Nov. 4, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Omaha Freshman Forward Michael Abrgall (18) attempts a play on the puck against North Dakota’s Dylan James (26). (Photo courtesy Mark Kuhlman Photography)

OMAHA, Neb.- The North Dakota Fighting Hawks defeated the Omaha Mavericks 4-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference opener at Baxter Arena.

North Dakota initially grabbed a 1-0 first-period lead when freshman center Owen McLaughlin scored on a wrist shot. Omaha would challenge the goal contesting the play was offside, and the call was overturned, keeping the game scoreless at the end of the first period.

At 1:44 in the second period, Omaha defenseman Jonny Tychonick was called for a two-minute minor holding penalty. Eight seconds into the power play Fighting Hawk defenseman Ethan Frisch scored on a one-timer to give North Dakota a 1-0 lead. Fifteen seconds later, left-wing Jackson Kunz extended the Fighting Hawk lead to 2-0.

Omaha briefly cut the North Dakota lead to 2-1 in the second period when Maverick left-wing Cameron Berg scored on a wrist shot off of a rebound of North Dakota goalie Drew DeRidder. The Fighting Hawks challenged the goal for goalie interference, and the call was overturned after an official review to no goal keeping the score 2-0.

Alternate captain Riese Gaber extended the North Dakota lead to 3-0 when he snuck a wrist shot past Omaha goalie Jake Kucharski at 13:51 in the second period.  

Omaha responded with an even-strength goal when Tychonick scored his second goal of the season on a one-timer from the North Dakota blue line to cut the Fighting Hawk lead to 3-1 with 56 seconds remaining in the second period.

Seconds after the goal, Berg was assessed a game misconduct for indirect contact to head on  North Dakota’s Ty Farmer.

Omaha head coach Mike Gabinet said he disagreed with Berg’s misconduct after Gabinet said Farmer slashed and cross-checked Berg, who was trying to defend himself.

“I don’t know how we walked away with the only major penalty out of that call,” Gabinet said.

  Riese Gaber’s third-period goal, a wrist shot between Kucharski’s pads, extended the lead to 4-1.

“They’re a team that likes to get shot volume and like to make plays in the slot,” Gabinet said. “We’ve got to do a better job making sure they can’t penetrate that good ice.”

Omaha finished 0 of 7 on the power play, while DeRidder finished with 21 saves in North Dakota’s 4-1 win against Omaha.

Gabinet said figuring out line combinations was the main factor in Omaha’s lack of production on the power play.

“You’re trying to put guys in sports they’re not used to going, so that’s a little bit of an adjustment, but we’ll clean that up for tomorrow and be ready,” Gabinet said.

Omaha falls to 4-4-1 with the loss, while with the win, No. 10 North Dakota improves to 4-3-1 on the season.