OXFORD, Ohio — The game represented the last chance for UNO to ever gain a point in the CCHA standings.

Not only did the Mavericks seize the opportunity Saturday night, they notched one of the biggest wins in program history, to boot.

Alex Hudson, Nick Fanto and Rich Purslow each finished with a goal and an assist, leading the UNO hockey team to an inspired 4-2 win over top-ranked Miami.

One week after sweeping Michigan for the first time in school history — and one night after getting thoroughly outplayed in a 6-2 series-opening loss to the RedHawks — the Mavs used a spectacular team effort to record the program’s first win over a No. 1 team in nine years.

“It’s definitely a great feeling,” said Fanto, who scored the first goal of the game for his 50th career point. “We didn’t play our best game yesterday, but we played great tonight and really had a good time out there. For me, being a senior, and this being our program’s last regular-season CCHA game, this one’s just really special.”

Not since the University of Nebraska at Omaha swept Michigan State in October 2001 had the Mavs upended the top-rated team in the country. UNO, which entered the weekend with only three road wins all season, now is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.

“Win or lose, we just needed to get back to playing our game — and we did that,” said UNO coach Dean Blais, who criticized his team for playing without much emotion Friday night. “Whether we beat them or not, at least we competed with them tonight. The beating them was just a bonus.”

Matt Ambroz also scored for UNO, while Eddie Del Grosso had an assist to move his career point total to 104. Del Grosso now is just four points shy of becoming the program’s all-time most productive defenseman.

In net, Jeremie Dupont stopped 26 of 28 shots to improve to 5-3-2. The senior goalie has endured an up-and-down season, but he was rock solid Saturday night.

“It was one of those games where I just felt really stable,” said Dupont, who hadn’t played in the Mavs’ past three contests. “I was real calm and just having a lot of fun making saves. We knew we had to rebound strong after last night, and I think we showed a lot of character in terms of the whole team playing really well.”

The Mavs close out the regular season next weekend at home. In a nonconference matchup of the two teams that will move to the WCHA next season, UNO hosts ninth-ranked Bemidji State on Friday and Saturday at Qwest Center Omaha.

Miami, which clinched the CCHA’s regular-season championship on Feb. 12, held an on-ice ceremony after Saturday night’s loss to celebrate the title. But a bigger scene of jubilation was happening in UNO’s locker room as the Mavs shouted, banged metal lockers and made a joyous racket.

“This is huge for us after last night,” said Hudson, who scored both of the Mavs’ goals Friday. “The guys dug deep to pull this one out. Miami is a really good team, and they brought it tonight. For the guys to put it all on the line, I’m just really proud of them.”

The victory ended a number of impressive streaks for Miami. The RedHawks had won eight straight since mid-January, and they were undefeated (10-0-1) in their previous 11 games since Jan. 10. The Mavs also handed Miami just its second CCHA loss of 2009-10. Going back to late October, the RedHawks were 19-0-4 in their previous 23 contests against the league.

Plus, UNO hadn’t celebrated a win over coach Enrico Blasi’s team since January 2005. Miami had gone 11-0-1 in its last 12 games against the Mavs.

“(UNO) deserved to win tonight,” Blasi said. “They played real hard and did a nice job of dictating the game. It was their night, and I think Dupont made some big saves in the second. They took it to us, and the credit goes to them.”

Fanto gave the Mavs a 1-0 lead 3:55 into the game after he picked up a loose puck at mid-ice, raced into Miami’s zone and put a shot on net that trickled through the legs of RedHawks goalie Connor Knapp.

Miami tied the game with less than a minute to go in the first period, when a turnover allowed Tommy Wingels and Carter Camper to break loose for a two-on-one. Camper blasted a one-timer off Wingels’ pass, and the puck blurred under the crossbar before Dupont could move.

Wingels gave Miami a 2-1 lead at 7:59 of the second period. He zipped the puck into an open net during a scramble in UNO’s crease that had Dupont down after making a pair of saves.

But Purslow’s 12th goal of the year during a rush with Hudson at 11:41 of the second knotted it 2-all. Then 3:56 into the third, Hudson collected the rebound off of Purslow’s shot and buried a power-play goal that would stand as the game-winner. Ambroz clicked at 5:28, and UNO did a flawless job of locking down Miami during the final 14 minutes. The Mavs won the race to loose pucks, battled hard in the corners and allowed Miami to take only four shots total in the final period.

UNO also killed off a late penalty, and the Mavs even prevented the RedHawks from mounting much of an attack after Blasi pulled Knapp for the final 1:31.

“We capitalized on our opportunities and didn’t give them a lot — especially in the third period when the game was on the line,” Blais said. “We played hard, and we got rewarded for our hard work.”

UNO (17-13-6, 13-12-3-2) .......... 1 1 2 — 4

Miami (23-4-6, 20-2-4-2) ............ 1 1 0 — 2

First period: 1, UNO, Fanto 9 (unassisted), 3:55. 2, Miami, Camper 13 (Wingels, McKenzie), 19:03.

Second period: 3, Miami, Wingels 15 (Miele, McKenzie), 7:59. 4, UNO, Purslow 12 (Hudson, Del Grosso), 11:41.

Third period: 5, UNO, Hudson 12 (Purslow), 3:56 (pp). 6, UNO, Ambroz 10 (Fanto, Martin), 5:28.

Shots on goal:

UNO ............ 8 15 8 — 31

Miami .......... 9 15 4 — 28

Power plays: UNO 1 for 7; Miami 0 for 5.

Penalties-minutes: UNO 10-39; Miami 11-30.

Goalies: UNO, Dupont (28 shots, 26 saves, 59:41); Miami, Knapp (31 shots,27 saves, 58:29).

Three stars: 1, Hudson. 2, Fanto. 3, Wingels.

Attendance: 3,297.

Contact the writer:

444-1207, chad.purcell@owh.com

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