Preview: No. 17 Miami hockey returns home for NCHC clash against Omaha Mavericks
“When you skate out onto the ice and the place is full, I’ve never experienced anything like it. It’s just crazy in (Goggin). I hope we can have that this weekend.”
The Miami University hockey team returns to Goggin Ice Center on Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14 after its second National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) series against the No. 6 University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.
The RedHawks travelled to AMSOIL Arena and emerged with a Friday night upset on Nov. 6 over a team that has been historically tough to play against. The group garnered only the eighth win in 50 meetings and third-ever win in Duluth by a 3-2 score. However, they fell 2-1 on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Now, the focus turns to the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks in the final home series for the RedHawks until the new year – and they’ll play with a national ranking.
With the victory on Friday over the sixth-best team in the country (and being just on the outside of the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) rankings to begin with), Miami enters the weekend as the No. 17 team in the nation.
“The only thing that matters is what our reaction is to (being ranked), just like all things,” head coach Anthony Noreen said. “It should be something that we have a high level of pride in and keep attacking. I think it’s great for the university as a whole to be recognized. … But we can’t rest on it.”
Miami enters the weekend with a 7-3-0 record (2-2-0 in-conference) while the Mavericks have a 3-4-1 standing (1-2-1 in-conference) after a sweep of St. Cloud State University at home in its last series with a shootout victory and regulation win.
In their first NCHC series, the Mavericks were swept by the University of Denver Pioneers.
Omaha has two players tied for the team-lead in points. Senior defenseman Parker Berge has two goals and six assists for eight registered points, and sophomore forward Luke Woodworth has an identical score line. The team’s leading goal scorers are both tied with three each – junior forward Maxime Pellerin and junior forward Sean Tschigerl.
In net, the Mavericks lost long-time goaltender Simon Latkoczy, who graduated after four years with the program and is back playing professionally in his home country of Slovakia. Head Coach Mike Gabinet has been running with freshman Will Lacelle, who has been everything and more in the crease.
Through just seven collegiate games, Lacelle has posted a 2.53 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage, good for eighth and fifth-best, respectively, among qualified goaltenders in the NCHC, respectively.
“Every team in our league challenges you in some different ways, but (Omaha’s) speed, tenacity, ability to win loose puck races and ability to transition from defense to offense, it’s dangerous; it’s impressive,” Noreen said. “They’re going to be hungry.”
For the RedHawks, the goal is staying consistent with habits and making sure they continue momentum from a strong series against one of the nation’s best teams.
Junior goaltender Matteo Drobac has continued to be steady in net with a 1.79 goals-against average (fifth in the conference) and .918 save percentage (ninth in the conference). Leading the way up front are four specific players.
First is freshman Matouš Kucharcík, who sits with 10 points in 10 games. Then, in a three-way tie for second are sophomore forwards Kocha Delic (nine points in 10 games), David Deputy (nine points in eight games) and senior forward Matteo Giampa (nine points in 10 games). The leading point scorers on the blue line are freshman Cal Huston and junior David Helledy, who both have four points in 10 games.
While it’s another important NCHC series taking place, it’s also the second annual “Pack Goggin” weekend.
Pregame tailgates and all sorts of festivities are occurring before puck drop, and the goal for the RedHawks is not only to continue momentum on the ice, but also provide an exciting experience for fans.
“When you skate out onto the ice and the place is full, I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Deputy said. “I hope we can have that this weekend. You just want to play that much more for the people who came and watched, and you want them to keep coming back, so you’ve got to give them a product to want to come back.”
Puck drop at Steve “Coach” Cady Arena on Friday, Nov. 13 is at 7:05 p.m. ET and on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 6:05 p.m ET.
