OMAHA, Neb. — Nebraska-Omaha coach Dean Blais said before the season he hopes the Mavericks win a bunch of games 6-5.
He just about got what he asked for, along with a scare on Saturday night.
In a contest filled with five-on-three power plays, broken records and a goalie switch, No. 6 Omaha survived a late push from Ohio State to gain a 6-4 for and the weekend series sweep.
The Mavericks at one point led 5-1 near the end of the second period, but OSU settled in and chipped away to get it back to 5-4.
“The start of the third period was going our way and everyone got through a line change and next thing you know, it got interesting,” Blais said. “But some simple mistakes, but OSU didn’t quit. Just like Air Force, they just kept working and working, got a bounce and next thing you know we’re in a hockey game.”
It didn’t long for things to get rolling.
Austin Ortega scored 30 seconds in for the Mavericks. It was assisted by David Pope and Jake Guentzel, who tied a school record with five points on the night.
Unlike last night, the Buckeyes pulled even with the Mavericks.
Mike Gillespie scored at 4:57 in the first period to square things up, with assists from Matthew Weis and Josh Healey.
Just 18 seconds later following a power play, Guentzel’s goal triggered three Omaha goals in a row – the other two coming from Ortega and Frederik Olofsson, whose goal from the right point caused OSU goalie Matt Tomkins to be pulled for Christian Frey.
The game saw two two-man advantages, one from each team, yet neither could take advantage of them. There were also two four-on-four instances, all within the first period.
“Yeah, certainly didn’t have that in the script tonight to go out there and take the penalties we did early and fall behind like that,” said Buckeyes coach Steve Rohlik. “Proud of our team to battle to the end.”
It was late in the game when the momentum shifted the opposite way. OSU posted three goals in a row, starting with a score from Sasha Larocque with less than three minutes to play in the second period.
In the third, Omaha was on its heels. Anthony Greco scored just past the midway point in the period to make it a two-goal game, then another one came from Nick Schilkey on a put-back shot to bring the Buckeyes within one.
OSU put up 24 shots in the period, the most a Mavericks team had ever faced in program history. The previous record was 23, which also came at the sticks of the Buckeyes during the 2003 CCHA playoffs.
But the deficit was too much. With a little less than two minutes to go, the Buckeyes pulled Frey like they did Friday and again the Mavericks took advantage. Guentzel scored into the empty net from the opposite blue line to give the Mavericks some breathing room and to seal the game.
While it wasn’t a pretty series, the Mavericks are now 11-2-1, their best mark ever heading into December. They’re also still undefeated both at home (6-0) and against nonconference opponents (8-0).
“Yeah we’re a work in progress, you saw that just the way we kind of collapsed in the third period we were still making mistakes that we have to correct,” Blais said. “But the one thing for sure is the guys will try to do what we tell them. They’re very coachable and very tight, and they’re a good team. They’re fun to work with every day. They believe in each other they can believe no matter what going they’re going to work their way through and find a way to win.”
The Buckeyes slide to 3-9 following the sweep, but didn’t leave Baxter Arena without giving the Mavericks a good run for their money.
“Baby steps – you can’t spot top teams in the country four-goal lead and our team blew up a bit in the third and anytime you can put 25 shots on the net and have a chance to tie it at the end, you’re doing something right,” Rohlik said. “For our team again, we’re facing one of the best teams in the country our team went toe to toe with them, battled, so you know you’ve got to take away some of the positives.
“We go in and expect to win every night and we did tonight and we came up short again.”
