The ISU hockey team is eager to return to its home ice this weekend after earning a series split against No. 3 Arizona State.

The No. 6 Cyclones (12-2-1-1) tallied a narrow 2-1 victory in the series finale after a brutal 7-2 defeat in the opener. Goalie Peter Alexander had a scare in the opener when he tried to play a puck near the faceoff circle, but was leveled by a Sun Devil (12-2-1) player.

“It just winded me,” Alexander said. “I could barely breathe for 15 seconds, but then I was all right.”

Alexander remained in the game, but wasn’t as sharp, with coach Al Murdoch pulling him after allowing a fifth goal.

Murdoch said Alexander endured a sore back and hip and might have suffered a light concussion.

“By the time he got to the bench, he was conscious,” Murdoch said. “He said, ‘I think I just got the wind knocked out of me, coach.’ That’s all he said.”

Alexander was cleared by doctors this week after receiving treatment on his back and is a full participant in practice. He said he’d be ready to go when the Cyclones host Minot State University this weekend.

The Beavers (7-3-2) head into Ames on a two-game losing streak. But Murdoch said his coaching staff and his players realize this is yet another top 10 opponent not to be taken lightly.

“They know the way to move up [in the rankings] is to beat No. 6-ranked Iowa State,” Murdoch said. “They are a lot like us. They are big and physical and play like Canadians.”

Brandon Clark, who is tied for the team lead for points as a defenseman with eight, said the polar opposite games last weekend were partly due to the lack of focus on the “little things” during the first game.

“It’s making sure the passes are crisp and on tape, and making sure you’re driving hard to the net, finishing checks, shooting rebounds,” Clark said. “Just the little stuff that never gets noticed.”

Iowa State gave up four goals before it even got on the board in a forgettable laugher of a game for Clark and the Cyclones.

“We were due for a game like that where nothing was going right for us,” Clark said. “We didn’t do as much of those little things as we could have done.”

The Cyclones have focused their practice on those little things this week. Murdoch said Minot State possesses a unique brand of a power play that his team is planning for.

Special teams are a focus every week, but Murdoch said it would be somewhat different this weekend when Iowa State is down a man.

“Minot State has a breakout that is somewhat similar to ours, but with some subtle differences,” Murdoch said. “Their penalty kill is fairly aggressive and they do a lot of neutral zone trapping.”

The first game of the series begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena. It is “Take Down Cancer” night, complete with a fundraiser for the National Foundation for Cancer Research.