There have been quite a few lasts in this, the final season of College Hockey America. The last opening weekend, the last first conference game, the last holiday break and the last trips into conference partners’ locales.

This weekend marks the third-from-final last with the final weekend of the regular season. Still to come are the last conference playoff and the last champion.

But even with the finality of these lasts and the fact that Bemidji State clinched the last regular season title it seems eons (but really only two weeks) ago, there are still numerous unknowns as we head to the final at least 240 minutes of the regular season.

The only other given is that second place Robert Morris can fall no lower than third and last place Niagara can rise no higher than third. The Colonials, coming off a game-less weekend, are home-and-home with Niagara for their final two tilts of the regular season and Bemidji State will travel to Alabama-Huntsville for the second time this season coming off a non-conference split at Nebraska-Omaha. The Beavers won both games in Rocket Town back in late October, but both were overtime affairs.

It would be a bit of an understatement to say Robert Morris and Niagara have developed a bit of a dislike for each other. That usually happens when you play each other six times a year plus a semi-final playoff game in each of the last two years.

This season, the four games so far have resulted on one win and one loss for each and two ties. Each team’s loss happened on their home ice.

Two points earned by the Colonials would clinch second place and last line change for their CHA semi-final.

Niagara needs to sweep and get help with two losses by UAH to Bemidji State to change their current playoff status and a first round game with Bemidji State. A leap into third with the above scenario would mean a semifinal matchup with Robert Morris for the third consecutive season.

“I just feel the positive momentum with the spirit and attitude going in the right direction,” Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder said after junior forward Brian Haczyk netted his second game-winning goal in as many games Saturday. “It’s been a frustrating season when you look at our record. But when we take short, 35 second shifts going all out, we’re a tough team to play.”

“We need to go into the playoffs with some momentum. (Taking) two out of three games on a normal weekend we would be content, but with our situation coming in, we’re not happy. We need two really good games with Bobby Mo and go in with momentum.”

For Alabama-Huntsville they are one point from finishing the regular season out of the CHA basement for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign. They salvaged the final game of their unique three-game series at Niagara last weekend with Neil Ruffini scoring his second goal of the game in overtime.

“It was hard to get our feet back under us, but a game is a game,” said Ruffini about the three games in three nights. “This was the tiebreaker for us (with Niagara), so we wanted go ahead in the series and we gave it our all.”

“With four teams it’s different than other leagues that want to earn a first round bye and all that,” said Chargers head coach Danton Cole. “In our league, if you win one game you’re playing the next game for the championship. And there are no easy games. This league is pretty good. I think it’s underestimated with Robert Morris probably the hottest team in our league. Obviously Niagara is playing some good hockey, we all know what Bemidji (State) is all about and we’re no slouches either.”

“We can all jockey around all we want but come two Fridays from now, whoever you line up against, beat them and move on. And our seniors were there three years ago when we won three games and it’s still in a lot of our guy’s minds”

“We saw it with Bemidji last year — you go in and play hard and anybody can beat anybody. I know we say that a lot, but it can happen. A guy makes two or three good saves over a weekend and all of a sudden you’re moving on.”

FRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG

• Alabama-Huntsville is one of just five teams in the nation who have yet to score short-handed. The others: Bowling Green, Cornell, Merrimack and Providence.

• Chargers senior forward Cale Tanaka played in game one at Niagara, but then sat out the Saturday game. He was a game-time decision Sunday and, after the warm-up, played. Teammate Vince Bruni was injured Saturday and was scratched Sunday. Defenseman Curtis DeBruyn was slow to get up after a hit on Sunday plus backup goaltender Blake MacNicol did not dress in the entire month of February and was questionable for the final regular season weekend. “I’ve been here almost three years now and we really haven’t had any injuries until the last half of this year,” Cole said. “And it’s been weird stuff, but sometimes the injured animal is a little bit dangerous.”

• At Sunday’s UAH-Niagara game, the referee crew of Chris Foote, Jim Visconte, Chris Woodworth and Donald Jablonski Jr. were gathered on the ice watching the end of the USA-Canada gold medal game on the TVs in the private club area just prior to the start of the third period.

• This weekend at Alabama-Huntsville, the Stanley Cup will be available for pictures prior to and during Friday night’s game against the Beavers. The Chargers will also be wearing camouflage jerseys which will be sold as a fundraiser for the team.

• Niagara senior defenseman Ryan Annesley had surgery on his left shoulder last Wednesday and will miss the rest of the season. He could apply for a medical redshirt to play next year since he only appeared in seven games this season.