At this point of the season, Northampton head hockey Brian Ruff and his players will take what is given them in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League (LVSHL) this season.

It hasn't been a typical season for the defending Non-Pure division champions. With the LVSHL adopting a one-league format of eight teams having the top four make the postseason, Northampton appeared to be a lock to make another title run, likely facing former perennial Pure Division champion Parkland for the new title.

Instead, Ruff spent the season searching for answers and solutions for his team's consistent problems. The Kids muddled through the early part of the season and uncharacteristically found themselves near the basement of the league and veering away from a playoff spot.

"I have never had a team like this," said Ruff, who has been coaching hockey for 22 years. "I just couldn't put my finger on what exactly was wrong with this team. We would look good in practice and then not show up for an entire game.

"After a while, it looked like we just didn't have the team chemistry we have had in the past. It (chemistry) was a big part of our success in the past. We had a few players from Whitehall join after their team disbanded and maybe that was it.

"But we finally thought it was the lack of chemistry and having some kids not put forth the effort. However, we still believed we could turn things around."

In the past two weeks, the Kids have been playing up to their potential. After they lost a 7-5 shootout to Emmaus, Northampton rallied to defeat second-place Phillipsburg, 4-2, and then downed Liberty/Southern Lehigh 4-1.

The consecutive victories left the Kids within two points of the fourth and final playoff spot with three games remaining.

Northampton will finish the season against Liberty/Southern Lehigh and Quakertown/Pleasant Valley, both of whom are below them in the standings.

If they can win their final three games, the Kids should be in good shape. Central/Beca and Freedom will face each other twice, and Freedom also has two games against Phillipsburg. Central/ Beca's other remaining game is against third-place Emmaus.

Whitehall's Matthew Emerick leads the team with 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points, and Derrick Wruble has 10 goals and six assists for 16 points.

"We should be in this spot, but we have to finish strong," said Ruff. "If we are not motivated or focused then that falls back on us coaches. But these kids appear to be back and track and want to get to the playoffs."