A week removed from playing one of the top teams in Canada, the ISU hockey team is gearing up for another elite team: top-ranked Lindenwood University.

Since a loss in the second game of the season, the Lions (15-1-0) have rattled off 14 straight, and come to Ames with their eyes on another sweep. But the Cyclones (11-12-0), fresh off a close loss to the University of British Columbia, aren’t deterred.

“We held our own against UBC,” said forward Mike Lebler. “Now we know we can play with some of the better teams.”

Coach Al Murdoch prepared his team for the challenge, giving them confidence against a “Goliath” in UBC.

“On paper they were a far superior team,” Murdoch said. “But that’s only because we were David and didn’t have the opportunity to show what we had. Every phase of the game we took it to a higher level, in my opinion.”

Iowa State will have to continue that high level of play against Lindenwood. The Lions are led by an outstanding goaltender. Robi Cavallari has a 55-7 career record, including eight shutouts and a microscopic 1.95 goals-against-average.

“They have excellent goaltending. Cavallari is an excellent goaltender,” Murdoch said. “They will be every bit as tough as UBC.”

The Cyclones will counter with their star goaltender between the pipes. Senior Erik Hudson, selected to the World University Games, has a 2.85 goals-against-average and is playing well. He and the rest of the team will need to play at that high level against a team that beat the Cyclones to win the national championship last year.

“They’ve become a huge rival for us. For returning players it’s kind of a grudge match,” said senior Jordan Pascale. “We definitely want to get them back from the loss in the championship last year.”

Lindenwood beat Iowa State 2-0 in that final showdown. The freshmen may not fully understand the impact of that game, but the veterans still have a sour taste in their mouths after coming so close to glory.

“We still have some bitter feelings about last year after losing in the finals,” Lebler said. “It was a pretty hard loss.”

Lindenwood’s only loss this year came at the hands of Davenport University; a team the Cyclones beat in Ames earlier in 2010. The Lions are tough defensively, capitalizing on the mistakes of their opponents and turning those mistakes into scoring chances. In order to win, the young Cyclones must limit turnovers and mental errors.

“The team with the fewest mistakes will win,” Murdoch said.

In order for that to happen, Pascale said, players need to be patient and use the confidence gained in Canada.

“We need to be disciplined in our defensive zone and spread out their defense and get high quality scoring chances as well,” Pascale said. “They are very disciplined with their systems. We have to believe we can win and know we can win.”

Dorm residents are encouraged to attend the game Friday night to win a pizza party. Dance Marathon members will be performing after the first intermission. The added in-game festivities should contribute to the already emotional rivalry between these two schools. And like any rivalry game, the outcome is not guaranteed either way, despite the lopsided records.

“We always have good battles against them. We always have close games against them,” Lebler said.

The senior doesn’t expect any difference this weekend.

“We’re well-matched against them. It’s quite the good rivalry.”

Murdoch is excited for the rematch, this time on his home ice.

“The crowds give us an edge,” Murdoch said. “It’s like the seventh player on the ice. Our crowds are the best in the country.”

The championship rematch begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena.