Omaha will try to extinguish its six-game losing streak and earn its first conference win this weekend as the Mavericks head to Arizona State.
It’s an opponent the Mavericks have had some success against in recent years and will see plenty moving forward, as the two will be travel partners in the NCHC. However, this will be the first time Omaha and ASU meet as conference foes.
Here’s what you need to know before the puck drops.
Omaha (2-6-0, 0-2-0) at Arizona State (3-6-1, 0-2-0)
Game 1: Friday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m.
*Both games played at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. Both times CDT.
Omaha
Conference: NCHC
Head coach: Mike Gabinet (8th season, 119-120-18)
Leading scorer: Zach Urdahl, Sr., F (4-2-6)
Between the pipes: Simon Latkoczy, Jr. (2-6-0, .929 save percentage, 2.39 GAA)
Power Play: 4/27 (14.8%)
Penalty Kill: 18/21 (85.7%)
Arizona State
Conference: NCHC
Head coach: Greg Powers (10th season, 135-154-25)
Leading scorer: Noah Beck, D, Gr. (2-10-12)
Between the pipes: Gibson Homer, Jr. (2-3-1, .911 save percentage, 2.35 GAA)
Power Play: 6/30 (20%)
Penalty Kill: 24/28 (85.7 %)
All-time series: Omaha leads, 6-4-1
Last matchup: Jan. 6, 2024 – ASU 2-1 win (OT) vs. Omaha
Last time out
The Mavs were swept by Western Michigan last weekend to open NCHC play. Saturday’s loss extended the losing streak to six, as Omaha’s last win came on Oct. 12.
Omaha’s offensive struggles continued against the Broncos, although Omaha got its power play going on Saturday with a pair of goals. Omaha scored its first first-period goal of the season on Friday and carried a 1-0 lead into the middle frame before ultimately falling 2-1.
The Broncos scored 21 seconds into Game 2 and grabbed a 3-1 lead early in the third. Brady Risk cut the deficit to 3-2 with 8:26 left but WMU’s Alex Bump sealed the sweep with an empty-netter.
With roughly one-fourth of the season complete, it’s been a frustrating and frankly concerning start. Omaha has failed to capitalize on a number of chances and mistakes are proving costly.
“Just tough pills to swallow to start the season,” Gabinet said Wednesday afternoon. “You’re right there, but you’re not there. Having a couple crucial mistakes at key moments in games that are resulting in the losses and one-goal losses. So those are things you don’t want to go through, but sometimes you do, and that’s when you grow.
“We have got to keep learning from these situations there and keep making improvements. So that’s our focus this week. Got to keep getting back up and keep showing up and be resilient here and find ways to get better.”
Arizona State is also searching for its first conference win as the Sun Devils were swept last weekend at Colorado College – although they went toe-to-toe with the Tigers.
ASU dropped Game 1 in overtime, 4-3, and suffered a 3-1 loss on Saturday. Despite trailing 2-0 early, ASU carried a 3-2 lead into the final minute of regulation before surrendering the game-tying goal and OT winner.
Opponent Watch
ASU’s 3-6-1 record might not jump off the page, but the Sun Devils have been in nearly every game. Three of their six losses have been by one goal and although ASU lost by two last Saturday, CC’s third goal was an empty-netter.
Four of ASU’s five series have also been on the road and three of those five series were against ranked foes in Michigan, Providence and CC – who were No. 10, 14 and 8 at the time.
Greg Powers’ roster features four seniors and six graduates, and the Sun Devils blend that experience with size, speed and skill. ASU also has one of the nation’s most-explosive freshmen in forward Cullen Potter – a potential first-round pick in next summer’s NHL Draft.
“They’re going to be hungry to have a good weekend as well,” Gabinet said. “We know what we’re getting ourselves into here, and we’ve got to be ready to go.”
“When it rains, it pours”
Omaha will be playing every healthy body it has up front this weekend as five of Omaha’s 16 forwards are now on the shelf.
Gabinet confirmed that sophomore Tanner Ludtke had surgery last week and Ludtke’s upper-body injury will likely force him to miss the remainder of the season. The Utah pick (2023, third round) led Omaha with 28 points last season and was injured during Game 1 of the Minnesota State series on Oct. 25.
“Unfortunately, when it rains, it pours. We’ve got a lot of players out right now with injuries,” Gabinet said. “Obviously Tanner is out for the season. He had surgery last week, so he will be – I don’t know. Maybe, maybe, maybe at the very end of the season he could be capable of coming back. But that’s a tough loss, losing your leading score from last season. But an opportunity for other guys (to step up).”
Sophomore forward Charlie Lurie made his season debut last Saturday against Western Michigan and had four shots on goal. Lurie also saw time on the power play. “Great job by him. I think probably his number one strength is shooting the puck,” Gabinet said. “Good for him to get in there and do a great job.” Photo John S. Peterson.
However, the injury report is far from complete. Omaha will also be without junior Garrett Pinoniemi, along with freshmen Myles Hilman, Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero and Liam Watkins. Watkins is yet to make his Maverick debut while Houtte-Cachero and Hilman were both injured last weekend against Western Michigan.
Pinoniemi (upper-body) had been centering Omaha’s top line and top power-play unit to open the season but the Minnesota transfer missed both games last weekend.
The injuries aren’t limited to Omaha’s forwards either, as graduate defenseman Aiden Gallacher is still on the mend.
However, Gallacher took warmups last Saturday and Gabinet said the Northern Michigan transfer is close to returning.
Final Verdict
Number to know: .929 – Simon Latkoczy owns a .929 save percentage through eight games and the junior has already faced 50 or more shots twice. Besides a mental error on WMU’s third goal last Saturday, Latkoczy has been much better than his 2-6-0 record indicates and has made 250 of a possible 269 saves this season. ASU has scored two or fewer goals in five of its first 10 games and Omaha will try to limit the Sun Devils again this weekend.
The key: As the injuries continue to add up, it’s especially important the Mavericks see new faces emerge and step up. It’s no secret Omaha has struggled to score so they’ll need to do it by committee and also generate more traffic in front of the ASU net.
Series prediction: Split
