This weekend is important, but next is the one that matters, ISU hockey coach Al Murdoch said.

With the league championship won last weekend over Eastern Michigan 7-0, the ISU club hockey team plays two exhibition games this Friday and Saturday against the University of Minnesota before heading to Laurel, Md., for nationals.

“Psychologically, you’d like to win going into nationals,” Murdoch said.

Iowa State hasn’t faced Minnesota in the four years senior co-captain Jeremy Meyer’s played, “but we’ve heard from other teams they’re pretty tough,” he said.

“This weekend, we need to just keep rolling. Keep momentum going for nationals,” Meyer said.

Twelve teams will play in nationals.

Six are from Iowa State’s league – the Central State Collegiate Hockey League – including its first two opponents, Michigan-Dearborn next Thursday and Ohio University Friday.

“We’re not going into nationals thinking we’re not going to win it,” said Rob Rose, the senior and captain of the team.

Murdoch likens his team, which owns a 32-8-3 record, to the New England Patriots, the Super Bowl winners without well-known athletes.

“That’s us to a tee,” Rose said.

This comes one year after the Cyclones relied heavily on Glenn Detulleo, Iowa State’s offensive juggernaut, who is now playing professionally in Lillehammer, Norway.

This year, Rose, Meyer and Murdoch agree scoring comes from everyone, from the first line to the fourth.

“We don’t care about individual stats. No one cares who puts the puck in the net,” Rose said.

Which is good because, “In [nationals], there’s no point where there’s smooth sailing,” Rose said.

The Cyclones are seeded fifth next weekend, and if they can make it out of the first two rounds, Penn State, seeded No. 1, could be next, the same team the Cyclones lost 5-2 to earlier this year.

“We’re a pretty decent program, and people love to hate us,” Rose said. “We just play composed. Sit back. Relax. Play the game.”

Friday night’s game is senior night. Both games start at 7 p.m.

Saturday’s game may not have a full roster.

Some players will be returning from an all-star game in Chicago.