St. Norbert swept a two-game series and has opened up a three-point lead for first place in the NCHA standings.

SNC went on the road and picked up four points with a 5-4 win at UW-Eau Claire on Friday and a 6-2 win at UW-Stevens Point on Saturday. The Green Knights, now 17-2-2 overall, are 9-0-1 in NCHA play and have 19 points. They have scored a league leading 48 goals.

UW-Superior (14-1-6) still hods down second place in the league, but the Jackets had a tough weekend on the road. They battled to a 2-2 overtime tie on Friday, but then lost for the first time this season, 2-0, at UW-River Falls on Saturday. UWS is now 7-1-2 in NCHA play and has 16 points. UWS leads the NCHA in goals against with 18.

UWRF had a big home weekend winning two league games. The Falcons (14-5-2) shutout both of its opponents by the same 2-0 score. The Falcons opened with a win over St. Scholastica and came back to beat previously undefeated UWS on Saturday.

A battle has developed for fourth place - an important position. The fourth place team in the final standings has the luxury of playing a home series in the first round of the league playoffs. UWSP (9-9-3) currently has that spot with a 4-5-1 record and nine points. But Lake Forest (8-12-1) is just a point behind with a 4-6-0 record and eight points. Last weekend UWSP topped LFC on Friday, 3-2, but lost to SNC on Saturday. LFC came back after Friday's loss to pick up a 5-1 win at UWEC.

UW-Stout (8-9-4) and St. Scholastica (5-12-4) are tied for sixth place. Both teams have five points. UWST is 1-6-3 while CSS is 2-7-1 in league play. The two teams met on Saturday in Duluth with CSS winning, 5-1.

UWEC (8-10-3) holds down the eighth spot in the standings, but is just one point out of sixth place. The Blugolds are 1-7-2 in league play and have four points.

Eight more NCHA games are on tap in the second to last weekend of league play. On Friday, UWRF is at SNC, UWS goes to UWEC, UWSt is at LFC and CSS travels to UWSP. On Saturday, UWSt goes to SNC, CSS is at UWEC, UWS is at UWSP and UWRF goes to LFC.

After this weekend's game, eight games remain in the NCHA season. Those games will be played Feb. 11-12.

Upcoming Games
Friday, Feb. 4
River Falls at St. Norbert*, 7 p.m.
Superior at Eau Claire*, 7:05 p.m.
Stout at Lake Forest*, 7:30 p.m.
St. Scholastica at Stevens Point*, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 5
Stout at St. Norbert*, 7 p.m.
St. Scholastica at Eau Claire*, 7:05 p.m.
Superior at Stevens Point*, 7:30 p.m.
River Falls at Lake Forest*, 7:30 p.m.

Last Week's Results
Friday, Jan. 28
River Falls 2, St. Scholastica 0* (at River Falls)
St. Norbert 5, Eau Claire 4* (at Eau Claire)
Superior 2, Stout 2* OT (at Stout)
Stevens Point 3, Lake Forest 2* (at Stevens Point)

Saturday, Jan. 29
St. Scholastica 5, Stout 1* (at St. Scholastica)
River Falls 2, Superior 0* (at River Falls)
Lake Forest 5, Eau Claire 1* (at Eau Claire)
St. Norbert 6, Stevens Point 2* (at Stevens Point)

2005 NCHA Men's Standings
after games of Jan. 29, 2005