Savage scores twice, as Columbus downs Jets Friday night in a game “completely characteristic of what we pride ourselves in with this program”
- Dickie Dunn
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
Columbus, OH — The Columbus Mavericks made program history this weekend, earning their first-ever victory over the Metro Jets on Friday night before following it up with a 3–0 shutout win against the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday. The two-game sweep marked one of the most significant weekends in the team’s seven-year history and sent Columbus into next weekend’s Tennessee road trip with confidence and momentum.
Weekend in a Paragraph
Columbus finally broke through against a longtime division rival Friday, grinding out a 5–4 comeback win over the Metro Jets behind a two-goal performance from Brian Savage. The next night, the Mavericks doubled down with one of their most complete efforts to date — a 3–0 shutout of the Cincinnati Cyclones backstopped by goaltender Lukáš Kamenický, who turned aside all 38 shots he faced.
Standouts
• Brian Savage — Scored twice Friday night, including a crucial goal to spark the comeback against Metro.
• Lukáš Kamenický — Stopped 38 shots Saturday to secure his first shutout of the season.
• Giovanni Valentine — Recorded five points over the weekend, continuing to pace the team and division in scoring.
• Dennis Horný — Suited up for his first games of the season this weekend and contributed on the scoresheet in both games.
Quote of the Weekend
“I’m proud of the resilience we showed Friday night. Sav popped an early one, but we fell behind 3–1 after one and almost looked dead to rights. We gave up over 20 shots in the first, but then got going on both ends of the ice, holding them to under 10 shots per period in the second and third. It was a big win for our program, but we’re much closer to the starting line than we are the finish line. We need to make sure this is a stepping stone for our season, not the high point.”
— Head Coach and GM Joey Recktenwald
How It Happened
Friday vs. Metro Jets
The Mavericks entered the night determined to end a long drought against one of the USPHL’s perennial powerhouses — and they delivered. After falling behind 3–1 in the opening frame, Columbus flipped the game’s momentum midway through the second period. Brian Savage led the charge, scoring twice to energize the bench and turn the tide. The Mavericks tightened up defensively and found timely offense to pull ahead late, then held off Metro’s final push to secure a thrilling 5–4 victory — the first in franchise history against the Jets.
Saturday vs. Cincinnati Cyclones
There was no letdown the following night. Columbus carried Friday’s momentum into a dominant defensive showing, limiting Cincinnati’s quality chances while maintaining offensive pressure throughout. Lukáš Kamenický stood tall in goal, denying all 38 Cyclone attempts to complete the shutout. Three different Mavericks found the back of the net in a disciplined, complete effort to close out the weekend sweep.
Notables & Trends
• Historic first: Friday marked the Mavericks’ first-ever win over Metro in their seven-year program history.
• Savage leads the way: Two-goal performance set the tone for Columbus’s biggest win of the season.
• Team response: After allowing three goals in the first period Friday, the Mavs D and goaltending took over, allowing only one more goal the rest of the weekend.
• Special teams shine: Columbus capitalized on the power play and killed off all penalties during Saturday’s shutout.
• Balanced lineup: Depth scoring and steady defensive rotations helped maintain pace across both games.
Lineup Notes
The Mavericks were missing a few key pieces this weekend in both games. The team looks to rebound this week and take a healthier lineup to face Red River.
The Mavericks traded forward Eric Hartwig to the Colorado Fighting Elk prior to the weekend.
Up Next
The Mavericks will travel south for a two-game series against the Red River Spartans in Tennessee next weekend. Columbus looks to build on its historic sweep and continue establishing an identity built on structure, effort, and resilience.
