If hockey truly is a game of momentum, Cyclone Hockey needs to keep it rolling.

Fresh off a weekend sweep over 10th-ranked Oakland, the Cyclones hope to build more momentum when they face off against the University of Iowa in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids this weekend.The Cyclones (8-2-2) will try to get on top early against the Hawkeyes (2-6-0), who enter the weekend on a six-game skid.

“The biggest thing is to come out of the gates strong,” said coach Al Murdoch. “We need to get on top early, keep them down and finish them off.”

After being swept by the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the Cyclones has responded by winning three out of their last four.

“We are becoming a lot more consistent, and the boys are learning how to adjust to the opponent’s style of play,” Murdoch said. “Winning three out of four games against two top-10 teams was great for us.”

Team captain Matt McLin credits last weekend’s success to an unrelenting attack and ability to stay focused all three periods.

“We were finally able to come out strong for all 60 minutes,” McLin said. “Nobody gave up. Everybody contained a good tempo the whole game and, most importantly, we won the third period.”

Although the Cyclones have seen significant improvement throughout the last two weeks, they are still having trouble staying disciplined on the ice.

“We really need to work on staying out of the [penalty] box this weekend,” McLin said. “That aspect of the game has been killing us, because we have been giving up too many goals while we’re shorthanded.”

Both games this weekend will be at neutral sites – at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the 95KGGO Arena in Des Moines and at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. The team is looking forward to playing in both arenas and is hoping to attract a new wave of fans to the games.

“We really like to perform in front of alumni, and I hope we get some new fans this weekend because there are a lot of alumni in both cities,” Murdoch said. “I think we’ll get a lot of students to come as well, because both of these facilities do one thing that the arena in Ames doesn’t – serve beer.”

This series is one of the last nonconference matchups the Cyclones have before hitting the meat of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League schedule.

“It’s only a third of the way through the season and we are coming along real well at this point,” Murdoch said. “All four of our lines are playing exceptional for us right now, and the whole unit is coming together to play great hockey from top to bottom.”