Ben Helwig
CONTRIBUTOR
From the tundra to the desert, UNO hockey will see their fair share of America on their road trips this season, not to mention some familiar foes on home ice.
The Mavs open up their season with a home exhibition contest on Oct. 7 against Manitoba before hitting the road to face Union in Schenectady, New York Oct. 12 and 13.
The following weekend, the Mavs come home to face the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame at Baxter Arena on Oct. 19 and 20. The Friday game of the series will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network.
After the Irish, the Mavs pack their bags to face Arizona State in Tempe Oct. 26 and 27 before coming back home to open conference play against Miami Nov. 2 and 3.
After the first conference road trip of the season at Western Michigan Nov. 9 and 10, the Mavs return home to face Arizona State for a second time on Nov. 23 and 24, followed by Colorado College Nov. 20 and Dec.1.
The year ends with a 2018 draws to a close with a road trip to conference foe St. Cloud on Dec. 7 and 8; and a home series against Alaska Anchorage on Dec. 29 and 31.
After a short break the Mavs get back into conference play with a series at Denver on Jan. 11 and 12 and a home series against North Dakota on Jan. 18 and 19. North Dakota knocked Omaha out of the first round of the conference tournament last season.
Omaha’s next series will be a test. The Mavericks head to Duluth to face defending national champs Minnesota Duluth Jan. 25 and 26. This is the second series of the season where the Mavs face a Frozen Four team from a year ago (the first was Notre Dame).
The Mavs finish the season against teams they will have previously faced in the season. They will see Western Michigan at home on Feb. 1 and 2; a road series at Miami Ohio Feb. 8 and 9; a home series versus St. Cloud State Feb. 22 and 23; and a home series against Denver March 1 and 2.
The regular season concludes with a rematch against North Dakota in Grand Forks on March 8 and 9. The series marks the end of a critical 12-series stretch of conference matchups.
The NCHC tournament begins with regional quarterfinals March 15, before the semifinals get under way in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 22.
The Mavericks finished 17-17-2 last season and placed 5th in the NCHC.
