The college free agent season is in full swing. As more NCAA teams see their seasons end, the more NHL teams will be snapping up undrafted players that they hope can mature into an option for their NHL roster. That will be especially true of teams that have made significant changes to their prospect pools and future draft picks.

Coast To Coast is FloHockey’s monthly, cohesive news on North American hockey and live-streaming partnerships.

It’s here, hockey’s version of March Madness, earlier and richer than its more ballyhooed sibling college hoops.

Ordinarily, there would be four story capsules leading up to CCHA action this weekend, especially with Northern Michigan’s late-season sprint for home ice against Bowling Green, but this weekend belongs to the Michigan Tech-Minnesota State series.

This week on CCHA RinkRap: A scoring faucet is cranked wide open in Marquette, a Mankato-themed sequel in Bemidji and a gripping horse race for CCHA Rookie of the Year award.

Week 20 of the CCHA has all the makings of golf’s “Moving Day,” the Saturday of the majors when the power brokers jockey for position. Whether they admit it or not, both Ferris State and Bemidji will be watching the out-of-town scoreboard as they jostle for that all-important fourth place perch to guarantee home ice in the CCHA tournament.

This week in RinkRap, two freshmen dynamos from the State of Hockey show the potential of the next wave of CCHA talent.

Three mega series in the CCHA this weekend demand attention: A legend’s return to hockey’s Mecca, a carnival with an historic trophy on the line and three days in February – a series in Big Rapids previews the postseason.

This week in RinkRap: The UP's version of A Tale of Two Cities, a historic streak comes to an end, a coach reaches a milestone and a goalie owns Fridays.

In the words of iconic thoroughbred track announcer Dave Johnson, "Down the stretch they Come!"

This week in RinkRap: A twin celebration in Houghton, cleaning house up in the Soo and 20 becomes a magic number in Mankato.

This weekend, FloHockey has some irresistible reasons to watch, including a preview of American hockey’s brilliant future, Beavers going hunting for crucial points in the Soo and must-see TV in the U.P.

Joe Shawhan was spitting mad Saturday night.

This week in RinkRap: wholesale benchings in the Soo, a high-water mark for Blasi’s Tommies, two streaks extended at Bowling Green, and a Mavericks stampede through the desert.

Coast To Coast is FloHockey’s monthly, cohesive news on North American hockey and livestreaming partnerships.