Tiger fans especially happy they made the trip now

Regardless of the result, these Colorado College hockey fans had fun, at least 1,220 miles round trip worth.

About a dozen Tigers fans drove two vans from the Colorado Springs area to watch this weekend’s road series at Nebraska-Omaha.

Six from one van gathered in a lounge near the arena before Friday’s game. They left Colorado Thursday night and stayed in a motel in North Platte, Neb., to break up the eight-hour drive

“We just wanted to make sure we were here in time to drink beer,” Ken Rownd said.

All fun aside, the trips are about supporting and meeting the Tigers. Their support is appreciated.

“It’s very gratifying for the team to see them here,” said Robert Hamburg, father of junior wing Andrew. “They’re always enthusiastic and positive.”

It’s hard not to be that way when you’re laughing much of the time. The funny moments that spring up on a road trip will be remembered even after the fans forget the games’ scores.

Abe Clinger’s efforts to find a restaurant in Julesburg, Colo. (population 1,467), late Thursday night still had the friends chuckling in Omaha.

“We knew we weren’t going to find something when we were on a dirt road in the dark and just crossed railroad tracks,” he said.

It was easier to find the liquor store where the clerk provided directions. It was the only building with lights on or so the fans remember.

“Stories like that are what make these trips fun,” said longtime fan Lee Siewert.

What a difference a day makes

Saturday’s game was markedly different from Friday’s wild 7-5 win for the Mavericks. Both teams played much tighter defense especially CC.

The blue-liners did a much better job clearing out rebounds and putting a body into the forwards to keep them from pouncing on the few rebounds sophomore goalie Josh Thorimbert allowed

And when there was a turnover or UNO breakaway, Josh Thorimbert was there to make the stop.

A big reason for that was that Colorado College’s defensemen did a much better job handling the Mavericks’ forecheck, quickly moving the puck back along the boards to avoid being pinched into the corner and committing a turnover.

Power play makes quick work of UNO penalty kill

The two CC power-play goals in the second period were only 65 seconds apart and took a combined 16 seconds of man advantage to be recorded. As usual a potent power play starts with the shots from the blue line getting through traffic.

“We never really had time to set up,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “Gabe (Guentzel) took smart shots and it paid off.”

Dineen thrills some of the Omaha crowd

The 60 family and friends scattered around the CenturyLink Center had plenty to cheer about when CC senior captain Nick Dineen followed up Friday’s two power-play goals with a goal and three assists.

“It was hard keeping my emotions in check,” Dineen said. “I tried to treat it like any other game. It was a great experience.”

Dineen was especially excited to play back home after leaving his hometown in the eighth grade to play for the Pikes Peak Miners and then juniors through high school before signing with CC.

“He had to be thrilled and fired up to come back to Omaha,” UNO coach Dean Blais said. ” I wasn’t around to see him play in his junior and high school hockey and everything he did before he went to Colorado College, but he’s a good hockey player. He’s a leader, he’s one of their captains, and obviously he had a good weekend here.”

He was anxious to make the trip.

“He was the first one on the bus traveling here,” Owens said. ‘You could just tell he was ready for this series.”

He was last year too. Dineen has six goals and three assists in four career games against UNO.

Motivated Jaden Schwartz tough to stop

The power play with 7:06 left in the third period gave Colorado College the opening it needed to break the tie on the road and sophomore Jaden Schwartz came through with the game-winner.

“Jaden didn’t have a great weekend but he found a way,” Owens said. “When the power play started, you could see in his eyes that he would make a difference.”

Etc.

Thorimbert’s 23 saves in the second period were seven shy of the school record 30 set by Eddie Mio in November 1973 against Wisconsin … Former CC and Minnesota assistant John Hill (1995-99 at CC) was in the press box scouting for Phoenix.

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