Minnesota Duluth, ranked No. 3 in the latest USCHO poll, has played each of its four games to thrilling finishes so far in the pod, winning each contest by two goals or less. An opening 5-3 win over Omaha was followed by a 2-1 victory over No. 9 Denver, and then clutch wins over Miami by respective scores of 5-3 and 4-2. 

Nick Swaney paces the Bulldogs (4-0) with one goal and eight points, followed by Kobe Roth's five goals and six points. The Bulldogs have also seemingly found Hunter Shepard's replacement in Ryan Fanti, who has won three games and posted a goals-against-average of 2.33 and a save percentage of .919 so far. 

No. 13 St. Cloud State had a three-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to Western Michigan on Wednesday afternoon, giving the Huskies a 3-1 record through four pod games. Five players have recorded three points each for St. Cloud State, pointing to a balanced lineup that begun play in Omaha with a pair of one-goal victories over Western Michigan and Denver. The Huskies (3-1) have been at their best in the third period this season, giving up just two of their 11 allowed goals in the final frame. 

Preseason No. 1 North Dakota (3-1) fell to Denver on Dec. 8 for its first loss of the season after downing Miami 2-0, Denver 4-3, and Western Michigan 8-2. 2020 NCHC Forward of the Year Jordan Kawaguchi is back to his productive ways, tallying five points in four games. Shane Pinto leads the team with two goals and seven points. The Fighting Hawks will be without standout defenders Tyler Kleven and Jake Sanderson for the time being, with both players leaving the pod for Team USA's World Junior Championships camp in Plymouth, Mich.

Losses to Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State are the only blemishes so far for No. 18 Omaha, which thumped Colorado College 6-1 on Wednesday night to pick up its third win. Like St. Cloud State, the Mavericks have several players tied for the scoring lead. Jason Smallidge, Brandon Scanlin, Chayse Primeau, and Matt Miller have all recorded six points through five games. 

Ninth-ranked Denver (1-3) picked up its first win of the season on Dec. 8, eking out a 3-2 win over North Dakota. Freshman sensation Carter Savoie has turned the pod into his own personal stage, racking up five goals and getting the game-winner against the Fighting Hawks. Savoie's five tallies tie him with Minnesota Duluth's Kobe Roth for the conference lead. Mike Benning follows in the Pioneers' scoring pecking order with five assists. 

Western Michigan (1-3-1) picked up its first win on Wednesday by edging St. Cloud State 2-1, ending a four-game winless stretch for the Broncos. Partly hampering WMU has been the injury to starting goaltender Brandon Bussi, who was hurt in the season's first game. Senior Austin Cain has played in Bussi's stead, with freshman Alex Aslanidis also chipping in. Joash Passolt and Paul Washe are tied for the team's scoring lead with five points each.

Colorado College (0-1-1) was the last team to arrive in the pod and has only played twice so far. The Tigers are still getting their legs under them, and have begun their time in Omaha with a 3-3 tie with Western Michigan and a 6-1 loss to the host Mavericks. Through two games, Josiah Slavin leads the team in scoring with three points, all assists. 

While Miami's 0-4 record doesn't look great on paper, the Redhawks may take some comfort in the fact that all four losses came by two goals or less, including two defeats at the hands of conference-leader Minnesota Duluth. The Redhawks have struggled to score, netting just six goals in four games, but have had admirable goaltending play. Ben Kraws and and Ludvig Persson have split time equally between the pipes, and Kraws leads the NCHC with a .926 save percentage.