The Ohio State hockey team will attempt to continue climbing the rungs of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association when it rounds out its longest home-stand of the year this weekend.The sixth place Buckeyes, 12-10-1 overall and 9-9-0 in the CCHA, need only to win its first game Saturday against third place Northern Michigan, 12-8-4 overall and 10-6-3 in the CCHA, to compile the most wins since last season, which tied the 1991-92 season when it went 12-25-2 overall.This recent trend has been characteristic of the John Markell era of Buckeye hockey.The team has notched more wins and placed higher in the final CCHA standings each successive year under Markell, who accepted the reins from long-time coach Jerry Welsh less than four years ago.Under the helm of Markell, the Buckeyes will attempt to inch closer to the 5000-goal plateau (4,991) when they face-off against Northern Michigan Saturday and Notre Dame on Sunday.Saturday’s meeting will mark Northern Michigan’s first return to Ohio State as a member of the CCHA since leaving the conference in 1984, favoring the Western Collegiate Hockey Association instead.The Wildcats, fresh off wins over Miami (5-3) and Western Michigan (5-2) last weekend, will ride their two-game win streak into the OSU Ice Rink Saturday, in what is shaping up to be a playoff-like atmosphere.”We have to be able to pull away from the bottom teams and close the gap at the top of the conference,” said senior defenseman Ryan Root.”At this point it’s like a playoff run,” Root said. “These are playoff games right now.”Sophomore left-wing Tyson Holly, the Bauer/CCHA Offensive Player of the Week, will lead the Wildcats into battle.Holly, a sophomore from Cormac, Ont., posted three goals and two assists for a total of five points last weekend, the most points scored in a single weekend by a NMU player since the 1995 season.J.P. Vigier (8-9-17) and Fred Mattersdorfer (8-9-17) lead the Wildcats in scoring, but are followed closely by a host of Wildcats competing for the team scoring title.”Each line poses somewhat of a threat,” said Root. “We can’t go soft because it’s their third or fourth line.”Sophomore goalie Duane Hoey will work the crease Saturday for Northern Michigan.He enters this weekends action carrying a 10-7-3 record. His 3.10 goals against average ranks eighth among league competitors, and brings a .868 save percentage with him as well.In November of this year, the Buckeyes had considerable success versus the Wildcats in Marquette, Michigan.OSU swept the Wildcats in a game which saw one member from each of OSU’s four lines score. Freshman goalie Jeff Maund turned away 58 of 63 Wildcat shots over the weekend, earning him the Bauer/CCHA Defensive player of the Week award.Sophomore wing Eric Meloche notched three goals over the weekend and scored the game-winner late in the third period of the second game.”I think it’s going to be a competitive game, and whoever competes harder will win,” said coach John Markell, who summed up this weekends action as only a hockey coach can do.”Hockey is hockey,” he said. “The bounce of the puck will decide the game.”After a week of rest and relaxation, the Irish of Notre Dame, 12-10-3 overall and 7-7-3 in the CCHA, will bring their game to the Ohio Exposition Center Sunday.Notre Dame trails Ohio State in CCHA points by only one, but will look to jump the Buckeyes and end their possible four-game win streak by games end.Sophomore Ben Simon leads the Irish in almost all statistical categories, charging 8 goals and 15 assists to his credit, for a team-leading point total of 23.Matt Eisler will handle the goal tending duties for Notre Dame.Eisler surrenders 2.82 goals against his team, and has compiled a .900 save percentage. “We know where we stand and we know where we have to go,” said Markell. “It’s completely up to the kids now.”