Technically, the NAHL playoffs don’t start until next week, but in reality what takes place this weekend at the Odde Ice Center will likely feel like post-season hockey.

The Aberdeen Wings will conclude the regular season against the same opponent they will face in the opening round of the playoffs, the Austin Bruins. The two just faced each other last weekend and the two weekends prior to that.

“It’s a wild way to schedule for sure,” said Wings coach Steve Jennings. “We finish off with six of our last eight against Austin in the regular season and then we have each other in the first round.”

All told, if the playoff series goes the distance, the two squads could play each other 11 times out of 13 games.

Because there is so much recent history, you might think that would cut down on things like watching film in preparation of the opponent since the two know each other so well.

“That’s false. I wish that was the case. We actually have to watch more,” Jennings said. “There’s some things that we weren’t so happy with this (past) weekend so we’ve gone back and tried to dig at what’s going on, and what are we missing, and what are we not doing, and what do we need to fix? I would love to say it lessens the workload. I don’t think it changes it at all.”

While their playoff series won’t start until next weekend, there is plenty at stake in the two games in Aberdeen on Friday and Saturday. The Wings and Bruins have identical records and home-ice advantage is at stake.

Interestingly enough, the Wings have a better road record this season than a home mark, but Jennings said that was a result of a sluggish start to the year.

“Our fall at home wasn’t tremendous. I think we’ve been better in the second half at home. That’s a little bit of a consequence of a group that’s just not experienced. While we were trying to build chemistry with a new group, unfortunately that was part of the consequence there,” Jennings said. “Our back half here at home has been much better, so I think for us home ice actually does matter and I think the kids enjoy being in this atmosphere and what the people bring. It does give us extra energy, different than when we go on the road.”

Not only that, the Wings would like to gain some momentum heading into the post season after losing their past three games, including the last two to Austin.

A big homestand would serve dual purposes for the local squad, ensuring a boost of confidence on the way to the playoffs and gaining home-ice advantage at the Odde where loyal fans help to energize the Wings each time they hit the ice.

“We’ve lost three in a row, so for us, it’s really important. We need to kind of build some confidence back,” Jennings said. “I would prefer that we start at home vs. start on the road in the playoffs. I’m sure there’s a lot of people in town that would feel the same way and I think our players feel the same way. So this is an important weekend for us.”

The Wings are coming off a runner-up finish in last year’s Robertson Cup finals and Jennings would like to see his players make a deep run again this spring.

“I’m hoping we’ll go for two more months,” he said.

Jennings quickly added that hoping means working and that he is pleased with the way his players have matured over the past season.

“I think this is a good, hard-working group and I think they’ve come a long way. We have a lot of guys who maybe aren’t 16-years-old young, but their young in terms of the Junior experience and I think the guys have grown a fair bit here this year and I think we’re seeing that outcome,” Jennings said. “I want us to finish off the right way here and drive into playoffs with some confidence.”

That drive begins this weekend in what promises to be two intense games between the Bruins and the Wings, each looking to send a message to each other heading into their playoff series.

“I’m sure they’re coming in with a purpose to put the fire out and we have that same purpose,” Jennings said, “so I’m sure it will be exciting hockey.”