We spent a good portion of the second half praising the UNO hockey team's balance — and for good reason. It was an uncanny type of team effort that helped the Mavs go 10-3-1 down the stretch heading into this weekend's second-round playoff series at Ferris State.

But on Saturday night, the Bulldogs proved another old hockey truism: One great line can make all the difference in the world.

Not to suggest that Ferris isn't a deep team — because Bob Daniels' squad definitely has plenty of talent. But on Saturday night, when the Bulldogs worked out the 3-2 overtime win that ended UNO's season, the line of Casey Haines, Blair Riley and Cody Chupp were simply fantastic.

Mavs coach Dean Blais knew his team controlled play for the bulk of the night on Saturday, and Daniels definitely didn't argue with that assertion.

But the Haines-Riley-Chupp combination came up huge at the most important moments. Riley scored the first goal of the game early in the first period off assists from his two linemates. Haines ended the game by clicking just 23 seconds into overtime, with both Riley and Chupp setting up Haines on the play.

The goal that sent UNO into the offseason happened in a flash, and it was a kick to the gut that will hurt the Mavs for a long time.

But it was no fluke.

Those three players are the Bulldogs' three leading scorers, and Blais credited them for making the difference in the series.

For Haines, it was his team-best fifth game-winning goal of the season, including his third in overtime. Haines is tied for the lead in the CCHA in game-winning goals.

On the flip side of the coin, you also have to give credit to Ferris' team defense for shutting down the Mavs' top weapons. UNO entered the second round with a league-high six double-digit goal scorers. Jeric Agosta had 15; Rich Purslow and Alex Hudson each had 14; Terry Broadhurst had 13; and Joey Martin and Matt Ambroz had 10 apiece.

None of those players scored this weekend. Instead, UNO got a single goal late in Friday's game from John Kemp. Then on Saturday, the Mavs' fourth line pairing of Dan Swanson, Jordan Willert and Brent Gwidt (who looked nothing like a fourth line on this night) did all of the damage.

Swanson and Willert assisted on defenseman Nick Von Bokern's first goal of the season. Just 16 seconds later, a Gwidt pass sprung Willert and Swanson free for a 2-on-1 rush, which ended with Swanson banging in his seventh of the season.

"I didn't think (Ferris) had more than seven or eight quality shots all night," Blais said. "But that's what a good hockey team is going to do -- they're going to find a way to put it in.

"Our so-called fourth line got both goals tonight, then Johnny Kemp had the one goal last night. We didn't have our top players really producing, and you've got to have that. They had their top guys going, but for some reason we just didn't."

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