This isn’t the bottom-dwelling Omaha team to which the NCHC has become accustomed.
The Mavericks are ranked No. 18 in the USCHO.com poll and have a 3-3 record vs. ranked teams.
UNO opened its NCHC slate last week with a road split vs. Western Michigan and hosts its first league contests of the season.
A look at this weekend’s series:
WHO: Miami RedHawks (3-6-2) at No. 18 Nebraska-Omaha (6-3-1).
WHEN: Both nights – 8:07 p.m.
WHERE: Baxter Arena (7,500), Omaha, Neb.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Miami leads, 22-19-6.
MIAMI RADIO: Both games – WMOH-AM (1450), Hamilton, Ohio; WKBV-AM (1490), Richmond, Ind.
OMAHA RADIO: Both games – KZOT-AM (1180), Omaha, Neb.
TV: NCHC.tv.
NOTES: Nebraska-Omaha is a program on the rise, with just one of its top seven scorers seniors, five of its regular defensemen freshmen or sophomores and both of its goalies rookies.
Kevin Conley leads the team in points with 11 on five goals and six assists, coming off a 3-1-4 weekend at Western Michigan.
Sophomore and Colorado draftee Tyler Weiss has a pair of goals and seven assists, and freshman Ryan Brushett leads the team with eight helpers.
Taylor Ward, a sophomore, is tied for the team lead in goals with five, and Chayse Primeau – of the NHL Primeau brothers – is 4-3-7.
Tristan Keck also has seven points, but he has not played since Halloween and it’s unclear when he’ll return.
On defense, a freshman – Brandon Scanlin – lead the corps in points (2-5-7).
A pair of drafted seniors have both logged over 100 college games, with Pittsburgh selection Ryan Jones going 2-4-6 and Arizona pick Dean Stewart notching five assists.
Nebraska-Omaha has used two goals this season, and both are freshmen.
Isaiah Saville, a Vegas selection, is 5-3-1 with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Austin Roden has logged one game, an 18-save shutout vs. Alabama-Huntsville.
The Mavericks have exceled on the power play, converting at a 26.5 percent, but they are 78.7 on the penalty kill.
Miami is 1-3 in NCHC play and was swept two weeks ago in its road debut at North Dakota.
These teams split both of their series last season.
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