No. 6 CC 6, No. 10 Clarkson 1 (final)

I believe CC played its best back-to-back games of the season, minus two goofy plays by a couple of defensemen -- but hey, those happen, according to my commenters (thank you!). When I look back at my notes from Saturday, I kept scribbling over and over again how well the Tigers did pinning Clarkson in its defensive zone. CC did a nice job thwarting the Golden Knights' attempts to clear the puck and kept it cycling. I also thought the Tigers showed an opportunistic side this weekend that I haven't seen in a while. On Saturday, the Tigers scored on two of their first four shots and five of 14.

Not to get everyone too riled up, but I have to write this little tidbit down. On the night the Tigers sported throwback jerseys, which are replicas of the 1957 NCAA champions' jerseys, they extended their record at home to 13-0. (According to Mike Testwuide, those jerseys were "snazzy.") The last time CC went 13-0 at home was in the 1956-57 season. In that year, the Tigers went undefeated against NCAA schools at Broadmoor Ice Palace (16-0). Their only setback at home came to the Flin Flon Bombers, a team based in Manitoba, Canada. CC's record that season -- the last time the Tigers won a national title -- was 25-5-0 overall and 14-4 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Notes:
--Defenseman Jack Hillen has six assists in the past four games and reached the 20-assist mark with two assists Saturday.
--Testwuide had just two goals entering the weekend but added two in each game and five points overall.
--Center Chad Rau snapped a four-game pointless streak with an assist on Testwuide's second-period goal.
--Goaltender Richard Bachman has held opponents to two or fewer goals in 18 of 23 games this season.
--Back-up goaltender Tyler O'Brien made his season debut, playing the final 5:35 and making four saves.

Sioux and Tigers battle flu

According to Brad Elliott Schlossman's North Dakota blog, CC isn't the only team combating flu-like symptoms.

Among the ailing Tigers are:

--Mike Testwuide, who practiced in a non-contact jersey Tuesday, did not practice Wednesday and will not travel.

--Cody Lampl, who missed practice Tuesday and practiced Wednesday in a non-contact jersey, albeit to limited success. During CC's practice-ending routine of push-ups and sit-ups, the normally enthusiastic Lampl just sat there, slumped. But Lampl decided to travel, saying he was feeling better. He mustered a smile when I suggested the Tigers could benefit from his hard-checking presence on the small sheet. Something tells me the very prospect of getting some big hits this weekend is giving Lampl a reason to rally.

--Stephen Schultz did not make the travel roster last weekend and was laid up with the flu. "I took my fluids and got some rest," he said. The right wing said he has beat the bug and will make his collegiate debut on the fourth line this weekend.

There's nothing like the recirculating air on a plane to perpetuate illness within a team. It'll be interesting to see how everyone is feeling at the Friday morning skate, but lucky for the Tigers, this is their last road trip until Anchorage at the end of November.

Other CC players who did not make the 22-man travel roster are Tyler O'Brien, Matt Overman, and Dan Quilico.