The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks got off to a quick start, scoring twice in each of the first two periods, and held Providence off to advance to the championship game of the Bank of America/Rensselaer Holiday Hockey Tournament, 4-2.
The Mavericks got on the board with two goals in the first period. The Mavericks scored first as Alex Nikiforuk came down the right wing and took a quick shot from the faceoff circle. His shot deflected off of Austin Miller, the Providence defenseman. That shot ricocheted past Tyler Sims, hit the post and went in.
The second goal was a product of nice passing. Scott Parse and Bill Thomas combined to send the puck over to Bryan Marshall on the right wing, who quickly one-timed it past Sims and into the open net.
Nebraska-Omaha added two more goals in the second period. Dan Charleston ripped one over the left shoulder of Sims, and then Adam Bartholomay snuck in to bat a rebound past Sims on the power play.
Those four goals were enough for the Mavericks despite the Friars’ attempt to come back in the third period with two goals.
The first goal was scored by Jon Rheault as he took a rebound shot from behind the net and put it past Jerad Kaufmann.
The Friars cut the lead to 4-2 with 7:13 left to play when Dinos Stamoulis snuck in from the point into the slot and found a rebound from a Nate Meyers shot.
That was all the Friars could muster as the slow start doomed them to the consolation game.
Kaufmann made 37 saves in the game, 14 in each of the final two periods. Sims made 27 saves in his two periods of work before Stephen Ritter came in to make eight saves in the final period for the Friars.
Nebraska-Omaha will face Holy Cross in the championship game, while Providence will take on hosts Rensselaer.
