One reason unranked Omaha pulled off last weekend’s biggest upset victory, on Friday at top-ranked Denver, is a junior Mavericks forward who’s now on a four-game goal streak.
Matt Miller posted a point in eight of his first 11 games this season, and the United States National Team Development Program product scored twice in UNO’s series-opening 3-0 win over the defending national champion Pioneers.
After Cameron Berg scored 12 seconds into the second period, Miller’s goals 1:29 apart quickly gave the Mavericks a commanding lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Former American International goaltender Jake Kucharski finished with 22 saves in his first UNO shutout.
Miller scored another goal and set up two others in UNO’s 6-3 defeat Saturday at DU’s Magness Arena. He now has six goals and 11 points on the season, keeping him on pace to set new career-highs in both categories.
He missed three games with an upper-body injury suffered during UNO’s road sweep Oct. 28-29 at Long Island, but has otherwise kept paying dividends for Mavericks. He was their second-top scorer last season with 10 goals, and in 2020-21, he led the team’s freshmen with eight.
None of this surprises UNO coach Mike Gabinet.
“Every year, he continues to get better and take steps,” Gabinet said of Miller. “He’s an elite person and an extremely hard worker. He has really embraced our development model, and he continues to excel. He’s going to do nothing but continue to improve.
“When you get somebody with Matt Miller’s work ethic and character, what we like to talk about is developing our players, and we’re a good fit with each other. He’s hungry to learn and get better, and we’re hungry to teach him and help him grow.”
An Indiana native who committed to Michigan State at 16, Miller is making a habit of starting seasons well. He scored his first two UNO goals in his second game as a freshman, and was the NCHC’s spotlighted rookie that week during the COVID-era conference pod on the Mavericks’ home ice. He then scored goals in four of the team’s first five games last season.
He has continued to be a difference-maker since then, and his absence was felt in the Mavericks’ second game at LIU and a loss and tie the following weekend against North Dakota. Since his return, Miller has posted a combined five goals and seven points in back-to-back splits against Minnesota Duluth and Denver.
“It’s nice to have him back, not only as a player but as a leader, as well,” Gabinet said. “He’s been consistent from the start of the year, and I don’t think he was scoring at the same rate, but you can tell his process is very good.
“He just stuck with it, and practices the exact same way he plays, so it was just a matter of time before he got hot like he currently is.”
When asked what he wants to see Miller do going forward, starting this weekend at home to Western Michigan, Gabinet suggested that more of the same would do.
“He’s doing it,” Gabinet said. “He just has to stick with his consistent approach to every game, and he’s going to be just fine.”
