After suffering four straight losses and dropping to No. 19 in the USCHO poll, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (2-4) had a bounce-back weekend, sweeping Cornell University at home. Highly touted and skilled forward Isaac Howard missed both games in this series due to a suspension that stemmed from a major penalty the previous weekend against Wisconsin.

In Friday night's game, returning to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension, Wyatt Kaiser got the Bulldogs on the board early in the first, scoring on a wrist shot from the point. That 1-0 lead held until about halfway through the second when Jack O'Leary scored for Cornell to tie the game.

With a minute to go in the period, Carter Loney made a drop pass to Ben Steeves, who ripped it home to regain the lead. In the third, Cornell responded quickly, with Winter Wallace finishing off a 2-on-1 to make it even once again. Still, the Bulldogs persevered, winning on a Derek Daschke goal with under two minutes remaining. Cohasset native, Zach Stejskal, earned the win in net for the Bulldogs, saving 32 of 34 shots faced. 

In the Saturday rematch, the first period was busier than the previous night, with Dominic James scoring for the Bulldogs off a breakaway five minutes into the period. However, only forty seconds later, Sean Donaldson answered for Cornell before Wyatt Kaiser scored unassisted to regain the lead five minutes later, tallying his third point of the series.

With the Bulldogs still up 2-1 in the second, Dominic James added to the lead, scoring off a tremendous blocked shot and then a cross-crease feed from Quinn Olson. On the power play near the end of the period, Blake Biondi made it four, scoring on the rebound with only a few seconds remaining.

Ben Berard of Cornell scored early in the third to make it 4-2, but that ended up being the game's final goal, with Zach Stejskal again earning the win off a second consecutive strong outing between the pipes. 

The No. 2 ranked team, St. Cloud State (5-1), made the 150-mile trek north to square off against the unranked Bemidji State University Beavers (2-1-1) in night one before returning home to play in St. Cloud the next night.

In Friday's game, the Huskies tallied the first goal, with Zach Okabe scoring on the power play off a redirect from Jack Peart. Late in the second, with the score still 1-0, Jere Vaisanen tied the game off a beautiful pass from Elias Rosen. The Beavers then went on the power play almost immediately after, with St. Michael native, Adam Flammang, making it a 2-1 lead. The Beavers kept the Huskies off the scoresheet the rest of the game, adding an empty net goal to make it 3-1 and claim the upset victory. 

At the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud for game two, Bemidji State kept its momentum rolling from the night before, scoring only two minutes into the game off a Mitchell Martan power play goal. The Beavers were able to hold that lead into the second before the Huskies responded, with Veeti Miettinen scoring off an Adam Ingram feed. Adam Ingram then tallied back-to-back points, scoring unassisted off a beautiful between-the-legs dangle and a backhand finish.

Still up 2-1 in the third, Jami Krannila scored a shorthanded breakaway goal to make it 3-1 for the home team. The Huskies then added a fourth goal at the twelve-minute mark, with Zach Okabe scoring his second goal of the weekend and the team securing the series split.

St. Cloud State will be away at Denver next weekend for a two-game series, with the Beavers at home against Ferris State. 

The University of St. Thomas (1-5) was on the road for the second weekend in a row, playing in their first CCHA matchup of the season against Ferris State (2-3-1) in Big Rapids, Michigan.

The game's first goal came over 18 minutes in, with forward Luke Manning scoring for the Tommies on the power play. Two minutes into the second period, the Bulldogs responded, with Cade Kowalski scoring a shorthanded goal. Ferris State then took the 2-1 lead with less than a minute to go in the second, with Jason Brancheau scoring on the power play. In the third, Josh Eernisse tallied his second goal of the season, tying the game at two.

Still tied at the end of regulation, Ferris State won in overtime, with Connor McGrath scoring unassisted. Ferris State goaltender, Logan Stein, took home the win after saving 33 of 35 shots. 

In game two Saturday night, Josh Eernisse scored the second consecutive goal for the Tommies, banging home a rebound on the power play. On the power play six minutes later, the Tommies doubled their lead, with Minnetonka standout Grant Docter scoring his first goal of the season.

In period two, Ferris State pulled one back, with defenseman Brendan MacLaren crashing the net on the power play to finish a loose puck. Continuing a long run of special teams' play in a game that saw 13 total penalties, the Tommies regained their two-goal lead on a Mack Byers shorthanded goal before Ferris State responded two minutes later, again scoring on the power play.

With St. Thomas leading 3-2 to start the third, Lucas Wahlin made it 4-2 on the power play before the Tommies eventually put the game away, scoring an empty net goal to win the game 5-2. This weekend, the Tommies will play in a home-and-home series against the Minnesota State Mavericks. 

Like St. Thomas, No. 8 ranked Minnesota State (3-3) also played in an all-CCHA matchup, facing off against Bowling Green State University (2-4) at home.

At the 17:33 minute mark of the first period, Ondrej Pavel struck first for the Mavericks, recording his first goal of the season. It did not take long for the Mavericks to double their lead in the second, with forward Tanner Edwards scoring four minutes into the game. That 2-0 score held until early in the third period when Bowling Green answered, with Adam Pitters collecting his own rebound and putting the puck past goaltender Alex Tracy on the second attempt.

The Mavericks then took a late penalty, leading to Bowling Green tying the game with less than a minute left. In overtime, Brendan Furry snuck the puck past the goalie for his first goal of the season, and a Maverick win. 

In game two, forward David Silye started the scoring for the Mavericks, making it 1-0 before Bowling Green responded, tying the game via a goal by Chase Gresock. With the Mavericks on the power play early in the second, Bowling Green freshman Quinn Emerson scored shorthanded for his first collegiate point. With less than two minutes remaining in the second, Brendan Furry tied the game at two, and then only seconds into the third, the Mavericks' leading points scorer, Sam Morton, made it 3-2.

At the 10:08 minute mark of the final frame, Lake Elmo native Adam Eisele recorded the final goal of the game and his first-ever collegiate point, helping the Mavericks earn the series sweep. Goaltender Keenan Rancier had a quiet night between the pipes, facing nine shots and saving seven. 

In a No. 1 versus No. 11 matchup, the top-ranked University of Minnesota (4-2) traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for a two-game series against Ohio State (6-1-1).

Friday night's game saw the Buckeyes score first via a Dominic Vidoli goal. Ninety seconds into the second, the Gophers answered, with Jackson LaCombe ripping one home from the point. The Buckeyes then scored twice within 75 seconds, with Travis Treloar scoring on the power play before Joe Dunlap scored to make it 3-1. Dodge County standout, Brody Lamb, scored to make it 3-2 before the Buckeyes answered right back, with Stephen Halliday scoring unassisted off a miscommunication between the Gophers goaltender and his defenseman.

The third period saw four additional goals, with the Buckeyes building on their lead early, making it 5-2 off Treloar's second goal of the night before Patrick Guzzo made it 6-2, scoring on a 2-on-1. The Gophers cut the deficit to three off a Bryce Brodzinski finish, and then John Mittelstadt made it 6-4 in the final minute of play, recording his first collegiate goal and point. 

Saturday's game saw the Gophers come out more potent than the previous night, with Jackson LaCombe recording the team's first goal again. Less than a minute later, while on the power play, the Gophers gave up a breakaway opportunity, leading to a Davis Burnside shorthanded goal to tie the game.

With less than five minutes remaining in the second, Mason Nevers scored off a Jaxon Nelson rebound to make it 2-1 before Matthew Knies extended the lead to 3-1 only a minute later, recording his seventh point in eight games. In the third and on the power play for the sixth time, the Gophers finally put away their first power play goal of the night through a Jimmy Snuggerud one-timer.

Davis Burnside then recorded his second shorthanded goal of the night, but it was too late in the game to start a comeback, with the Gophers holding on for a 4-2 win. Justen Close earned his fourth win of the season in net for the Gophers, saving 18 of 20 shots faced.