Sunday, March 29, in South Bend, Indiana, the University of Nebraska Omaha hockey team was able to accomplish something that had never been done in school history. With a 4-0 win over Rochester Institute of Technology, they earned a trip to compete in the Frozen Four in Boston. This win came a day after a 4-1 victory over Harvard, which was another first for the program. Prior to this, they had never won a game in the NCAA hockey tournament. The weekend was highlighted by two phenomenal performances from senior goalie Ryan Massa, who only allowed a single goal from Harvard, while making 73 saves between the two games. The Mavericks have the opportunity to take down Providence on April 9th, and if they are successful, they will have to play either Boston University or North Dakota in the championship game.
All the excitement surrounding the UNO hockey team actually feels very strange to me. In Omaha, people are rarely interested in hockey because they have Bluejay basketball and Husker football to watch. As a hockey fan, neither of these teams are of much interest to me. Historically, it has been difficult being a hockey fan in Omaha. Our local teams have rarely had outstanding seasons, but when they are successful, they are met with disinterest from the community. While the Mavericks do have many loyal fans, they still have not won over the community as a whole. My hope is that victory in the Frozen Four will create many new hockey fans in Omaha. A national championship coming to our community would be hard to ignore.
- AP
Article and Picture from: http://www.startribune.com/sports/297952971.html
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