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Colorado College shoots to get back on the winning track this weekend when the No. 12-ranked Tigers play host to the University of North Dakota in a pair of crucial WCHA matchups at the World Arena.

Faceoff is 7:37 p.m. (MT) Friday and 7:07 p.m. Saturday as the teams try to clinch or at least stay in the hunt for home ice in the opening round of the WCHA playoffs starting on March 12.

With just four regular-season games remaining, both already have been eliminated from title contention.         

CC, which fell to 17-12-3 overall after losing twice (3-0 and 7-4) at the University of Minnesota last weekend, currently is tied with the Fighting Sioux for fifth place in the league standings, each with 11-10-3 records in conference play.

Both teams lead the seventh-place Gophers by three points. Eighth-ranked UND, which swept Minnesota Duluth at home last week, improved to 16-11-5 overall.

A sweep by either the Tigers or Sioux this weekend, combined with just one Minnesota loss at Duluth, would guarantee that team of finishing no lower than fifth and seal a home-ice berth for the opening round of post-season action.

This week's results also are critical in the computerized Pairwise rankings, which simulate the selection process for the 16-team NCAA tournament field. CC started the week at No. 17 while North Dakota was No. 8.