Cyclone hockey coach Jason Fairman will experience the Cy-Hawk rivalry for the first time this weekend, but to him it is just another series.

Fairman hopes his players take the same attitude against the Hawkeyes on Friday at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena and on Saturday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. For him, this is just another week for the No. 10 Cyclone Hockey team (26-8-2, 11-5-0 CSCHL) to get ready for the looming playoffs.

“I am fully aware of the crowd and the excitement surrounding the series,” Fairman said. “But preparing the team is going to be just like another series for me. I know in my mind what I need to be doing to get us to where we need to be.”

Fairman feels the Cyclones need to improve on missed scoring opportunities and crisp passing if they are to make a deep run in the playoffs. He believes the series with Iowa gives Iowa State a chance to develop those skills on the ice, but it is a work in progress.

“I don’t have a base yet for this team,” Fairman said. “We don’t have a base system that we all understand to build on and go to something else. A lot of this stuff is new to these guys.”  

In last week’s series with Ohio, Fairman said he saw this base begin to take shape. Defenseman Mike Dopko thinks the Cyclones need to continue to build on that foundation heading into the series with the Hawkeyes.  

“The key to the series is to keep playing the way we have been,” Dopko said. “They may be a weaker opponent, but we need to stick to do what we do well. We need to do what is going to make us successful down the stretch.”

Fairman also fears, since the Hawkeyes are a Division II club, the Cyclones will score early and revert to an individual style of play. To combat this, Fairman has warned his team not to get wrapped up in the hype of the rivalry.  

ISU goalie Scott Ismond has never started a game against Iowa, but will be between the pipes this weekend. He sees the two games as a stepping-stone to forming good habits for upcoming games against conference rival Lindenwood.

“We know Lindenwood is going to want back after we swept them here,” Ismond said. “So when we go into to their house in Missouri, we know that they are going try to even the score. So developing good habits this week is a good start, so we are at that Lindenwood level through this week and going into next week.”

The Cyclones haven’t lost to the Hawkeyes in more than five years, but Fairman isn’t ruling out the possibility of an upset.

“They [Iowa] come here in front of a packed house, they might get all fired up,” Fairman said. “If they come down and score the first goal, it could change the whole complexion of the game.”