OMAHA, NEB. • Colorado College came off a three-week break about the same way it went into it.

The Tigers gave up the first goal, then had trouble slowing down a high-scoring Nebraska-Omaha offense Friday, losing 8-4 despite a hat trick from defenseman Mike Boivin.

“Those guys had tremendous jump,” CC coach Scott Owens said. “You can see why they’re the fourth-highest scoring team in the country, and they were on.”

Josh Archibald had a hat trick for the No. 16 Mavericks, who improved to 12-8-1, 8-4-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. UNO would take over first in the WCHA if it can complete a sweep Saturday.

CC (8-11-2, 5-7-1) saw its winless streak extended to six games (0-5-1) and dropped to 1-8-2 over its past 11 — all against ranked teams. The Tigers are 1-10-2 against ranked teams.

“The effort level was decent, but it was almost like, ‘Here we go again,’” Owens said. “It’d be nice to have a little easier draw to get some confidence. We don’t have a lot of confidence, but you’ve got to keep maturing and growing and when and if the schedule lightens up, we’ll be a better team because of it.”

Freshman Tanner Lane scored the first two goals for UNO. Ryan Walters had a goal and three assists, Matt White had a goal and two assists and Dominic Zombo had three assists.

CC, which hadn’t played since Dec. 15, gave up a goal 1:13 into the game and — after a breakaway goal by Charlie Taft evened things at 4:42 — was forced to play from behind after UNO took a 2-1 lead at 13:18 of the opening period.

“I don’t know if coming off the break had an effect on it,” Owens said. “I guess you could say it did, but you could have been playing these guys in the middle of February and tonight we just had too much difficulty with their speed.”

The Mavericks scored four goals in the first 7:50 of the second period.

“It was a pretty even game up and down, the shots (30 each) indicated that, but we just happened to capitalize on some great goals,” UNO coach Dean Blais said. “When you score eight goals, obviously you’re doing something right.”

UNO’s second-period barrage started as Zahn Raubenheimer raced to pick up a loose puck that had fallen out of the air while defenseman Peter Stoykewych couldn’t find it. Raubenheimer turned the corner in front of Stoykewych and jammed it past Josh Thorimbert while being hooked.

UNO scored on the ensuing power play, after Walters and Archibald skated in 2-on-1. Walters threaded a pass to Archibald in front, and Archibald jammed in his ninth goal of the season and second of the night.

“That was a turning point,” Owens said. “They scored on the rush and then on the power play. That set the tone.”

But CC, which had converted on one of its previous 20 power plays, got within 4-2 as Boivin took a back-door pass and beat John Faulkner high for his seventh goal of the season at 3:39.

But back came UNO. Zombo stickhandled his way from the blue line, to the corner, and then along the goal line to the post and set up Lane.

CC changed goalies, but UNO scored again 25 seconds later. With White forechecking behind the net, Walters jumped on a turnover and scored before Joe Howe could get into position. It was Walters’ national-best 13th goal.

Then Boivin scored again, short-handed around a Mav defenseman on a rush, with 13 seconds left in the second period to give CC a bit of life heading into the third period.

Boivin made it 6-4 with a goal with 4:52 left, but White took advantage of an out-of-position Howe after a tricky bounce behind the net just 17 seconds later to take the lead back to three goals.

“I don’t want to say the kids are discouraged,” Owens said. “It would be nice to get a couple more positive things happening for us because there are parts of our game that aren’t too bad.”