Though this weekend is the final regular season stint for the Harvard men's hockey team, the season is far from over.

With seven playoff spots unclaimed, and Union and Brown battling for the dubious honor of bottom-feeder of the ECAC, the final result will be anyone's guess.

But facing off against two teams that have hit major tailspins recently, the Crimson is in an excellent position to claim one of the three remaining slots to guarantee home ice. A sweep over upstate New York foes Union (7-21-1, 5-13-1 ECAC) and Rensselaer (17-12-2, 9-9-1 ECAC) could guarantee Harvard (10-14-2, 8-9-2 ECAC) an extra weekend at Bright Hockey Center for the ECAC quarterfinals.

The Skating Dutchmen, hanging on to a postseason spot by a hair in tenth place, are currently riding a season-high seven-game losing streak. Their traveling partners, the Engineers, are suffering from a five-game winning drought.

"Both Union and RPI are questioning their ability to win hockey games, and we can't let either team get a sniff of success this weekend," junior defenseman Liam McCarthy said. "We have to get on them early and often."

But this final series against the Skating Dutchmen and the Engineers, in what could be the last time the Crimson's eight seniors don their home jerseys, will definitely not be easy.

Union, desperate to make the playoffs, has to win at least one of its games this weekend to secure the 10th playoff spot and leave Brown in the basement of the ECAC.

Earlier this season, Skating Dutchmen Coach Kevin Sneddon '92 was pleasantly surprised when his young squad dropped reigning conference champion Clarkson and ECAC powerhouse Colgate. Despite Union's heroic early performances, the Crimson had no difficulties in posting a 5-3 victory last December.