Men's Ice Hockey

Weekend Preview: Key City Clash

No. 11 Michigan Tech and No. 12 Minnesota State square off in a weekend series to decide the destination of the MacNaughton Cup. The Mavericks can clinch the regular season title with a win (regulation, overtime or shootout) on Friday, while the Huskies need four points on the weekend to garner their first shared championship since 2015-16. Elsewhere, Bemidji State heads to St. Thomas looking to hold onto the fourth and final home ice position, while Bowling Green hosts Northern Michigan and Ferris State welcomes Lake Superior State to town.
 
All eight games this weekend will be available on CCHA TV, by visiting FloHockey. For a full breakdown of MacNaughton Cup and home ice-clinching scenarios, click here.
 
Notable Links: 

Lake Superior State (7-23-2; 6-17-1 CCHA — 20 PTS) at Ferris State (12-16-4; 9-12-3 CCHA — 33 PTS)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm ET) & Saturday (5:07pm ET)
Video Stream: FloHockey
Radio: LSSU 99.5 FM | FSU 97.3 FM
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Game Notes: LSSU | FSU

The Lakers are the only team locked into a playoff seed entering the final weekend of CCHA play, while Ferris State still has a chance to finish in the top four and earn home ice to open the Mason Cup Playoffs. The Bulldogs blanked Lake Superior State, 4-0, in Sault Ste. Marie back in January, but lost the following night, 4-1. The hosts need at least four points to have a shot at home ice and probably more.


 

Northern Michigan (16-16-0; 12-12-0 CCHA — 33 PTS) at Bowling Green (15-15-2; 12-10-2 CCHA — 41 PTS)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm ET) & Saturday (7:07pm ET)
Video Stream: FloHockey
Radio: NMU 100.3 FM | BGSU 88.1 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: NMU | BGSU

Coming off of a 17-goal weekend, Northern Michigan looks to continue its push to finish in the top four and earn home ice in the opening round of the Mason Cup Playoffs. The Wildcats head to Bowling Green for two, with the Falcons already having locked up a top-four finish while on bye last week. These two teams opened the regular season with a wild two-game set in Marquette, Mich., with the Falcons winning 6-4 on October 1 and the Wildcats taking a 4-3 overtime win the next night.



 

Bemidji State (13-14-5; 11-10-3 CCHA — 36 PTS) at St. Thomas (10-20-2; 9-13-2 CCHA — 29 PTS)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm CT) & Saturday (6:07pm CT)
Video Stream: FloHockey
Radio: BSU 92.1 FM | UST AM 1500
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: BSU | UST

The Beavers head down to the Twin Cities looking to hold onto their place as the fourth seed and final home ice position in the Mason Cup Playoffs. A four-point weekend against the Tommies will be enough to clinch just that, while the Tommies can climb to as high as fifth if they can put a big weekend together. Bemidji State earned a 6-4 victory and a shootout win after a 2-2 tie in the previous two meetings this year.



 

No. 11 Michigan Tech (21-8-4; 14-6-4 — 47 PTS) at No. 12 Minnesota State (20-11-1; 15-8-1 CCHA — 49 PTS)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm CT) & Saturday (6:07pm CT)
Video Stream: FloHockey
Radio: MTU 93.5 FM | MSU AM 1420
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: MTU | MSU

A storybook finish could be in the cards for No. 11 Michigan Tech or No. 12 Minnesota State, who are separated by just two points in the standings heading into the final weekend of the regular season. The Mavericks were able to salvage two points on their trip to Houghton, Mich., back in late November. After falling 3-2 on Friday, they came back late on Saturday to tie the game at 2-2, before claiming the bonus point in a shootout. The homestanding Mavericks need only a regulation win on either night to win the MacNaughton Cup outright.