Firstly and most importantly, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s pod happened. All 38 games of it.

“What we learned in here today is that the right mitigation measures and the right steps taken by a lot of people can help keep the environment fairly safe,” league commissioner Josh Fenton said.

“We believe we had absolutely zero active infection across all Tier I personnel for the entire duration of the pod.”

Fenton estimated around 3,000 COVID-19 tests were administered over the three weeks. Clearing everyone upon arrival was challenging, as expected to some degree, but the league had a protocol in place to address prior positives. Further testing took place and the show went on.

“To play eight games in 14 days against that high level of teams was really fun. I love defending those guys. I thought it was a great experience,” Colorado College senior Zach Berzolla said. “The conference did a helluva job for us.”

It will be impossible to insulate the members of the NCHC like that during the second half, when games are set to take place at home arenas. Fenton said the league expects disruptions.

Fifteen skaters, two goaltenders and a minimum number of coaching and medical staff will be required to play. CC already has two games — scheduled for the pod but postponed due to a prior two-week quarantine — that await new dates. It will be remarkable if those are the only games that move.

Once they clear that massive hurdle, the CC Tigers (2-4-2) have laid the groundwork for 2021. They are set to take a few days off, then resume practicing right after Christmas before opening the travel portion of the season by hosting Denver on Jan. 1.

Here are a few of the things we saw from them in Omaha, Neb.

Goaltending battle

One assumed freshman Dominic Basse, making his college hockey debut with attention-grabbing size (6-foot-6) and the Chicago Blackhawks logo next to his name, would be in a supporting role, at least at first. He’d watch returner Matt Vernon, help with back-to-back games and learn the ropes.

That escalated quickly.

Basse earned his first start in Game 4 after Vernon struggled. He went the rest of the way, drawing praise for his calming demeanor and rebound control. He has a 2.21 goals-against average and .914 save percentage and the Tigers have two goaltenders who can go on any given night for the first time since a brief stretch last fall.

Highs and lows

The parity of the league was on display when winless Colorado College took out previously undefeated Minnesota-Duluth. It was a complete, dominating performance. When the Bulldogs made a mistake, the Tigers made them pay, as the good ones do. CC also didn’t shy away from some run-and-gun hockey against a usually stacked two-time defending national champion.

The Tigers then turned around and beat Miami. However that was it for outright wins. The Tigers took two more points in shootouts thanks to steady goaltending and an adjustable move from the team’s youngest member, freshman Hunter McKown.

CC showed flashes of brilliance in the first half last season, but struggled to string solid efforts together. A squandered three-goal lead against St. Cloud State and a thrashing from slumping Western Michigan kept the pod record from being something to brag about.

Grant support

Grant Cruikshank took a confident step forward, as hoped. The junior CC team captain averaged a point per game in the pod and scored six times, putting him one away from the national lead.

Haviland put him, Josiah Slavin and Patrick Cozzi together for the Minnesota-Duluth game and found the right recipe. Cozzi scored a long-awaited first goal while Slavin had seven points (two goals, five assists) and was usually to be found buzzing around the net looking for more.

“I think we found a No. 1 line,” Haviland said.

There are several good signs there after the Tigers graduated their steadiest point producers. But the lower lines need to be dangerous as well in order for the team to compete in the conference.

The freshmen

Basse was the top story, but defensemen Jack Millar and Nicklas Andrews slid easily into the lineup and played well, fourth-liner Logan Will scored twice and Jackson Jutting proved a versatile center before he suffered an illegal hit that marred his pod experience. Jordan Biro (two assists) looked right on the verge of contributing further and once he settles in, McKown showed he has the hockey smarts to carve out a regular lineup spot.

“I was really impressed with the freshmen,” Haviland said. “I think we threw them into the battle here. No nonconference games. We had nine freshmen, some nights 10, playing here, most out of anybody in this conference.”

Uneven strength

Colorado College’s power play connected at a clip of 13%, second-to-last in the league. The penalty kill was worse — last at 65.4% and tied for second for most goals allowed, despite playing two fewer games than everyone else.

“It’s an area that has to be better,” Haviland said.

The PK units never have to see the ice if the Tigers stay out of the box, which was a struggle at points in the pod.