Minnesota Duluth plays its first hockey games at the National Hockey Center in more than two years on Friday (7:37 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) against St. Cloud State. The final regular-season series of 2011-12 coincides with the groundbreaking for a $30 million expansion to the building to be completed in 2013. The rink will have 20-30 luxury suites and increased seating to 8,000.

At Friday’s 3 p.m. ceremony at center ice, among the dignitaries will be St. Cloud, Minn., Mayor Dave Kleis and St. Cloud State athletic director Morris Kurtz.

Charter Cable channel 87 will carry the UMD-St. Cloud State series in the Duluth-Superior area.

UMD hasn’t played at St. Cloud State since Oct. 23-24, 2009. The teams last met in the 2011 WCHA playoffs at Amsoil Arena which resulted in a UMD sweep, 4-2 and 3-2 in triple overtime.

The St. Cloud State athletic department is offering a 2-for-1 ticket deal for both games of the series. Information is here.

With Minnesota holding a two-point lead over UMD in the WCHA regular-season title race, it sounds as if league commissioner Bruce McLeod will be in Minneapolis this weekend as the Gophers face Wisconsin at Mariucci Arena. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has an update on the MacNaughton Cup here.

Chris Dilks of Western College Hockey looks at some likely WCHA playoff pairing possibilities here.

College Hockey News has this week’s look at favorites for the 2012 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, including Jack Connolly, here.

Bruce Ciskie continues to look at possible WCHA post-season award winners, including coach of the year here.

Minnesota State-Moorhead, which entertained the idea of starting a Division I men’s team, gave up that hope Monday because of a lack of resources. The Fargo-Forum has an update here.