It was a rough winter break for hockey.

After winning three in a row pre-break, the team hit a skid during the month away from classes. Playing only five games during the span, the Huskies (15-13-4) lost all five.

It began in mid-December, with two losses to SIU-Edwardsville. SIU-E won the first game handily by a score of 6-3.

The next day looked like a different story as the Huskies took SIU-E to overtime, but allowed a goal just 13 seconds into the extra period to lose 5-4.

After enjoying a little over three weeks of break, NIU went back to the grind, visiting DePaul for a back-to-back series on Jan. 7 and 8.

The long layoff didn’t seem to help the Huskies, who lost both games by a combined score of 17-4.

Losing four in a row is tough, but the fifth one could very well have been the toughest.

Only trailing Illinois State by three points for third place in the MACHA Gold Division standings heading into a Jan. 9 match up, NIU put seven goals on the board. Under most circumstances, that would be enough for a big win.

The Huskies’ defense faltered, however, allowing the Redbirds to score an eighth and final goal in overtime to fall 8-7.

Despite NIU’s continued struggles, the team was able to right the ship once out of conference competition.

The Huskies came back strong to wallop Robert Morris in back-to-back non-conference games by scores of 7-0 and 16-3. Junior Colin Phelan notched a hat trick in the first game, while senior Mike Sible and freshman Joe Boris combined for an impressive seven goals in the second.

“The team is confident moving forward,” Sible said. “We’re looking to finish the next six games strong and carry some momentum into the playoffs.”

As it stands, NIU resides in fourth place in the MACHA Gold Division. Of the nine teams in the division, the top six will make the playoffs, with the top two having a first-round bye. SIU-Edwardsville (24 points), Illinois State (22), and St. Louis University (18) have all clinched, while NIU (14), Missouri State (8), and Iowa (8) jockey for playoff position with only six total and four conference games left.

“I think we should be okay,” said NIU head coach Greg Chromy. “As long as we win a couple of these last six games, we will lock up a top six spot and see how it goes.”

The odds are in the Huskies favor to clinch a top six spot, but they can officially sew things up with just one win against conference rival and cellar dweller Loyola University when they play a back-to-back on Jan. 21 and 22.

It would be the first time since the 2006-07 season that the Huskies have made the MACHA playoffs.