Friday Morning Skate

Minnesota State will conclude its tour of Alaska today and Saturday when it plays Alaska. If you're looking closely at how the Mavericks have compiled their 16-6-0 record, you'll come across their power-play numbers pretty quickly. They scored six times with the man advantage last weekend and their success-rate is second in the country.

For more on the series, read my College Hockey Gameday feature.

For a preview from the Fairbanks side, including a feature on Nanooks sophomore Kyle Marino, go here.

ICYMI, my Tuesday column focused on the Mavericks' continued excellent road record, which, even after playing Alaska Anchorage, looks a lot easier than it really is.

In my College Hockey Notebook this week, I look at the fourth-ranked Gustavus Adolphus women's team, which is on a seven-game winning streak and faces No. 8 St. Thomas this weekend.

Around the WCHA:

Bemidji State vs. North Dakota: The Beavers are playing their biggest nonconference series of the year when they take on the Fighting Hawks. Players are, of course, excited about the opportunity to play the Fighting Sioux. BSU defenseman Zach Whitecloud is drawing a lot of interest from NHL teams.

Bowling Green at Northern Michigan: This should be a good series in Marquette between the second-place Falcons and third-place Wildcats. Just three points separate the two teams in the standings. Bowling Green has won four games in a row, its longest streak of the season. Northern Michigan, meanwhile, is back from break-even weekend in Las Vegas.

Ferris State at Lake Superior State: These are two teams that are trying to get going, sitting in eighth and ninth place, respectively. Remember: the bottom two teams in the WCHA don't make the playoffs, so this series could give the Bulldogs some breathing room or leapfrog the Lakers over Ferris.

Alabama Huntsville at Alaska Anchorage: Somewhere along the Denali highway, I'll bet, Huntsville's bus met Minnesota State's going in opposite directions. The Chargers split at Alaska last week and are hoping for a winning week in Alaska. The Seawolves, meanwhile, are still looking for their first home win of the year and their second overall.