Men's Ice Hockey 2/29/2024 7:33:07 PM Weekend Preview: Hardware Chasing The final weekend of the regular season features a number of critical series, spanning from a MacNaughton title battle to home-ice implications. Minnesota State, which sits four points back of Bemidji State, travels north to face the Beavers needing five points for a share of the 2023-24 regular season title and six to win it outright. BSU can clinch a share of its second MacNaughton Cup with any points, but has hopes up locking up the solo championship with a win on Friday night. St. Thomas visits Michigan Tech with both sides eyeing home ice, while Bowling Green has similar thoughts when it travels to Northern Michigan. The Wildcats have an outside shot at a top-four spot, but need a sweep and help to do so. Lake Superior State and Ferris State are both headed on the road for the Mason Cup Playoffs, but will play a singular tune-up on Friday in Sault Ste. Marie, before prepping for the postseason. Augustana welcomes Alaska to Midco Arena for a two-game set, before hosting the United States National Development Program U-18 Team next weekend.  All nine of this weekend's games will be available on CCHA TV, by visiting FloHockey.  Notable Links: CCHA Schedule Live Scores & Results Standings Player & Team Stats CCHA TV Highlights The CCHA Show (on Apple & Spotify) CCHA News Headlines CCHA Merchandise Store Bowling Green (13-18-1; 11-10-1 CCHA — 35 PTS) at Northern Michigan (10-14-6; 8-10-4 CCHA — 30 PTS) Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm ET) & Saturday (6:07pm ET) Video Stream: FloHockey Radio: NMU 100.3 FM Live Stats: Click Here Game Notes: BGSU | NMU The Falcons head to Marquette looking to climb back into a home ice spot and trail Michigan Tech and St. Thomas by a single point, entering the weekend. Splitting earlier this season at Slater Family Ice Arena, the Wildcats lead the all-time series, 60-59-11. Northern Michigan can still earn home ice, needing a six-point sweep of the Falcons and St. Thomas to take six points in Houghton. St. Thomas (13-17-2; 11-10-1 CCHA — 36 PTS) at Michigan Tech (14-13-6; 11-9-2 CCHA — 36 PTS) Day/Time: Thursday (7:07pm ET) & Friday (6:07pm ET) Video Stream: FloHockey Radio: UST AM 1500 | MTU 93.5 FM Live Stats: Friday | Saturday Game Notes: UST | MTU St. Thomas heads up to MacInnis Student Ice Arena to close out the regular season against the team they are tied with in the CCHA standing in Michigan Tech. Winning the series would guarantee home ice in the Mason Cup Quaraterfinals, but a sweep would put the beneficiaries in position to finish second with help from Bemidji State. A split would force Bowling Green to need five points from its final regular season series at NMU. Ferris State (10-21-2; 6-16-1 CCHA — 19 PTS) at Lake Superior State (14-18-1; 10-12-1 CCHA — 31 PTS) Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm ET) Video Stream: FloHockey Radio: FSU 97.3 FM | LSSU 99.5 FM Live Stats: Click Here Game Notes: FSU | LSSU Lake Superior State welcomes the Bulldogs to Taffy Abel Arena for a single game to close out the regular season. While Ferris State is locked into the eighth seed and will travel west for the opening round the playoffs, the Lakers can finish sixth or seventh. LSSU leads the all-time series 85-64-15.  Minnesota State (16-12-4; 12-8-2 CCHA — 38 PTS) at Bemidji State (15-15-2; 13-7-2 CCHA — 42 PTS) Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm CT) & Saturday (6:07pm CT) Video Stream: FloHockey Radio: MSU AM 1420 | BSU 92.1 FM Live Stats: Click Here Game Notes: MSU | BSU The Mavericks and Beavers square off in a battle for the MacNaughton Cup this weekend, with the Beavers entering play with a four-point advantage. If Minnesota State can earn five points, they will share the title, but a sweep would win it outright. Either way, it would mean a seventh-straight regular season title for the Mavs. Bemidji State can earn a piece of their second MacNaughton Cup title with a single point and two would seal the program's second go-around with the famed piece of hardware. Alaska (14-14-2) at Augustana (12-17-2) Day/Time: Friday (7:07pm CT) & Saturday (6:07pm CT) Video Stream: FloHockey Radio: UAF 91.5 FM Live Stats: Click Here Game Notes: UAF | AU Augustana embarks on its first rematch in program history, when Alaska visits Midco Arena this weekend. The Vikings and Nanooks split their previous meeting back in December, with UAF taking the opener, 5-2, before Augie battled back for a 3-2 overtime win the following night.
