With one week remaining in the WCHA regular season, the NMU Wildcats know they will either be playing the Ferris State Bulldogs or the Bemidji State Beavers in the opening round of the playoffs next weekend.

NMU cannot control who their opponent will be, but they can control where their first playoff series will be played.

The Wildcats are clutching to the fourth seed in the conference, the lowest to host the first round of the playoffs.

NMU sits with 30 points, just one behind Ferris who has 29 points in fifth place.

As NMU prepares for their home-and-home series with Michigan Tech and Ferris welcomes the seventh-place Lake Superior State Lakers, NMU’s magic number to clinch home ice is four points, which can be achieved by either NMU wins or ties, or Ferris losses.

Here are the situations NMU can clinch home ice:

• If NMU splits with Michigan Tech, they will need Ferris to split with LSSU, or tie with LSSU and suffer a loss, or get swept by LSSU. 
• If NMU sweeps Michigan Tech, they clinch home ice. 
• If NMU earns one tie and suffers one loss, they will need Ferris to earn one tie and suffer one loss to LSSU. 
• If NMU ties Michigan Tech in both games, they will need Ferris to tie both games or suffer at least one loss. 
• If NMU is swept by Michigan Tech, they will need LSSU to sweep Ferris.

As long as NMU accomplishes whatever Ferris does this weekend, they will be at home during the opening round of the playoffs for the first time in four years.