The cold temperatures and mouths with a few missing teeth mean hockey season is back at Colorado Mesa University and the Mavericks are looking to capitalize on the season that surprised last year.
In only their third year of existence, CMU made it to Regionals last season and went 18-7 in the regular season, surpassing their previous win record of 11. A talented upper class of players and a new class of freshman have the Mavericks set up for another memorable run.
Head coach Tim Winegard was the inaugural head coach for the Mavericks and has been with the team ever since.
“On the heels of a successful season, our goal is to make nationals,” Winegard said. “I wouldn’t say that if we didn’t have a significant chance.”
The leadership of last year is returning with a vengeance to elevate what was already a successful outing last season, but the new rookie class is the talk on the ice. Young players made the cut and are looking to leave their mark.
“The rookie crop this year is something special,” Winegard said. “Our team is even better than last year so I don’t see any reason why we would lose a hockey game.”
CMU started the season the way they left off last year with a dominating win over Utah Valley State on Friday. The Mavericks started fast and hard, scoring three goals in the first, not allowing Utah Valley State to see the light of day.
UVU would eventually thread the needle and score two goals; however, all the light of day was pulled out from under them as the Mavericks scored another four goals in the second to go up 7-2.
The third period was no less exciting than the previous two. CMU would finish off Utah Valley with another two goals and win the season opener 9-3.
The route would continue into Saturday. The Mavericks onslaught did not slow down as they started the second game the same way as they started the first, going up 3-0 early in the first period.
Utah Valley would still not find the light of day as they only managed to put up one goal in the second as CMU would score another four against a struggling Wolverines defense.
CMU would go onto the win the game 10-2 and start the season 2-0 much as everyone predicted. CMU outscored UVU 19-5 in the last two games.
The Mavericks will travel to the Colorado School of Mines to play consecutive games against the Orediggers.
The Mavericks split the full season series with Colorado Mines last year 2-2.
