BLOG 25: Mavericks bring a strong team to series with Ferris

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State's Scott Wietecha (3) slaps a shot toward the goal during a home game earlier this season for the Bulldogs (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Nebraska-Omaha is off to a positive start this season, and no one knows that better than the Bulldogs who will be in Qwest Center this weekend seeking to steal some points from the Mavericks in this Central Collegiate Hockey Association series.

The two teams play Friday and Saturday nights with 8:05 p.m. starts as the race for CCHA supremacy continues. The Bulldogs hit the road for the second weekend in a row with a record of 4-3-3 overall and 3-1-2-0 in the CCHA while the Mavericks bring a record of 6-1-1overall and 2-1-1-1 in the league’s standings to this series.

This weekend marks the 23rd and 24th times these two teams have played with UNO holding a 13-7-2 edge on the ice.

Head coach Mike Kemp, who is in his 12th season on the bench, brings a talented squad to this series against 17th-year head coach Bob Daniels’ Bulldogs. The Mavericks enjoy a team-best 11 points (a goal with 10 assists) from junior defenseman Eddie DelGrosso. Senior forward Dan Charleston has eight points on four goals with four assists. Between the pipes, Jerad Kaufman is 3-0-0 overall with a 1.96 goals against average and a .931 saves percentage while Jeremie Dupont is 2-1-1 overall with a 1.72 goals against average and a .935 saves percentage.

Nebraska-Omaha ranks ninth in the nation in scoring offense (a 3.50 average) and scoring defense (a 1.88 average). That is quite the disparity and a good reason why the Mavericks are 6-1-1 this season.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com