For six seniors, this weekend will mark the last time they will play in front of a crowd at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena.

The No. 12 ISU hockey team will play its final home series Feb. 22 and 23 against North Dakota State. For Brandon Clark, David Elliston, Paul Karus, Derek Kohles, David Kurbatsky and Justin Wilkinson, this will be the final home series, with senior night on Feb. 23.

Karus, the most veteran player on the team by one semester, will finish his regular season career against the same team that he started it against. Karus made his first appearance with the Cyclones (22-16-3) against the Bison (4-9-0) on March 7, 2009, when he split the game with former ISU goalie Erik Hudson and stopped all nine shots he faced in a 10-0 win.

“They’re kind of a good team to start and finish against,” Karus said. “I can still remember getting in the net against them my first half-year here, and it was kind of a blast playing against them.”

Karus has played for the Cyclones for 4 and a half years, and was able to redshirt his first year because he stayed under the playing-time limit and didn’t play at nationals, said ISU coach Al Murdoch.

The Cyclones played the Bison on Sept. 21 and Sept. 23, 2012 this season, winning 9-4 and 5-2. Karus started both games against the Bison and gave up four goals on 27 shots against in the first game, and two goals on 28 shots against in the second game.

North Dakota State has won two ACHA National Championships in 1993 and 1994, and one national championship in 1991, just before the ACHA was founded.

“It’s been long enough ago that I think the current team’s forgotten that, and they’re not as good, but they’re not bad,” Murdoch said. “So the biggest emphasis is getting 28 players in the lineup over two nights.”

Clark will only play in the senior night game on Feb. 23. He has been struggling with a groin injury late in the season and will have surgery when the season concludes.

Due to the Midwest High School Hockey League tournament this weekend as well, the Cyclones will play at a later time than usual on Feb. 22.

The Cyclones take on the Bison at 8:45 p.m. Feb. 22 and at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena. Feb. 23 will be senior night.