After spending the last two weekends winning games on the road, the ISU hockey team is finally back at home.

The Cyclones host games Friday and Saturday night against Minnesota State-Mankato at 7:30 p.m.

The games will be played at the ISU/Ames Ice Arena.

Defender Tory Larson said the success of the last two weekends will help out the team going into action this weekend.

“I think it was a very good weekend overall for the team, besides being such a big road trip,” Larson said. “It was kind of like, we showed up at one town, played a game, got on the bus and drove to the next town.”

Two weeks ago, the Cyclones traveled to the University of Delaware for a tournament, where they won the first game against Towson University, but then lost in the championship against Delaware.

Then, last weekend they went on a monster road trip to Buffalo, New York, Ohio State University and then Kent State University.

The team arrived in Buffalo on Friday, Oct. 2, and started strong with an 11-2 victory.

They drove to Ohio University on Saturday night and played to a 3-3 tie.

Still not finished, they turned around Sunday morning and beat Kent State University 7-2, before heading back to Ames. The team didn’t arrive home until 3 a.m. Monday.

“Every team we played didn’t have to travel. We had bus legs every game, but we were still able to come out and win two out of three; pretty much undefeated,” Larson said.

Larson said the Cyclones are excited to be back home this weekend vs. Minnesota State.

“They’re not in our league, but they’re a pretty good team,” Larson said.

“I haven’t heard anything about how they’re going to be, but it should be a pretty good game.”

After an excruciating weekend on the road last week, the team is ready to kick back, with the home-ice advantage again.

“I think it will be nice to be home for a weekend, to get the crowd back,” forward Jeremy Meyer said. “Everybody’s been kind of tired this week, so I look forward for everyone to just be flying this weekend and for just some good, fast hockey.”

However, while the team is tired from all of the traveling, the wins have produced more team unity, forward Nat Little said.

“I think after those two big road trips, instead of being down from them, we’re kind of peaking right now,” he said.

“We’re really getting together in the last road trip, and we’re looking really high right now.”

Little said come Friday night, the team will be ready for Minnesota State.

“This weekend we’re looking to keep the goals down and put a lot in the net,” he said. “We just need to focus on doing what we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks, and we’ll continue to be successful.”