SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Junior forward Zach Urdahl scored only the second hat trick in Frozen Faceoff history to lead No. 11 and fifth-seeded Omaha to a 6-3 win over No. 4 and top-seeded North Dakota Friday in the first NCHC Semifinal at Xcel Energy Center. With the win, the Mavericks (23-11-4) advance to Saturday’s Championship game and will have a chance at their first National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) title.
 
The Fighting Hawks (26-11-2) grabbed an early lead thanks to junior Jackson Kunz slamming home a goal only 1:18 into the contest. NCHC Player of the Year Jackson Blake set up the score with a drive to the net and back-door pass, earning his 100th career point in only his 78th collegiate game with the primary assist.
 
Omaha tallied the next three goals, however, to take control of the game and never trailed again. Urdahl tied the game for UNO with only 1:30 left in the first period on the power play for his first of the night. Jesse Lansdell found Urdahl for a one-timer below the left circle that beat UND goalie Hobie Hedquist glove-side.
 
Urdahl, who finished with a career-high four points, set up Omaha’s next goal to give the Mavericks their first lead of the night. After Urdahl’s initial shot was saved, senior Matt Miller lit the lamp on the rebound for his seventh goal of the season to put UNO up for good with 13:43 to go in the second period. Senior Jimmy Glynn then gave Omaha a two-goal cushion recording his ninth of the season with 2:54 left in the frame on a wrister from just inside the blue line.
 
Late in the second period, the Fighting Hawks clawed back in the game when Hunter Johannes slammed in a shot from close range. Sophomore Ben Strinden fed the puck down low, where Johannes made it a 3-2 game with only 24 ticks left in the middle stanza for his eighth goal of the year.
 
The Mavericks would not be denied, however, as senior Brock Bremer restored UNO’s two-goal lead only 1:18 into the final frame, slipping one past Hedquist. UND again closed within one at 4-3 on a power play goal from NCHC All-Rookie Team defenseman Jake Livanavage midway through the third period, but that’s as close as North Dakota would get.
 
Urdahl scored his second of the night only 1:08 after Livanavage, deflecting a point shot from sophomore blueliner Griffin Ludtke to make it 5-3 as the Mavs again had a response. Urdahl then sealed his hat trick and the 6-3 win with an empty-netter with less than five minutes to play.
 
Urdahl joins Miami’s Blake Coleman as the only hat tricks in Frozen Faceoff history, with Coleman’s coming in the 2015 championship game. Urdahl now has 13 goals on the season. Along with Urdahl’s four points, Lansdell and Ludtke each finished with a trio of assists, a career high for Ludtke.
 
UNO sophomore netminder Simon Latkoczy, an Honorable Mention All-NCHC selection, racked up 36 saves in the win. North Dakota outshot Omaha, 39-35, despite the loss, including 14-7 in the third period.
 
The Mavericks, who are now 9-1-1 in their last 11 games, will face No. 3 and second-seeded Denver in Saturday’s championship game at Xcel Energy Center. Puck drop is set for 7:38 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.