New York Islanders Prospects in NCAA Playoff Action this Weekend

The New York Islanders get back at it this weekend with back-to-backs, beginning at home to the New Jersey Devils (part III of III) Saturday followed by a visit to Madison Square Garden Sunday.

Further down the depth chart, higher in the in-game stakes, and much deeper in fans' dreams are some Islanders NCAA prospects who will play in critical playoff games.

In the CCHA, Notre Dame swept Ohio State earlier this week to end the Buckeyes' season after they entered the year as favorites but ended the year as #9 conference playoff seeds. The Fighting [ethnic group] now face a tough best-of-three quarterfinal encounter with Michigan. Big scoring winger Anders Lee (who gives you the locker room tour in the video above) and crafty defenseman Robbie Russo are the Isles prospects to watch for Notre Dame. Michigan has advanced to the semifinals for the past 23 seasons.

In the WCHA's bracket to get to their "Frozen Five," Scott Mayfield and Denver U. are the #3 seed hosting #10 Wisconsin and Jason Clark, who's had a quiet season coming off hip surgeries. Meanwhile, Brock Nelson (Inside College Hockey's WCHA Breakthrough Player of the Year) and the #4 seed North Dakota Fighting [tribal group] is host to #9 seed Bemidji State. Bemidji has beaten North Dakota once in 41 years.

Check your local listings and incomplete TV schedules to see if you can catch any. Or, you know, just watch the big-league club against its local rivals.