Omaha started last season 12-3 and appeared primed for an NCAA title run, but the Mavericks dropped four of their final five, including both NCHC Tournament games and didn’t even qualify for the Division I championship.
Miami sure didn’t help UNO’s cause, winning three of four meetings with the Mavericks including a sweep at Cady Arena during the stretch run.
Omaha has brought in nine freshmen and a pair of transfers in hopes of returning to the NCAA Tournament after qualifying in 2020-21.
View From the Glass takes a look at Omaha in Part V of its NCHC Snapshot series:
Parts I-IV can be found here: Colorado College | Denver | Minn.-Duluth | North Dakota
NCAA TITLES: None.
COACH: Mike Gabinet (sixth season, 162-77-25, .661).
2021-22 RECORD: 21-17, 11-13 NCHC (sixth place).
RINK: Baxter Arena, Omaha, Neb. (7,898).
MIAMI VS. OMAHA IN 2021-22: 3-1.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Miami leads, 29-21-7.
SCHEDULE VS. MIAMI: At Omaha – Jan. 20-21; At Miami – Feb. 17-18.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS: D Jonny Tychonick, F Tyler Weiss, F Cameron Berg, D Kirby Proctor.
KEY NEW FACES: F Jake Pivonka, F Ray Fust, D Griffin Ludtke, F Cam Mitchell, F Tyler Rollwagen, G Simon Latkoczy, G Raythan Robbins.
KEY LOSSES: F Taylor Ward, G Isaiah Saville, F Brannon McManus, D Brandon Scanlin, F Chayse Primeau, G Austin Roden.
NOTES: Omaha won 21 games last season, a mark it has not eclipsed in 21 years, but did not make the NCAAs and lost four of its top five points-producers and both goalies.
Up front, Cameron Berg and Jack Randl are the only returning skaters to record at least 20 points last season. As a freshman, Berg went 8-15-23, and Randl – a Michigan transfer – notched nine goals and added 11 helpers.
The Mavericks have four more returning forwards that picked up at least 10 points in 2021-22: Matthew Miller (10-3-13), Ty Mueller (8-5-13), Jimmy Glynn (5-6-11) and Brock Bremer (4-6-10).
Graduate transfer Jake Pivonka adds veteran presence, having logged 129 games with Notre Dame.
On defense, Kirby Proctor is back after netting five goals and earning seven assists, and Jonny Tychonick returns as a graduate assistant. The Ottawa second-round pick has played 99 games and has scored nine times.
Goaltending is a big question mark for UNO, as none of its three goalies have logged a minute in the NCAA.
Jacob Zab is a senior but has yet to enter a game for the Mavericks. Simon Latkoczy has played three seasons in the USHL but has a save percentage well below .900 and Raythan Robbins was solid with NAHL Anchorage last season, but the jump to the NCHC is a monstrous one.
Omaha is the only NCHC team against which Miami has an above-.500 winning percentage (.570). The RedHawks are 8-2-1 in their last 11 meetings with the Mavericks.
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