Week 6 Preview: Marian home and home with Aurora, Lewis ends their conference season against CUW, and SNC home and home with UWO
Weekly Preview:
Two heavy weights of the NCHL, Black Division members Marian University and Aurora University, square off this weekend as part of the three conference series on the schedule. Over the past four conference seasons Marian and Aurora have occupied the top two spots in the conference standings and have combined to win the last four Hap Cups, Marian with three titles and Aurora one. They have played each other tough over their six regular season meetings and two conference finals matchups, each team winning three and one, respectively. So, there is no reason this series will not follow suit as Marian looks to put more distance between themselves and second place Marquette University while Aurora looks to edge closer.
In the second conference series, also between Black Division members, Lewis University will close out their conference season by hosting Concordia University WI in Romeoville, IL. This is the last chance for Lewis to gain any points for a chance at making the conference tournament as they have not been mathematically eliminated but are perilously close. CUW has only one conference series under their belt so far this season and it was a sweep by Marian, leaving them looking up at Lewis in the standings. Favorable results will be needed if CUW hopes to improve their conference standing and move past Lewis.
Closing out the conference slate of games is the matchup between Orange Division members St. Norbert College and University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. These two teams, who are only separated by 50 miles, will meet for the first time in conference play during the home and home series. UWO will have the honor of going on the road for game one and then hosting game two. To the victor of the weekend will go at least a share of first place, with each team able to entertain the possibility of jumping to the top spot in the division.
There is one inter-division series scheduled as Marquette University hosts Roosevelt University.
In non-conference action, DePaul University travels to Adrian University and Northern Michigan University hosts Northern Illinois University (D3).
Marian University visits and then hosts Aurora University in this home and home battle:
Marian University and Aurora University will duke it out in a home and home series this weekend. These two team are perennial contenders for the top spot in the standings, as well as conference champion, and this season is looking to follow that mold. Marian will be on the road for game one, heading to Naperville, IL for their afternoon contest, while game two will return to Fond du Lac, WI for an early afternoon opening puck drop.
Only one conference series will remain for Marian after this weekend though this series marks the halfway point for Aurora. So far Marian has yet to taste defeat at the hands of a divisional opponent, earning 12 points and a healthy seven point lead over second place Marquette University. Aurora sits a point back of Marquette, in a tie for third place in the Black Division with DePaul University, leaving them eight points behind Marian.
Last weekend Marian went on the road to Missouri for a two game set with Lindenwood University and fell a goal short in each contest. It will be interesting to see if there is any carryover from the long trip and then having to go back on the road for game one of the series. Aurora also faced a non-conference opponent last week in Bradley University. The results were a bit better for Aurora as they pulled a series split.
The overall conference record between Marian and Aurora is tied at three wins and three loses a piece, with the average margin of victory a slim half a goal, 2.7-2.2, in favor of Marian. At their last series, which took place mid-January 2020, the two teams split, giving Marian their only loss in conference play since 2017.
Marian will be a stern test and Aurora will not want to fall any farther behind in the standings. A poor weekend might end Aurora’s run at either the number one or two seed for the conference tournament, which they have been since entering the conference in 2017. Marian is going to want to keep their winning streak going and leave no doubt that they are the top team in the league.
Lewis University welcomes Concordia University WI to Canlan Ice Sports Arena:
Lewis University ends their conference season by welcoming Concordia University WI to Canlan Ice Sports Arena in Romeoville, IL. This is a must have series for Lewis as they only have two points in the Black Division standings, leaving just CUW with fewer. However, CUW has played just one divisional series so far, where they failed to secure a point. So, home ice and home fans could provide the spark Lewis needs.
Each team comes into this series fresh off series from the previous weekend but with diametrically opposed results. Lewis faced-off against division rival DePaul University and was on the losing end of two close battles. CUW on the other hand was up against inter-division opponent St. Norbert College and was able to sweep SNC.
Lewis and CUW last met in early October 2019. That series was indicative of how closely these two teams have matched up over their conference history, with game one ending in a 2-2 tie and CUW pulling out a one goal victory in game two. Over the four games they have played as conference members, CUW has yet to be defeated, holding a 3-0-1 record, and winning by an average score of 3-2.
No game has been decided by more than two goals, so there is a good chance that the games of this series will once again be tight and come down to the end. Lewis will need to find a way to use home ice to their advantage and get as many points as they can to give themselves a glimmer of hope for the postseason and build on their two point advantage over CUW. However, CUW cannot afford another pointless weekend so they will be looking to carry last weekend’s good fortune into this series to, hopefully, start a march up the division standings.
St. Norbert College and UW Oshkosh engage in a home and home series:
Orange Division members, St. Norbert College and University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, engage in a home and home series this weekend. This will be their first meeting as conference members, with game one of the series taking place in De Pere, WI while game two heads south to Oshkosh, WI.
With two conference series already under their belt, this series represents the start of SNC’s second half of conference games and the first time they will face a divisional opponent on home ice. UWO will be facing a divisional opponent for the second week in a row, having hosted Northern Michigan University last weekend. Currently, SNC sits one point behind division leader NMU and UWO is two points behind SNC.
Both teams were in action last weekend. SNC had an inter-divisional series with Concordia University WI, losing both contests, and UWO split with division leader NMU.
The top spot in the Orange Division standings will change again this weekend as both teams have the ability to overtake NMU. One point will give SNC back a piece of first place while a split will put them back up by one. A sweep by either team will push them past NMU. So, while there are many options, all that matters for SNC and UWO is finding a way to get that “W” and the rest will take care of itself.
Inter-Division Games:
Marquette University v. Roosevelt University
Non-Conference Games:
DePaul University at Adrian University
Northern Michigan University v. Northern Illinois University (D3)
Idle:
Purdue University Northwest
