Minnesota vs. Nebraska Omaha: This weekend in Omaha, Neb., Minnesota and Nebraska Omaha will reignite a young rivalry, playing their fourth and fifth games against each other all-time. The visiting team has won all three previous meetings dating back to 2003-04. Last season, Nebraska-Omaha earned a sweep in its first-ever WCHA series at Mariucci Arena, holding off two valiant Minnesota comeback efforts to win 5-4 and 4-2 on Oct. 15-16. On Oct. 11, 2003, the Gophers beat the Mavericks 7-3 on the road in the consolation game of the season-opening Maverick Stampede tournament in the only other contest between the schools.
About The Mavericks: Nebraska-Omaha is looking to make its second straight NCAA tournament appearance this year after making it for the first time since 2005-06 last season. After splitting on the road with Colorado College last week, the Mavericks sit in a three-way tie for fourth place in the WCHA with the Tigers and North Dakota heading into their final four games. Nebraska Omaha has not had the same result in both games of a weekend series since sweeping Alaska Anchorage on Oct. 21-22 and has gone to overtime nine times, which is tied for the most in the WCHA.
Nebraska Omaha is led offensively by sophomore Matt White (16g-21a) and junior captain Terry Broadhurst (16g-19a). Freshmen Jayson Megna (11g-18a) and Josh Archibald (10g-5a) and sophomore Ryan Walters (10g-14a) have also reached double digits in goals. Defensively, the team is led by junior Bryce Aneloski (6g-13a) and sophomores Michael Young (4g-11a) and Andrej Sustr (3g-12a). At six-foot-eight, Sustr is Division I college hockey’s tallest player. Between the pipes, rookie Ryan Massa and senior John Faulkner have split most of the playing time. Massa is 7-5-2 with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage, while Faulkner is a 5-6-2, allowing 3.11 goals per 60 minutes with an .877 save percentage.
Chasing The Cup: Minnesota is chasing its first MacNaughton Cup since 2006-07 when the Gophers finished with 39 points at 18-7-3 in the WCHA. That season was also the last time Minnesota finished with more than 17 league wins, the number it currently has with four games remaining. The Gophers need six more points to finish with more league points that they had in 2006-07.
Back To Omaha: This weekend will also feature Mike Guentzel’s return to Omaha. The Minnesota associate head coach was an assistant coach for the Mavericks last year, before returning to his alma mater for his second coaching stint.
Omaha Connections: For teams that have played one another only three times, there are a lot of connections between Minnesota and Nebraska Omaha. Maverick head coach Dean Blais played in 124 games at Minnesota from 1970-73 and registered 139 points (56g-83a). Mike Hastings, who is the associate head coach of the Mavericks, was an assistant coach for the Gophers in 2008-09. Gopher freshman Seth Ambroz’s brother, Matt, played for Nebraska-Omaha from 2007-11. Nebraska Omaha has three Minnesotans on its team in Josh Archibald (Brainerd), Ryan Walters (Rosemount) and Joe Krause (Hermantown). Archibald was also a teammate of Nick Bjugstad and Kyle Rau at the recent World Junior Championship.
