The No. 11 Michigan hockey team has been looking up at Michigan State in the CCHA standings ever since Jan. 15, when the Spartans beat Ferris State to take sole possession of first place. But with the exception of a few slip-ups (their 3-1 loss to Alaska-Fairbanks on Jan. 12 and their 4-2 loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 25), the Wolverines have kept pace with Michigan State, as they stand just two points behind their rivals going into this weekend.

But Michigan doesn"t have eyes in the back of its head. While the Wolverines have focused on catching the Spartans, No. 13 Nebraska-Omaha has put together an eight-game winning streak and is now breathing down Michigan"s neck. A sweep by the Mavericks this weekend would move them one point ahead of the Wolverines in the CCHA.

The conference standings are not the only place Nebraska-Omaha could jump the Wolverines with a solid weekend. At No. 13 in the Pairwise Rankings (which mirrors the NCAA Tournament selection process) and the USCHO poll, the Mavericks have a chance to leap over the Wolverines in both rankings as well.

"They"re right behind us everywhere we look," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "There will be a lot of tests within the game, and our best players have to show that they can play with their best players."

One of the Mavericks" best players has been goaltender Dan Ellis (.933 save percentage). Coming into this weekend, Ellis has recorded back-to-back shutouts, and three in his past four games. As a team, the Mavericks have not allowed more than two goals in a game since winter break.

The Wolverines and Mavericks have already played twice this season in Omaha, and that was arguably the wildest weekend of hockey Michigan has played this season. In the first game, a 4-4 tie, the lead changed three times before Michigan scored two goals in the final 2:30 to tie. In the second game, it was the Mavericks who scored twice in the third period to tie the score 2-2, but Michigan"s Eric Nystrom scored 12 seconds into overtime to give Michigan the 3-2 win.

"That weekend was great because we played team hockey," Nystrom said. "But I think defensively we have to be better this time."

The Mavericks stumbled after that weekend, winning just three times in their next 10, but they have come on strong of late. Even though much has changed since that wild weekend, Berenson feels that his team can take a lot away from what they saw in Omaha.

"We got a sense for how quickly they can move the puck and how dangerous their powerplay can be," Berenson said. "We also saw how Ellis can keep them in a game when they are on their heels.

"The emotion and intensity will be high. It"ll be like playoff hockey."