Friday Morning Skate

Minnesota State is back in the UP for the second time in two weeks (unfortunately, this reporter is not), this time to take on Michigan Tech in its annual Winter Carnival weekend. The Huskies always play well during this big event, for which MSU is the opponent for the first time since 2005. The Mavericks are hoping to treat the weekend like any other and keep improving over the final month of the regular season.

The Mavericks have been getting contributions from all over their lineup over their four-game winning streak. Read about that and more in this week's College Hockey Gameday.

As for the Huskies, Winter Carnival is a big weekend for them, but they, too, are trying to get points and move up the standings in hopes of securing home ice for the first round of next month's WCHA tournament.

Minnesota State is closing in on a second straight MacNaughton Cup. The Mavericks have 54 points and can acquire a max of 72. They won last year with 67 points. Here are the other contending team’s numbers: Bowling Green, 43 points (61 max); Lake Superior State, 41 (59); Northern Michigan, 39 (63); Michigan Tech, 36 (60) and Bemidji State, 34 (58).

Going around the rest of the WCHA ...

Bemidji State at Ferris State: The Beavers are coming off a much-needed bye week and hope to make a late-season push starting on the road at Big Rapids where the Bulldogs, senior Jacob Hetz says, are trying to turn their season around with a late push.

Northern Michigan at Alabama Huntsville: The Wildcats went 1-3-0 at home over the last four games against the top two teams in the conference (MSU and Bowling Green) and now head out on a four-game road swing, starting at Huntsville, where the Chargers are playing their final home games of the season and trying to maintain a playoff spot in the standings.

Alaska Anchorage at Alaska: The Governor's Cup is on the line as the Nanooks host the Seawolves in the battle of Alaska. Alaska has won four of its last five games and currently sits in seventh place. Anchorage has just two wins, one in WCHA play, Although it did win the shootout after a scoreless tie with Michigan Tech in its last game, it hasn't won a game since Dec. 15.

Bowling Green and Lake Superior State, the league's second- and third-place teams are on bye.