Usually when Michigan and Ohio State battle on the ice late in the season, only one of the teams is looking to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

And that team isn't usually wearing scarlet and gray.

But this weekend, with the regular season winding down, both the Wolverines and the Buckeyes' postseason dreams are still alive. Michigan, sitting in third place in the CCHA, is almost certain to nab a spot, but Ohio State still has some work to do.

Ohio State is in a precarious position after its collapse against conference doormat Michigan State last weekend. If the Wolverines sweep the Buckeyes this weekend, the Buckeyes can likely kiss their NCAA dreams goodbye.

Ohio State sits in fifth place in the CCHA with 29 points. Friday and Saturday's games at Value City Arena will essentially be playoff games for the Buckeyes.

“Any series this time of year is a big series for us," Michigan junior defenseman Steve Kampfer said. "We’re starting to turn into playoff hockey. We’re still trying to fight for those top two seeds. That’s our main goal right now. It's not who we play, it's how we play.”

And with the conference playoffs beginning in two weeks, Michigan can’t slow down, either. The Wolverines, who are in second place in the PairWise standings that determine NCAA Tournament seedings, have Notre Dame breathing down their backs at fourth place in the PairWise. Michigan and Notre Dame are both looking to secure the coveted No. 1 spot in the Grand Rapids regional of the NCAA Tournament. The lower-seeded team will likely play in Minneapolis for the first two rounds of the tournament.

While Michigan is already guaranteed a first-round bye in the CCHA Tournament, it now looks to secure either the second or third seed and better positioning for the NCAA Tournament.

When asked whether knowing when and where his team will play its first series helps the Wolverines, Michigan coach Red Berenson definitely thought so.

“I hope it helps our team,” Berenson said. “I think it gives us a little bit of direction. We know where we’re going to play. We don’t know who we’re going to play but we know when and where.”

The Buckeyes haven’t battled for an NCAA berth in a while, and their newfound success isn't by sheer luck. Ohio State’s freshman class is one of the best in the nation.

Led by Zac Daple, who is second in the nation among freshmen with 13 goals, the Buckeyes are much improved from last year’s seventh-place CCHA finish.

“Here’s a team that’s been in the top four for much of the first half and most of the year," Berenson said. "We just now got past them. You look at their numbers — especially their offense — and they’ve been as good as anybody. They’re having a year like we did last year with all those freshmen.”

Earlier this season, Michigan swept Ohio State at Yost Ice Areana, winning 4-3 and 6-1. Senior forward Tim Miller scored the game winners in both nights. But Berenson realizes both teams are much different from where they were at the end of October.

“(Ohio State’s) lines are more set, their team is more set,” Berenson said. “We’re a different team than we were then and they are too. They just played Notre Dame a few weeks ago and they were right there with Notre Dame, so they’re a good team. They just didn’t get off to as good a start.”