Well put, osualum86. I would add that Friday shows what the Buckeyes are capable of, and the Saturday is a reminder of how tough it is beat the top WCHA teams.
With Regard to Splits: The posts so far haven't really nailed it, IMHO. So I'll give it a shot.
First, when a pair of good teams play two games in two days, there's going to be a tendency to split. Acknowledging that fact doesn't mean you're satisfied with winning 1 of 2. But a certain amount of realism is usually a virtue, not a vice.
Second, properly motivating a team is one of the toughest challenges coaches face. Every group of players is going to be a little different. But more often than not, creating a situation where the only choices are "sweep" or "despair" is a poor idea. That's a recipe for an emotionally fragile team.
But third, the traditional formula for regular season success in college hockey is sweep at home, split on the road. Note that UND accomplished this against us. At the same, we accomplished it against Bemidji. Those results go a long way toward explaining the current standings among the 4 teams competing for the last two home ice spots. Naturally winning the season series with an opponent trumps the home/road angle. It's just that the level of difficulty is a little higher on the road.
If the idea is simply to trade barbs, the above formulation is probably too wordy. But at least for me, the fuller picture is much to be preferred.
Where does all this leave the current Buckeye team? Splitting next weekend's games in Duluth would have to be accepted as "good result," and would keep the hopes alive for home ice. But earning 4 points or more would give us the season series, and would be infinitely preferable.
I won't be travelling anywhere near there, trust me. 