Colorado College Tigers (5-18-1, 3-10-1 NCHC) vs. #12/11 Omaha Mavericks (15-8-1, 5-8-1 NCHC)

Fri./Sat., Jan. 29/30, 7:37/6:07 pm
The Broadmoor World Arena (7,380)
Colorado Springs, Colo.

Radio: KRDO 1240 AM/105.5 FM (Ken Landau) | Listen Live
TV: CBS Sports Network (Friday Only | Matt McConnell, Jim Paradise)
DirecTV 613 | DISH 158 | Comcast 170/846 | Prism 643/1643
Live Streaming: NCHC.tv (Saturday Only) | Watch Saturday's Game
Website: www.CCTigers.com
Twitter: CC_Hockey1
Facebook: Colorado College Tiger Hockey
Game Notes: Colorado College | Omaha

This Week
Colorado College plays at The Broadmoor World Arena for the first time in eight weeks, Jan. 29-30, against the Omaha Mavericks. The puck drops at 7:37 p.m. on Friday and 6:07 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be broadcast in Colorado Springs on KRDO NewsRadio 1240 AM and 105.5 FM. Friday night's game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network, while Saturday's contest will be available on NCHC.tv.

Last Time Out
The Tigers earned a point at No. 2 North Dakota in Grand Forks last weekend. Senior Hunter Fejes (Anchorage, AK) posted the first four-point night of his career (2g,2a) and the Tigers roared back from an early four-goal deficit to tie No. 2 North Dakota, 5-5, Friday night. After UND scored the first four goals of the game and chased freshman goalie Jacob Nehama (Allen, TX) to the bench, CC scored the next five and held a one-goal lead for nearly 13 minutes until Rhett Gardner scored with 31.9 seconds left with an extra attacker to even the game. Juniors Christian Heil (Westminster, CO) and Luc Gerdes (Eden Prairie, MN) and freshman Trey Bradley (Tampa, FL) also scored for CC, while junior goalie Tyler Marble (Detroit, MI) made 25 saves in a relief effort that helped the Tigers snap a nine-game losing streak to North Dakota ... On Saturday, UND again scored the first four goals and the Tigers could only muster a goal from freshman Andrew Farny (Steamboat Springs, CO). Marble made 27 saves in his first start since Dec. 12.

For the Record
CC is 5-18-1 overall and 3-10-1 in the NCHC ... Omaha is 15-8-1 overall and 5-8-1 in league play after losing a pair of games (3-1 and 7-3) to Miami at home last weekend. The Mavericks have lost five of their last six games after winning eight of the previous 10.

Up Next
The Tigers head back out on the road to face Minnesota Duluth, Feb. 5-6, at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minn.    

The Coaches
Mike Haviland (Elmira College, '90) is in his second season at the helm of the Tigers. He came to Colorado College after serving one year as head coach of the Hershey Bears (AHL). Haviland was an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008-12, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2010 … Dean Blais (Minnesota, '73) is in his seventh season as the head coach at Omaha. Since taking over the Mavericks, Blais has led UNO to three 20-win seasons and in the process earned his 300th career win. He was the head coach at North Dakota for 10 years and won two national championships there. Blais has a career record of 388-222-58.

On the Air
All CC games in 2015-16, home and away, will be broadcast live throughout Southern Colorado on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 FM and 1240 AM, featuring Ken Landau with the play-by-play. Pre-game shows start 37 minutes before faceoff. The broadcasts also can be heard worldwide via the Internet.

Scouting the Opposition
Junior forward Jake Guentzel leads the Mavericks and the NCHC in scoring with 33 points (11g,22a), followed by fellow juniors Austin Ortega with 27 (18g,9a) and Justin Parizek with 22 (6g,16a). Ortega leads the league and is tied for third in the nation with 18 goals. Freshman Evan Weninger and junior Kirk Thompson have each played 12 games in the net. Weninger is 10-2 and has a 1.99 goals-against average, good for 12th in the country.   
 
Previous Meetings
Omaha holds a 9-5-3 advantage in the all-time series with Colorado College. The Tigers have just one victory in the last seven meetings, a 4-3 triumph on Jan. 16, 2015 at The Broadmoor World Arena. The Tigers are 4-3-1 overall at home against Omaha.
 
Unbeaten Streak vs. Top 5
With the 5-2 victory over No. 4/5 St. Cloud State on Jan. 9 and the 5-5 tie at No. 2 North Dakota last Friday, Colorado College was unbeaten in consecutive games against Top 5 teams for the first time since a tie and win vs. No. 4 Denver on Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, 2008. It also marked the first time CC scored at least five goals in consecutive games against Top 5 teams since Nov. 24 and 30, 2012.    

Rothstein Line on Fire
In addition to Fejes' four points, linemates Gerdes (1g,1a) and senior center Sam Rothstein (Minnetonka, MN), with two assists, each had a multi-point weekend. Since coming together the last 10 games, that line has recorded 34 points (14g,20a).  

First League Road Win
CC's 5-2 victory at fourth-ranked St. Cloud State on Jan. 9 was the first league road win for Mike Haviland. It had been nearly two years since the Tigers last won a conference game on the road, a 3-2 victory at Denver on Feb. 21, 2014. It was also the first win against a Top 5 ranked team since a 2-0 triumph over No. 1 Minnesota at the WCHA Final Five on March 22, 2013.  

Special Teams were Special
CC's special teams were outstanding against St. Cloud State. The Tigers were 2-for-6 on the power play and snapped a streak of 12 consecutive man advantages without a goal. CC has also killed eight of nine power plays each of the last two weekends. St. Cloud State entered the series against CC on Jan. 8-9 with the nation's No. 2 power play  at 30.6%.  

Jacob Nehama Earns NCHC Honor
Freshman Jacob Nehama was named the Bauer NCHC Goalie of the Week following CC's split at St. Cloud State. Nehama made 81 saves during the weekend, including 47 in the team's 5-2 victory on Jan. 9. The 47 saves were the second-most in his career, just shy of his 52 against UMass-Lowell on Oct. 16.

2-For-3 at UAH
In the 5-2 victory over Alabama Huntsville on Dec. 18, Fejes and Gerdes became the first CC duo with three points in the same game since Alexander Krushelnyski and Rylan Schwartz each had three in a 5-1 victory over Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 19, 2013. Fejes has 14 points (9g,5a) in the last 10 games, while Gerdes has 13 points (3g,10a) in his last 11 games.

First League Sweep at Home in Three Years
Prior to the sweep over Miami, Dec. 4-5, the last time CC swept a league opponent at home was Nov. 9-10, 2012 against Bemidji State when both teams were members of the WCHA.   

Three in a Row
With the victory over Air Force and sweep of Miami, the Tigers owned their first three-game winning streak under Mike Haviland. The team's last three-game streak was from Feb. 15 to Feb. 22, 2014 (defeated Western Michigan once and Denver twice).

Upperclassmen Coming Through Lately
After scoring just five of the team's first 15 goals this season, CC's juniors and seniors have scored 24 of the last 36 goals.
    
Comeback vs. Miami The First in a While
CC's comeback on Dec. 4 marked its first win when trailing in the third period since a 4-3 victory over St. Cloud State at home on Feb. 22, 2013.
 
Back Playing The Top 20
This weekend's games will be the fifth and sixth consecutive against teams ranked in the top 20. The 11 teams CC has played this season have a combined record of 131-98-38, good for a .562 winning percentage.

Penalty Kill Continues to Shine
Colorado College killed off eight of North Dakota's nine power plays last weekend and has erased 69 of the last 81 overall (85.2%) dating back to the second period of the Oct. 16 game at UMass-Lowell. In their 14 league games, the Tigers have an 86.8% penalty kill percentage, good for No. 2 in the NCHC.

Scoring Brothers
Senior Cody and freshman Trey Bradley (Tampa, FL) each gathered an assist on freshman Trevor Gooch's (Mantua, NJ) goal against UMass-Lowell on Oct. 16, becoming the first set of brothers to record a point on a CC goal since March 9, 2012 (Jaden and Rylan Schwartz). The two combined again on Dec. 5 as Trey assisted on Cody's second-period goal against Miami. That was the first time a CC player assisted on his brother's goal since March 2, 2012 (Rylan assisted on Jaden's goal).

Consecutive GWG a Rare Feat
Fejes' back-to-back game-winning goals against Miami, Dec. 4-5, were the first by a Tiger since Nick Dineen posted the GWG in each game of a series sweep against Wisconsin on Nov. 18-19, 2011. Fejes is tied for second in the NCHC with two game-winners in league play.

Scoring Has Picked Up Last 12 Games
Entering the game against Air Force on Friday, Nov. 27, Colorado College had 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in 12 games. In the last 12 games, CC has 36 goals and 53 assists for 89 points. In addition, 10 of the team's 15 power-play goals have come in the last 12 games as well.

Nehama Records Most Saves in 18 Years
Nehama's 52 saves at UMass-Lowell on Oct. 16 were the most in one game by a CC goalie since Judd Lambert made 60 in a four-overtime victory (1-0) over Wisconsin on March 8, 1997.  

Tough Schedule This Year
Six of Colorado College's 12 opponents this season are ranked in this week's USCHO.com Top 20 poll, including four in the top eight. Five of the 11 teams CC has already played, North Dakota (#2), St. Cloud State (#3), Boston College (#5), UMass-Lowell (#8) and Denver (#13) are all in the Top 20 this week.

This Year's Leadership
Junior forward Sam Rothstein (Minnetonka, MN) is serving as the team captain in 2015-16. Rothstein, the first junior to be named captain at CC since Mark Stuart in 2004-05, scored 14 points (6g,8a) as a sophomore and has missed just four games in his career … Senior forward Cody Bradley (Tampa, FL), who led the team in scoring with 30 points last season, and junior forwards Zach Aman (Johnstown, PA) and Christian Heil (Westminster, CO) are the alternate captains.

Hanson Retires, Named Student Assistant Coach
Senior Jared Hanson (Palmer, AK), one of eight student-athletes in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference named to the league's 2014-15 Scholar-Athlete Team, will not play his final season at CC and will serve as a student assistant coach.

Matt Zaba Added to Coaching Staff
Matt Zaba, a 2007 graduate of Colorado College, was named as a volunteer coach for the CC hockey team prior to this season. Zaba, who ranks No. 3 on the school's list for career goaltending wins with 55, will work exclusively with the team's netminders.

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity ... Outdoor Game
The 302nd meeting between in-state rivals Col­orado College and the University of Denver will certainly be unlike any other in the 65-year his­tory of the series. The schools announced they will play an outdoor hockey game at Coors Field in Denver on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. Dubbed the 'Battle on Blake,' this will be the first colle­giate hockey game ever played at Coors Field and marks the first time that CC and DU have faced off in an outdoor match. The game will be played one week prior to the Colorado Avalanche hosting the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field as part of the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series.