by Dylan Rider/CHN Reporter
Following an upset-free quarterfinals that saw three of the four remaining teams pick up a sweep, the CCHA’s semifinals come bearing a dogfight between the top four teams of the conference. The final four — Minnesota State, St. Thomas, Augustana and Michigan Tech — weren’t set until the final day of the regular season, with all teams finishing within two points of each other.
While Minnesota State battles for its fourth conference championship appearance in five years, Michigan Tech hopes for similar results to its 2024 Mason Cup run. For St. Thomas, a second straight CCHA championship appearance or more would be a nice going-away present for the departing Tommies. All that’s in their way is the CCHA’s newest squad in Augustana, a team that would love more than anything to take conference bragging rights in its first full year in the conference.
No. 1 Minnesota State (20-10-7, 14-7-5) vs. No. 4 Michigan Tech (23-12-3, 16-7-3)
It was somewhat unexpected that, of all top-4 teams in the CCHA quarterfinals, it was top-seeded Minnesota State to receive the only first-round scare.
After taking care of eight-seeded Ferris State in game one, the Mavericks suffered a 2-1 overtime defeat that sent the series to a third outing. With the pressure on in Game 3, the Mavericks collected a shutout win to get them to where they are now.
“I think we felt some of those pressures along the way, just [with] where we were and having to climb back in and know that points were a premium,” MSU coach Luke Strand said. “I think we’re grateful that we’re still playing because you’d hate to see that pressure and not be playing today. To learn from what it was, it’s a different feeling, no question.”
The Mavericks’ defensive zone play has been a strength for the team all year. Minnesota State’s first defensive pairing of Mason Wheeler and Campbell Cichosz combined for 132 blocks, which is good enough for Wheeler to lead the conference and Cichosz to be eighth in the CCHA.
It doesn’t stop there either, with Evan Murr slotting in on the second pairing. Murr leads the league in plus/minus with 18 while also taking home the CCHA’s Defenseman of the Year award.
All of this, of course, is in front of Mike Richter Award finalist Alex Tracy, whose 1.81 goals against average is the best in the conference. The netminder also holds a .926 save percentage with a 19-10-7 record.
“Tracy just gets better every day,” Strand said. “He takes it on. I probably have more angst towards it than he does.”
In the reverse of the 2024 semifinal matchup, Michigan Tech must take on the Mavericks on their home ice. The Huskies split the regular-season series with Minnesota State down the middle, taking both games in Houghton while dropping the other two in Mankato.
With the season on the line, Michigan Tech has no choice but to pick up its first road win against the Mavericks in the playoffs.
“We have to be disciplined,” Michigan Tech coach Bill Muckalt said. “We have to find ways to create traffic and screens and not take penalties, while making it difficult for [Alex] Tracy to see the puck. All the things that are so important at this time of year are races, battles, managing your shifts, managing your changes, special teams, good breakouts and all that stuff.”
The Huskies enter this matchup with the CCHA’s second-highest scoring offense, having scored 124 goals in 38 games or 3.26 goals a game. With 44 points, Stiven Sardarian leads the league in points through his 36 games. With him at Michigan Tech, it’s no surprise that there’s an efficient offense in Houghton.
It also certainly doesn’t hurt that the Huskies’ 44-point scoring forward is followed up by Max Koskipirtti’s 35 points.
“[Stiven’s] a difference maker offensively. He’s creative. He makes plays,” Muckalt said. “He makes the other guys around him better. He’s been a real bright spot for our team all year. We need him to play well. We’ve had some other guys as well. Max [Koskipirtti] has been phenomenal for us. We have a balanced group up front. The other guys have been really good for us. It’ll be big. A lot of times in these types of games, it’s not only what you make, but it’s also what you leave.”
Across the ice from Alex Tracy will be Owen Bartoszkiewicz, who has put together quite a solid season for himself and the Huskies. Through 37 starts, the junior holds a 23-11-3 with a .919 save percentage.
While manning the cage against the Bowling Green Falcons in the quarterfinals, Bartoszkiewicz turned away 69 shots on 74 attempts for a .932 save percentage.
No. 2 St. Thomas (20-11-5, 15-7-4) vs. No. 3 Augustana (22-10-4, 14-8-4)
In its three outings against Augustana this year, St. Thomas failed to pick up a win, going 0-1-2. Now would be the right time to avenge that stat with the Vikings coming to Lee and Penny Anderson Arena for a do-or-die single elimination game.
The Tommies’ offense tops the CCHA in goals scored (128), goals scored per game (3.56) and features three of their forwards in the conference’s top-10 for goals. Forward Lucas Wahlin has picked up the most goals in the CCHA with 21, while Alex Gaffney sits in third with 17 and Nathan Pilling is in sixth with 15.
For St. Thomas coach Rico Blasi, their match against the Vikings comes down to all three phases of the game.
“At this time of the year, when you’re playing [single-game elimination], everybody’s got to be at their best, and you’re only going to have so many opportunities,” Blasi said. “You’re going to have to make the most of them. You’ve got to play well in all three zones, with and without the puck. All the cliches that you want to talk about, they really come to light at this time of the year.
In their series against Lake Superior State, the Tommies potted nine goals in their two-game sweep against the Lakers — the most by any team in the quarterfinals.
There was no definitive commitment from Blasi as to who would start in net for St. Thomas. The choice is between sophomore Carsen Musser, who started both games against Lake Superior State and came out with a .898 save percentage, or senior Aaron Trotter.
In its last duel with St. Thomas, Augustana picked up a 4-0 shutout win in February. With the fourth game between the two this season, the Vikings look to repeat the result.
One glance at Augustana’s statistics and you’ll notice the depth that they have with them. Six players carry 20-plus points on the season, while five more sit behind them with 15-plus points.
“We’ve had a group that on different nights has contributed offensively,” Augustana coach Garrett Raboin said. “Different guys have risen in different moments. There have been opportunities that have been earned throughout the lineup and guys have played in different roles and situations throughout the season. That’s been a strength of ours. Lines one through four and defensemen one through seven can all have a hand at different moments in a game to help us on the offensive side of things.”
Forwards Brett Meerman and Colton Friesen top off the scoring for the Vikings. Meerman’s 28 points are closely followed by Friesen’s 27. The Vikings picked up seven goals in their two-game sweep of Bemidji State.
While the Augustana offense put the puck in the net, netminder Josh Kotai kept it out. In his two starts, the CCHA’s Goaltender of the Year conceded only three goals, culminating in a .959 save percentage.
“Josh has been a stabilizing force for our group and allowed us to just go play our brand of hockey,” Raboin said. “If there are breakdowns, he’s there to backstop us. It has been a real gift to have a goalie play at the level that Josh has for us. Our challenge continues to be to take pressure off of him and allow him to see pucks, limit second chance opportunities and really play a strong, really defensive brand of hockey.”