Every team’s objective at the end of the season is to walk away with the hardware from a national tournament; to show off its hard work and preparation. 

Cyclone Hockey now has the chance to fulfill that objective. 

The No. 9 Cyclones will take on No. 8 Colorado in the second round of the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Tournament on Saturday in Bensenville, Ill. 

Although the Cyclones have only played Colorado twice this season, the team is ready for the matchup.

“They’re a team we definitely can compete with,” said goaltender Derek Moser. “We just have to go in and give it our all and hopefully come out on top. I believe we’re prepared for it. The last few weeks we’ve been gearing up for the end of the season here.”

Giving it their all and being prepared for every game is something Cyclone Hockey coach Jason Fairman has been stressing all season.

“Just be focused and bring a good effort. If we play our game, we’ll go far in this tournament,” Fairman said. “That’s been our challenge this year: just coming to each and every game, each and every period prepared to play.”

Preparation results in experience, and for a team with a large freshman class, that has contributed greatly to the team’s success throughout the season. But the downfall with the young class would be inexperience in the national tournament. 

Overall, the team isn’t worried.

“Well, [the freshmen are] an experienced group of guys who played high-level junior hockey, so I’d expect that they’ll be prepared,” Fairman said. “Everyone’s going to be nervous, whether they’re a veteran senior or a freshman. They realize what’s at stake. It’s something they’ve been talking about all year.”

As for the returning players, the way last season’s national tournament ended with the Cyclones being sent home early after a loss against the Central Oklahoma Bronchos hasn’t sat well.

“I probably can speak for [all the guys that’ve come back this year] by saying that they’ve got a little bitter taste in their mouth with how it ended,” said sophomore forward Jake Uglem. “But we’re just looking back and to get back there and redeem ourselves.”

Although there’s an opportunity for redemption, it won’t be the big focus entering this weekend’s matchup.

“It might be in the back of their minds, but I don’t know that it’ll necessarily be something they’re dwelling on,” Fairman said. “Anytime you feel like you left something on the table and you know you get another opportunity to rectify it, it’s probably in your mind somewhere.”

With the Cyclones so close to the end of their season, everything comes down to these last games. 

“It’s all or nothing now,” Moser said.