The ice hockey club will return home this weekend for two games against Worchester Polytechnic Institute at 9 tonight and at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon at the Ice Pavillion.

The Icers (13-3-1) are unbeaten so far this semester, which has been good enough to vault them into first place in the International Collegiate Hockey League. They are currently ranked second behind Ohio University in the National Collegiate Club poll.

WPI finished fifth at the National Invitational Tournament last season. This year, however, their record is only 7-3-2. Upsetting Penn State would be a key victory in WPI's attempt to recieve an NIT bid.

Injuries will play a major role for both teams this weekend. For the first time this season, WPI has a healthy team. Rich Kashian was their leading scorer last season with 35 goals and 50 assists but sat out the first half of the season because of an injury. Icers' coach Joe Battista expects Kashian's return, along with the return of a team captain and a defenseman, to be a major force for WPI.

The Icers are on the other end of the injury spectrum.

"We are certinaly not 100 percent," Battista said. "We've begun to call ourselves a MASH unit."

Senior captain Johnny Ioia and goalie Eric Zinczenko are out for the season. Jerry Moore underwent successful knee surgery and although he won't be ready to play this weekend, he is recovering. Lance Riddile, suffering from a badly bruised sternum, will see no action this weekend.

A number of Icers are also suffering from various other injuries and will be questionable for the weekend, including Erik Lightner, Ross Cowan, Mark Cervellero, Rich Filar, Andy McLaughlin and John Gray.

Despite injuries the Icers were able to come out victorious last weekend at Erie and Battista hopes that the team again will be able to keep focused and perform well.

"I've worked them pretty hard this week . . . We have to try to guard against any kind of a letdown," Battista said.

If the Icers manage to play against WPI the way they played last weekend against Erie, they may succeede.

"If you don't have injuries, you depend on the same players and never form depth within the team," assistant coach Ray Lombra said. "Injuries give us a chance to put people in the lineup who practice hard every day and make them feel like a part of what we're trying to achieve."

Key players, whom Battista said came up big last weekend were Brad Russel, Jeff Hale, Mike Schultz and Andy Reiger. Their continued performance will help make up for all of the injuries and prove the depth within the team.

"I don't feel devastated," Lombra said. "I have confidence in those guys who are stepping in."