With time winding down to make a push for National Collegiate Hockey Conference postseason seeding, Omaha proved it intends to be a factor by sweeping the team picked to win the league in the preseason.

The Mavericks (19-13) backed up their 5-2 win over No. 8 St. Cloud State Friday with a 5-1 victory on Saturday at Baxter Arena that pulled them into a fifth-place tie with the Huskies in the NCHC standings.

Taylor Ward and Kirby Proctor staked Omaha to a 2-0 first-period advantage it would never relinquish in the series finale. Isaiah Saville made 28 saves as Omaha knocked off SCSU for the third time this season.

"It was an unreal weekend for us," Proctor said. "It just shows how tenacious and how hungry we are as a group. We're just not done yet. There's still enough time to make a push, and we're going to do that."

Proctor's goal, during four-on-four play, 7:06 into the opening period stood as the game-winner. Ward got the Mavericks started two minutes earlier when he played a puck off the boards to net the first goal.

Omaha kept that 2-0 advantage until SCSU's Sam Hentges scored 1:30 into the third. Tyler Weiss answered for the Mavericks in just 72 seconds, and Omaha put the Huskies away from there. Kevin Conley added an empty-net goal with 1:28 remaining, then Ty Mueller iced the game with a final-minute score.

With the sweep, Omaha quickly put its recent struggles during a three-week road swing behind it.

"We've been playing some good hockey," Maverick coach Mike Gabinet said. "I still believe that. Nobody's believing me, but you're seeing it this weekend. We've been playing some good hockey, but we just haven't been getting rewarded. … Again, it's just about will over skill. You've got to stick with it."

Omaha has one fewer game remaining than the Huskies as the teams potentially battle for the No. 5 spot in the upcoming NCHC playoffs. Each also, mathematically, could still be a host in the postseason.

"I think we just build off of this weekend," Saville said. "I think a big message we've had in the locker room lately is 'believe' and staying in the moment. We're only promised right now. … We just have to stay present – not looking back at the past and not looking into the future."