Three weeks left in the college hockey season. If your a bubble team you have to start your push this weekend to make up ground in your conference and national standings. If your outside the top 13 in the National rankings you’re in trouble. If your in the top 13 your fighting like hell to stay there. Here are the big tilts to keep an eye on this weekend.
Friday/Saturday 7pm MT on CBS Sports: The battle of two goliaths, #4 Minnesota Duluth travels to #7 Denver. The last time these two met the split. Both teams can’t afford to lose ground this weekend. Duluth wants a number one seed in the NCHC and NCAA Tournament. Whereas Denver is looking to give some cushion in the standings to make the NCAA Tournament on an at large bid.
Friday 7pm ECT, ESPN+: Quinnipiac looks to stop their slide after a split last weekend. On Friday they face #20 Union. Should be a tough matchup for the Bobcats as the last time these two faced off the Dutchmen beat the Bobcats 5-1.
Friday/Saturday 7:15pm ECT, Providence travels to UMass Lowell. Lowell sits in the key number 10 spot in the national rankings while Providence is on the Bubble in the thirteen spot. Both teams would like to take two wins away this weekend in the competitive Hockey East matchup. A split could allow both teams to maintain their position in the national poll.
Friday/Saturday 6pm ECT on BTN, #2 Ohio State hosts the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Buckeyes jumped into the number two slot this week and can’t afford to stop their winning streak now. The Gophers were waxed by Penn State last week and will be hungry to bounce back and gain a mental edge in the impending Big Ten Tournament.
Friday/Saturday 7pm MTS: #12 Arizona State host American Int. These games are huge. The Sun Devils are 12th in the country and can’t afford a false step if they hope to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Arizona St. does not belong to a conference so they can’t qualify through a conference playoff. In just their fourth year the Sun Devils look to prove you can play good hockey in the desert.
thoughtsfromthebench.com 