As the curtain closed on the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s ambitious 38-game “pod,” the host Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks got to roll into the holidays as victors.

Colorado College was on the receiving end, blanked 3-0 on Monday afternoon in the three-week event’s final game.

CC was the reason there was a game at all Monday. After a positive COVID-19 test delayed the Tigers’ departure and sidetracked final preparations, they finished a run of eight games in 14 days at 2-4-2 and sixth in the NCHC.

“Our guys have battled. Three games in four nights here, it’s a lot of hockey,” coach Mike Haviland said.

Grant Cruikshank’s four-game scoring streak ended. His six goals are one behind a three-way tie for first in the country.

Cruikshank’s top line had some of CC’s best chances, but Omaha goaltender Isaiah Saville turned aside the Tigers for the second time in the pod and notched his first shutout of the season. The Mavericks supplemented his effort with a goal in each period.

“Today was a tough game for us, but we’ve got to kind of put it behind us, take our momentum from the pod here and move on for after the new year,” senior Zach Berzolla said.

With 31 seconds left in the first period, Kevin Conley one-timed a pass from Brandon Scanlin past Dominic Basse (27 saves). The power-play goal made it 1-0.

On the second goal, the puck dribbled out of the faceoff circle. Jack Randl zoomed out of the formation and threw it at the net, where it soared over Basse’s glove. It was determined to have been tipped by Martin Sundberg.

Tyler Weiss made it official in the third period when he brought the puck out of a mess along the boards and beat Basse from long range.

Saville protected the win and the shutout, shouldering down a bouncing shot from Josiah Slavin and denying Ben Copeland on a breakaway with 12 seconds left.

“I’m proud of the guys the way they battled. I thought we got better as the pod went on,” Haviland said. “We’ve got a lot of positive things we’ve got to take out of here and move forward.”

Colorado College now dives into West Division play in the travel portion of the season. The Battle for the Gold Pan against Denver gets underway in Colorado Springs on Jan. 1.