Weekend Preview: All The Marbles

Five CCHA teams are in contention for the famed McNaughton Cup when action begins on Thursday night. No. 16 Michigan Tech hosts Bowling Green, while No. 17 St. Thomas heads to Bemidji State and No. 18 Minnesota State welcomes Northern Michigan to town. Lake Superior State and Ferris State get the weekend started early with a series that gets underway on Thursday night.

Idle Augustana (50 points) carries a two-point lead in the standings into the weekend, right ahead of the Tommies (48) and Huskies (48), while Minnesota State (46) is four points behind. The Falcons (44) have an outside shot at the regular season title, but can secure home ice with a solid road weekend.

Notable Links:

Ferris State (6-25-1; 5-18-1 CCHA — 18 PTS) at Lake Superior State (11-19-2; 8-15-1 CCHA — 29 PTS)
Day/Time: Thursday (7:07 PM ET) & Friday (7:07 PM ET)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus
Radio: FSU 97.3 FM | LSSU 99.5 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: FSU | LSSU

The Bulldogs and Lakers get the weekend underway on Thursday, as Ferris State is looking for a single point to lock up the eighth and final Mason Cup Playoff spot. Lake Superior State can climb to sixth with a big home weekend. Both teams are coming off sweeps their last time out and are playing some of their best hockey entering the regular season finale. LSSU owns an 80-69-15 lead in the all-time series.

Bowling Green (16-9-7; 13-7-4 CCHA — 44 PTS) at No. 16 Michigan Tech (21-10-3; 16-5-3 CCHA — 48 PTS)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07 PM ET) & Saturday (6:07 PM ET)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus
Radio: BGSU 88.1 FM | MTU 93.5 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: BGSU | MTU

A series that will go a long way into determining home in the Mason Cup Playoffs and potentially a MacNaughton Cup Champion, No. 16 Michigan Tech hosts Bowling Green for a pair of games at "The Mac" in Houghton. The Huskies can guarantee themselves at least a share of the regular season title with a sweep, while the Falcons need six points to make sure they have home ice in the Mason Cup Quarterfinals. Tech owns a narrow 28-27-6 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1972.

No. 17 St. Thomas (18-10-4; 15-6-3 CCHA — 48 PTS) at Bemidji State (12-17-3; 10-11-3 CCHA — 32 PTS)
Day/Time: Friday (7:07 PM CT) & Saturday (6:07 PM CT)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus
Radio: UST AM 1500 | BSU 92.3 FM
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: UST | BSU

The 17th-ranked Tommies head to Bemidji with a shot at the No. 1 overall seed in the Mason Cup Playoffs and their first MacNaughton Cup win, sitting two points back of Augustana and tied with Michigan Tech. The Beavers are looking to hold off Lake Superior State for the sixth spot in the postseason. Bemidji State is 36-7-3 all-time against St. Thomas, including a 23-2-3 mark at home.

Northern Michigan (3-28-1; 3-20-1 CCHA — 12 PTS) at No. 18 Minnesota State (17-9-6; 13-7-4 CCHA — 46 PTS) at
Day/Time: Friday (7:07 PM CT) & Saturday (6:07 PM CT)
Video Stream: Midco Sports Plus
Radio: NMU 100.3 FM | MSU AM 1420
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: NMU | MSU

No. 18 Minnesota State has a path to their 10th MacNaughton Cup Championship, but needs a big weekend against the Wildcats and help elsewhere. If the Mavericks pick up at least three points, they will solidify home ice in the Mason Cup Quarterfinals, but can get there with outside results as well. MSU owns a 33-9-5 lead in the all-time series against Northern Michigan. The Wildcats have a sliver of hope at the postseason, needing a road sweep and for Ferris State to drop two in regulation at Lake Superior State.