Everything has been determined for the Wolverines.
The Michigan hockey team clinched the CCHA title against Lake Superior last Friday.
The victory assured the Wolverines entry into the NCAA regionals three weeks from now - most likely as the top seed in the West region at Grand Rapids.
The Wolverines also secured a No. 1 seed in the CCHA playoffs, and the conference tournament remains eight days in the future. Michigan's first-round opponent is Alaska-Fairbanks, but the Nanooks cannot be scouted because their regular season is over.
So what does Michigan have to worry about this weekend as it tours Ohio?
Very little.
And that is the very reason the two games are so important.
Throughout the season, Michigan has maintained its goals and achieved them.
The College Hockey Showcase led to the Great Lakes Invitational which led into the regular-season championship.
But the next goal - the CCHA playoff championship - remains on hold.
And lackluster performances this weekend would halt any momentum the team has - something assistant captain Jason Botterill fears.
"It's not as if we can just turn a switch on and start playing well," he said. "We need to start building momentum. We've done that the last couple weeks, and we need to continue."
Michigan travels to Miami tomorrow to take on the CCHA's second-place team. Unlike Michigan, Miami's future is still undetermined.
In the CCHA playoffs, which begin a week from today, teams are seeded according to their regular-season conference finish. And Miami, which has 35 points in the conference, is only two points ahead of fourth-place Michigan State with each team having two games left (third-place Lake Superior has 34 points but has concluded CCHA play).
The difference between second and third place remains significant.
The fourth-place team will play either Western Michigan or Bowling Green - each with 24 points - while the second place team hosts Ohio State (19 points).
Saturday's game in Oxford will be Michigan's first contest against Miami since the end of January. Entering that weekend, the Redskins were in a first-place tie with Michigan in the CCHA. They left Yost Ice Arena without a point and suddenly were four points behind the Wolverines.
Revenge is surely on Miami's mind, and for its season to be a success, a victory over Michigan would help achieve that goal.
Michigan coach Red Berenson said Miami's intensity is not the only reason to put forth a quality effort.
"It's important to the league that you put your best foot forward every night," he said. "I want to go into the playoffs with some momentum."
Before the playoffs begin, Michigan must also take on the surging Buckeyes at the Columbus Fairgrounds on Sunday.
Ohio State sent shock waves through the CCHA last Sunday, ripping Michigan State, 8-3. This Sunday's game is the final contest of the regular season for both teams.
The game is just what Berenson fears entering this weekend.
"We don't want to lose a game, because we didn't think it was that important," he said.
JEANNIE SERVAAS/Daily
John Madden and the Michigan hockey team hope not to take a dive in their last two regular season games and kill their momentum going into the playoffs.