The No. 9 ranked ISU men’s hockey club continues its 2004 season this weekend as they host No. 1 ranked and defending national champion Ohio University.

Coming off a huge win over St. Clair College last Saturday night, the team looks to keep up its winning ways in this weekend’s series. The team has a season record of 5-3 overall, 2-0 in Central States Collegiate Hockey League play. Ohio is in the same league.

Last weekend, the Cyclones took on a St. Clair team that is the Canadian equivalent of a Division I team. The Cyclones were able to knock them off 4-3 Saturday night.

Senior Scott Hagen netted the winning goal.

“[Last week’s win] gives us a lot of confidence for this weekend, knowing we can play with really good teams,” Hagen said. “It lets us measure ourselves against D-1 level schools and lets us know where we are at.”

Head coach Alan Murdoch said he also felt very good about the win last weekend.

“We have great hockey going on right now, and last weekend gives us a huge boost for this weekend,” he said.

As for this week, the opponent isn’t any easier. Last season, Ohio won the American Collegiate Hockey League Championship and looks to defend its title this year.

They are off to a 4-0 start and come into Ames ready to play fast-paced, hard-hitting hockey.

The Cyclones know they must be at the top of their game to beat Ohio this weekend.

To prepare, the team has worked extensively on special teams in practice this week, which included the power play and penalty killing.

Junior David Moline said he believes special teams will be the key to the games this weekend.

“We’ve been working hard on special teams this week. If we can put in a couple power-play goals ourselves, and shut down their power play I think we’ll be in good shape this weekend,” Moline said.

Murdoch said he thinks this weekend’s series will be great hockey because the Cyclones match up pretty well against Ohio.

“Ohio’s style is very similar to ours: very physical, very fast and love to play with reckless abandon,” Murdoch said.

Ohio is returning most of its nucleus from last year’s championship team and had an excellent recruiting class. Murdoch said his team will have to match its intensity to come up with wins this weekend.

The two teams will face off at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights at the ISU/Ames Ice Arena.