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OXFORD, Ohio — Cody Reichard played last season for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, but he never got to watch the Alaska Nanooks play across town at the Carlson Center.

When the Ice Dogs were at home at the Big Dipper Ice Arena for a North American Hockey League series, the Nanooks were out of state for a Central Collegiate Hockey Association series. It was vice versa when the Ice Dogs were on the road.

“It never worked out that I got to see them,” Reichard, the 2007-08 NAHL Most Valuable Player, said after Thursday’s practice in the Steve Cady Arena at the Goggin Ice Center.

Thanks to the schedule makers in the CCHA and his freshman status for the Miami RedHawks, Reichard is set to see the Nanooks up close this weekend. Alaska, in a five-way tie for sixth place in the CCHA at 1-1-0 league and 3-2-1 overall, plays at 3 p.m. today and Saturday against league-leading and seventh-ranked Miami (1-0-1, 3-1-2).

“They’re a good team. It’s going to be a hard, tough battle both nights, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Reichard, a native of Celina, Ohio, said.

Nanooks junior right wing Brandon Knelsen, during off days for Alaska, saw Reichard play twice last season in Ice Dogs games at the Big Dipper.

“I thought he was solid, he challenged the shooter and he was very square (position),” Knelsen said. “He didn’t get a whole lot of shots, but he looked very sound when he was on.”

“We’re going to have to get pucks to the net (this weekend), get bodies to the net and try to get some greasy goals.”

Reichard, 1-1-1 with a 2.29 goals against average and .919 saves percentage, earned a 2-0 shutout last Friday at Notre Dame, and he is rotating with fellow freshman Connor Knapp, who backstopped Saturday’s 3-2 win over Notre Dame.

The rookies took over for two goalies who are gone from last season — Charlie Effinger, who completed his eligibility, and Jeff Zatkoff, who decided to forego his senior season and sign with the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings.

“It’s just like any other young guy,” Miami coach Enrico Blasi said. “There’s an adjustment period, there’s a certain maturity that goes on from practicing at this level and seeing the type of shooters that you see from day to day. I think they’re getting better, and that’s kind of the goal of everybody on this team, whether they’re young guys or older guys.”

The Nanooks got better Saturday with a 3-0 home shutout of Bowling Green State after the Falcons won 1-0 Friday.

Senior goaltender Chad Johnson had 29 saves Friday and stopped 27 shots Saturday for his second career shutout.

Coincidentally, Miami’s last loss by a shutout was a 3-0 setback to Alaska last Dec. 8 in the Cady Arena when the RedHawks were ranked No. 1 nationally. Miami leads the series all-time at 30-12-4, but the teams have split their last four games in Oxford.

“Any time you play a team as good as them, you just have to play within your systems, play disciplined, work hard and always give yourselves a chance to win,” Alaska senior center Adam Naglich said after Thursday’s practice.