• Photo Showcase: UNO 3, Ohio State 2, SO

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Just like all of Omaha on Friday, the UNO hockey team had to dig and dig and dig its way out of a slippery winter mess.

With a school-record crowd of 13,417 urging them on, that's exactly what the Mavericks did.

After the dust settled on one of the wildest games in program history, the University of Nebraska at Omaha celebrated a 6-5 shootout victory on an electric evening at the Qwest Center.

The Mavs played from behind almost all night long, and trailed by two goals three times. Ohio State scored on its first shot of the game and jumped ahead 2-0 before the game was even two minutes old.

But freshman Terry Broadhurst scored UNO's first hat trick in three years to complete a crazy comeback. The Mavs also got goals from Joey Martin and Matt Ambroz in a game that officially goes in the books as a tie.

In an outcome that ignited a huge roar, however, Rich Purslow, netted the deciding goal in a tense seven-round shootout to give UNO the extra point in the CCHA standings. And after a rough start, senior goalie Jeremie Dupont made saves on five of the Buckeyes' seven shootout attempts.

“I thought it was just a great game for the fans,” said Mavs coach Dean Blais. “You couldn't ask for anything more.”

For Ohio State, Sergio Somma scored two goals, while Zac Dalpe, the CCHA's January player of the month, finished with four assists. Broadhurst's final goal gave UNO a 5-4 lead five minutes into the third, but C.J. Severyn put away a tying power-play goal for Ohio State with only 94 seconds to go in regulation.

UNO's monthlong “Sell Out Ohio State” promotion didn't fill every seat at Qwest Center Omaha. But the turnout for Friday's game still broke the Mavs' previous high mark for attendance by almost 3,000.

“We knew the house was going to be packed, and we wanted to put on a good show for the fans,” Purslow said. “When the start wasn't so good, we knew we had plenty of time. There was no reason to get down, and I thought everybody held it together real well and just battled hard until the end of the game.”

Broadhurst buried all three of his goals during UNO power plays, becoming the first Mavs skater to record a hat trick since former standout Brandon Scero did it in March 2007.

The Buckeyes busted out to their 2-0 lead before many of the fans had even settled into their seats. Hunter Bishop beat Dupont just 34 seconds in, then Somma clicked at 1:56.

“I thought right away, ‘Geez, what a game to lay an egg,'” Blais said. “The largest crowd in here ever, and that's not the start we wanted. But I thought on our bench that the guys didn't panic. They still believed in each other and found a way to get a few goals.”

Taking advantage of a screen set by Ambroz — who would finish with a goal and three assists — Martin lined in a shot from the slot past Ohio State goalie Cal Heeter at 6:17 for UNO's first goal.

Then Somma struck again just 17 seconds later to give the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead. Finally, for the fifth goal of the hectic opening period, Ambroz banged in a rebound at 11:22 to cut the Ohio State lead to one.

The score stayed 3-2 Buckeyes until 6:51 of the second, when Kyle Reed flicked a high shot over Dupont's shoulder during an Ohio State power play.

But later in the second, Broadhurst knotted it 4-all with back-to-back power-play goals at 11:03 and 17:18. The rookie scored on nearly identical plays, both times collecting a rebound to the left of Heeter's cage before firing in sharp-angle shots.

Broadhurst made the arena explode at 5:16 of the third period. During another Mavs' man advantage, UNO broke free for an odd-man rush that ended with Broadhurst shoveling in Brandon Richardson's centering pass.

“It was amazing,” Broadhurst said of the crowd's reaction to his last goal. “I really can't explain it, but it was so loud. It was a great feeling, that's for sure.”

The frantic play continued, with Dalpe ringing a potential tying goal off Dupont's post and Heeter denying Ambroz and Nick Fanto on a 2-on-1.

With 1:42 left in the third, UNO's Mark Bernier was whistled for a tripping penalty, and it took Severyn only eight seconds to knot it 5-all during the ensuing power play.

Both teams had chances to score in overtime. Then, during the shootout, John Kemp and Martin both scored clutch goals to keep the Mavs' hopes alive. Dupont made stops on OSU's last two shooters, setting the stage for Purslow.

“The guys talked about it all week, that we had to have a good game for the fans,” said Blais, whose team closes out its two-game series at 7:05 Saturday night. “Now we want to have a good showing again tomorrow.”

OSU (11-13-3, 9-9-3-1)................3 1 1 0—5
At UNO (13-12-6, 9-11-3-2)................2 2 1 0—5

First period: 1, OSU, Bishop 6 (Sims, Severyn), 0:34. 2, OSU, Somma 8 (Dalpe, Boyd), 1:56. 3, UNO, Martin 7 (Ambroz, Del Grosso), 6:17. 4, OSU, Somma 9 (Dalpe, Boyd), 6:34. 5, UNO, Ambroz 9 (Fanto, Del Grosso), 11:22.

Second period: 6, OSU, Reed 3 (Schafer, Dalpe), 6:51 (pp). 7, UNO, Broadhurst 6 (Ambroz, Olimb), 11:02 (pp). 8, UNO, Broadhurst 7 (Olimb, Martin), 17:18 (pp).

Third period: 9, UNO, Broadhurst 8 (Richardson, Ambroz), 5:15 (pp). 10, OSU, Severyn 7 (Bartkowski, Dalpe), 18:26 (pp).

Overtime: None.

Shots on goal:

OSU..........8 13 11 2—34
At UNO........13  8  4 2—27

Power plays: OSU 2 for 4; UNO 3 for 5.

Penalties-minutes: OSU 8-16; UNO 7-14.

Goalies: OSU, Heeter (27 shots, 22 saves, 65:00). UNO, Dupont (34 shots, 29 saves, ).

Three stars: 1, Broadhurst. 2, Olimb. 3, Dalpe.

Attendance: 13,417

Contact the writer:

444-1207, chad.purcell@owh.com

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