker on pucks — both offensively, defensively — just did things at a higher tempo and pace that you have to do against good teams.