The postgame story is all too familiar for the Cyclone Hockey team this season: another conference series, another split. First Lindenwood, then Eastern Michigan and now Ohio.

The No. 6 Cyclones (15-6-1) have failed to sweep a Central States Collegiate Hockey League opponent in four tries this season, and the already tough schedule doesn’t get easier next semester.

Of the 10 teams that compete in the CSCHL, an astounding nine are ranked in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s top 20, creating fierce competition throughout the conference. The Cyclones currently sit seventh in the conference with a record of just 3-4-1.

“Our conference this year is absolutely incredible,” said coach Al Murdoch. “Every team is very good, and a lot of teams are splitting series with each other, which shows how balanced and powerful the conference really is.”

The Cyclones get another shot at a conference foe this weekend when Robert Morris College visits Ames this weekend. The Eagles (11-8-0) have been an extremely streaky club this season, but are third in the CSCHL with a 6-2-0 conference record.

The team dropped five of its first six games this season before catching fire and winning its next 10 in a row. The Eagles, however, have lost their last three, including the 11-3 beatdown they received from No. 13 Kent State in their CSCHL conference series last weekend.

“Robert Morris is a hot and cold team,” Murdoch said. “I told the guys that they are a team we need to jump on right away and get after it, because we want to establish control early and never let them into the game. We need to get hungry right from the start and bury the puck into the net, then bury it again, and again and again.”

Streaky or not, Robert Morris has posted some impressive wins this season, including back-to-back sweeps of No. 19 Eastern Michigan and No. 5 Ohio, two teams the Cyclones have split series with this season.

After a somewhat successful weekend of goaltending and offense against Ohio, the Cyclones hope to keep unrelenting defensive pressure on the Eagles on both the team and individual levels.

“We really need to become more consistent,” said freshman Brad Krueger, who scored the game-winning goal in last Saturday’s 3-2 win over Ohio. “We have had the tendency of winning the big games early on, but not coming out to play in game two. I don’t know if we get satisfied with just one win, but regardless of what happens, we need to constantly play hard all throughout the weekend.”

The series will return to its normal time of 7:30 p.m. Friday, but face-off will be delayed to 8:30 p.m. Saturday as the second part of a doubleheader with the ISU Women’s Hockey Club team.