View complete weekly press release »

Opening a stretch in which it plays seven of its next 10 league games at home, Colorado College ushers out the month of January this weekend CC plays host to the University of North Dakota in a crucial two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series at the World Arena.

Faceoff is 8:07 p.m. (MT) Friday, to accommodate a live national telecast by CBS College Sports, and 7:07 p.m. Saturday.

It's the first of six consecutive weekends of league action leading into the post-season playoffs.

The Tigers, currently tied for sixth place in the WCHA standings with an 8-8 record in league play, are 14-11-1 overall after sweeping the University of Alabama-Huntsville, 7-0 and 4-1, in non-conference action at the CSWA last weekend.

North Dakota, 18-7-2 overall, is tied for second in the WCHA with a 13-5 record in conference play. The Fighting Sioux, who trail first-place Denver by just a point, split a pair of decisions against Nebraska Omaha in Grand Forks, N.D., last weekend. UND, ranked No. 4 and 5 in this week's national polls, rebounded for a 4-2 victory on Saturday after falling by an 8-4 count on Friday.

Colorado College has returned to the USCHO.com poll this week with a No. 20 national ranking.

Friday's contest marks the 219th all-time meeting between CC and North Dakota in a rivalry that started on Feb. 12, 1948. The Sioux own a 133-75-10 advantage in the previous 218 after winning by identical 3-2 scores late last February at the World Arena. The first game of that series required overtime. Despite those two losses, however, the Tigers still are 9-5 in the last 14 encounters with UND in Colorado Springs since the 2001-02 season.

Note: Due to contractual obligations with the CBS in regard to this week's series opener, only Saturday's game will be streamed live on the internet, courtesy of AmericaOne.com (formerly B2 Networks) and via a link at CCTigers.com. Cost for that service is $7.