The rivalry between the No. 2 Penn State ACHA Division I Icers (25-5-0, 23-3-0 ACHA) and the No. 3 Ohio Bobcats (25-6-1) has always been heated, but it will likely reach a new level of intensity tonight.

With No. 1 Illinois losing twice to Ohio last weekend, the team that gets the better of the Icers-Bobcats showdown should claim the top spot in the ACHA standings when the final rankings are released next Friday before the national tournament. The teams will face off tonight and tomorrow at Ohio's Bird Arena, with both games beginning at 7:30.

"I think that everyone kind of understands that this is going to be a battle for No. 1 going into nationals," Icers forward Nate Obringer said. "And we understand what goes along with being No. 1, so I think it's going to up the stakes a little bit."

The first and second seeds in the ACHA national tournament have the advantage of playing in the premier time slots instead of in the early morning games. A No. 1 seed would also guarantee that Penn State is always designated the "home" team, meaning that it would only have to pack one set of uniforms.

Neither team is shy about its ill feelings toward the other, and these games will take on even more importance as the Icers and Bobcats battle for ACHA supremacy. Penn State took two games from Ohio at home earlier in the year, but Icers head coach Scott Balboni said that the coaches who vote on the rankings put more emphasis on the most recent games.

Penn State will also have to deal with the raucous crowd at Bird Arena, where the Bobcats have lost only once this year.

"The atmosphere's just wild," Icers forward Brandon Rubeo said. "They have a ton of fans like we do, but their stands go all the way around the rink ... They have some crazy chants and they do a good job of letting you know that they don't like you."

This is the last chance either team will have to make an impression before the rankings come out. As Balboni sees it, a split should be enough to earn his team the first place position, but he doesn't know how all the other coaches will see it. The most important thing to Balboni is that the Icers come to play.

"OU has been playing great hockey since the two games they lost to us," he said. "They've only lost three games the rest of the year. They're playing real strong hockey and they're going to be a much different team than we saw the first time, that's for sure."

For the players, though, games against the Bobcats are always significant, no matter where the teams stand. This time around, there's just a little more to play for.

"I think it's huge knowing that the No. 1 spot is up for grabs," Rubeo said. "I don't know how much it adds because we already hate OU so much to begin with and the fire's there no matter what, but adding that to it gives it a little extra gasoline."