There are only three league series this weekend, but still plenty on the line in the WCHA. There are just three weeks left in the regular season and a lot to still be sorted out in that time.

Minnesota State, Michigan Tech, and Bowling Green have already clinched spots in the playoffs, with the Mavericks and Huskies having secured home ice advantage. The Falcons can do the same this weekend against Northern Michigan. After that, though, everything is still up for grabs. Five of the remaining six playoff-eligible teams — all of which are in action this weekend — can finish anywhere from fourth place and home ice to last place and missing the playoffs. Only Lake Superior State can’t finish higher than fifth.

In the Polls: Following its winless weekend against Alaska last time out, Minnesota State dropped to No. 2 in this week’s USCHO.com poll. Michigan Tech moved up a spot to No. 4 and Bowling Green held steady at No. 8. Bemidji State (3) is the only WCHA that received votes in the poll.

The Mavericks still hold the top spot in the Pairwise rankings, though, while the Huskies and Falcons check in at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. No other WCHA team is in the top 25.

Around the League: 

Northern Michigan (11-13-6, 8-10-4 WCHA) at No. 8 Bowling Green (18-7-5, 14-5-3)

Bowling Green will be looking to clinch home ice advantage as it plays host to a Northern Michigan team seeking to regain a leg up on its home ice rivals.

The Falcons need just one point, or a two point or less weekend from Bemidji State, to ensure they host a first round series. The Wildcats, meanwhile, no longer find themselves in the driver’s seat for home ice. After being swept by the Beavers at home last weekend, Bemidji State now holds the tiebreaker for the fourth and final spot. The two teams enter this weekend in a tie for fifth place with 20 points.

The last time these two teams met, we saw a pair of high-scoring games. BGSU took three of four points from Northern Michigan, scoring 10 goals in the process in a 5-5 tie and 5-0 win. That weekend remains the Falcons’ season-high for goals scored in a series. Bowling Green is coming off a loss, but that may be a good omen. The Falcons are unbeaten (5-0-1) this season in games following a defeat.

BGSU junior goaltender Tommy Burke has started three of the Falcons’ last four games and is undefeated (3-0-0) with a .953 save percentage in that stretch.

Northern Michigan is slipping and finds itself in a heated race for home ice advantage. The Wildcats have lost four straight and are just 3-8-3 since the second half began. It won’t get any easier against Bowling Green’s No. 15-ranked offense. NMU has struggled against teams currently ranked in the top-15 nationally in scoring, allowing an average of 4.2 goals per game and is just 1-5-4 in such contests.

Alaska-Anchorage (7-17-4, 6-17-1) at Bemidji State (12-14-4, 8-10-4)

The Beavers now lead the logjam of teams competing for home ice advantage and can further that position with a strong weekend against Alaska-Anchorage, which is trying to fights its way out of the league cellar and into playoff position.

The two teams are coming off very different weekends. The Beavers got a momentum-building road sweep of Northern Michigan that has them set up nicely in the playoff race, while the Seawolves were pasted by Michigan Tech. UAA gave up 15 goals in the two-game series, including 10 in the finale. Its offense is struggling as well, with just one goal in the last three games.

Anchorage’s current six-game losing streak hasn’t been pretty. In that time, the Seawolves have allowed over five goals (5.33) per game, while scoring just over one (1.33) per game, and have lost by an average margin of four goals.

After earning its first back-to-back road wins of the season last weekend, Bemidji State returns home where it is unbeaten in its last seven games (5-0-2). The Beavers have not lost at the Sanford Center since a 6-3 setback to St. Cloud State on Nov. 28. Including this weekend, four of their next six games to close out the regular season are at home.

Freshman goaltender Michael Bitzer continues to impress for Bemidji State. The Moorhead, Minn., native has started 14-straight games and has a 1.28 goals against average and .947 save percentage in that span. The Beavers are 8-4-2 in that time.

Ferris State (12-18-1, 9-13-0) at Alabama-Huntsville (8-18-4, 7-14-1)

Ferris State heads south to face Alabama-Huntsville with the teams separated by just three points in the standings. The Bulldogs are still in the thick of the home ice race, coming in just two points behind Bemidji State and Northern Michigan, while the Chargers can put themselves in the conversation with a good weekend at home.

Alabama-Huntsville went up to Big Rapids earlier this season and earned what was then a surprising split. With the strides they’ve made since then, the Chargers shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone anymore. As a result, they are on the verge of playing in the postseason for the first time in four years.. They’ve won three of their last six conference games and took two of three points on the road last weekend against Lake Superior State. They’re also undefeated (4-0-0) in their last four conference home games.

Sophomore goaltender Carmine Guerriero was again spectacular for the Chargers against LSSU, posting a .961 save percentage in the series. He returns home this weekend, where he’s among the best in the league. Guerriero’s save percentage (.933) at home this season is tied for No. 1 in the WCHA.

Ferris State snapped a seven-game skid with an OT win at Bowling Green last Saturday, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier having to make the long trip to Huntsville. The Bulldogs have just three wins in their last 12 games and have lost six of eight on the road over that stretch. The offense’s struggled have been a major factor in that, having scored two goals or less in seven of its past eight games, but FSU is still within striking distance of home ice with six games left.

Sophomore Jared VanWormer is coming off a big weekend for the Bulldogs. He was involved in every FSU goal against Bowling Green, totaling two goals, including the OT-winner on Saturday, and four points in the series. Ferris State has to hope the rest of the offense similarly catches fire as the season winds to a close.

Byes: No. 2 Minnesota State, No. 4 Michigan Tech, Alaska, Lake Superior State

Friday, February 20th, 2015 - 4:34 pm | Commentary