PREVIOUS VIEW OF THE CCHA Championship Game: University Hockey News

March 19, 2025



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by Tyler Kuehl/Chn reporter (@tjku29)

Adam Eisele

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Minnesota state

St. Thomas

A battle that could only be carried out on the land of 10,000 lakes faces one of the most established programs in the university hockey against a team that still tries to make a name in division I.

On Friday night in Mankato, the state of Minnesota prepares to fight with St. Thomas with the Mason Cup in play in the Ccha championship game.

The roads for both teams have been “similar but different.” The Tommies crossed the state of Ferris in the first round before taking out a victory over Bowling Green to advance to the game’s title game for the first time.

The Mavericks also swept their opponent of the quarterfinals, although it was not so easy against the state of Lake Superior. Then, the state of Minnesota knocked the old rival and the seventh state of Bemidji in the semifinals to return to the final of the Mason Cup for the third time in four years.

3. St. Thomas (19-13-5) vs. 1. Minnesota status (26-8-3)

In the great scheme of things, outside the rights of the conference, this game has little postseason value. St. Thomas is not yet allowed to compete in national tournaments as part of his five-year postseason inefficiency period to move from D-III to di. This is its fourth year of five, although the NCAA votes in a couple of months to reduce that waiting period to four years.

However, not being able to qualify for the NCAA will not dissuade coach Rico Blasi coach to make a strong fight with a championship at stake.

“Obviously, really excited to play the game on Friday,” Blasi said. “Every time you can be in a championship game, you have done something well throughout the year.

St. Thomas goes to Mankato riding a streak of eight consecutive victories; The Tommies won their last five in the regular season before launching the playoffs.

What has worked for the Tommies this season has been his ability to trust his offensive to score great goals in the key moments of the game. Senior Liam Malmquist continues to be an absolute force, scoring six goals so far in the tournament, placing himself in a draw with the teammate Cooper Gay for the leadership of the League. The two line line have published 19 each so far. Malmquist now leads all Ccha players at general points with 44.

The goalkeeper Jake Sibell has been star in the postseason, building another impressive regular season. Having renounced only five goals in the three games, the Senior has been one of the busiest goalkeepers in the League, which makes an average of 28.8 salvages per game.

This race towards the championship game has been exciting for the smallest school in St. Paul. However, Blasi says it was not a success during the night.

“Our culture has been growing and maturing when we have evolved here.

After the team lost the game for the Ccha title in the first year of Luke Strand at work, the Mavericks have returned to the previous form with a revenge, possibly possibly the deepest alignment of the conference.

Its success has come in several ways, especially among the pipes. The goalkeeper of the year Ccha, Alex Tracy, has been the bread and butter of Strand this season, winning national recognition as one of the 10 finalists for the Mike Richter award. The Junior Fund Council has given only three goals so far in this postseason, publishing a laundering of 27 saved against the Beavers last Saturday.

Together with a strong defense, led by the defender All-Char of the first team Austin Murr, the MAVs have some types that are interested in putting the album at the bottom of the network. Rhett Pitick has been a large part of the team since it was transferred from Minnesota last summer, scoring 13 goals and 38 points, placing it third among the Ccha players in scores.

Datting from the Wcha, the Mavericks have 5-1 in the conference championship games, for the last time defeating north of Michigan in 2023. Their only loss occurred in the WCHA final 2016 to the State of Ferris.

Minnesota State had 2-1-1 against St. Thomas during the regular season, although the Tommies won a mankato victory at the end of January.

Strand recognizes how good it has been St. Thomas this season, and although Mankato has had the advantage in general, he acknowledges that it will be a difficult team to win.

“St. Thomas is dangerous,” Strand said. “You get on the wrong side of the things that will make you pay for it.

With a tenth trip to the national tournament, Strand understands that the result of Friday night could affect its planting during the regional ones. However, it does not seem worried about playing for a certain classification in Big Dance next week.

“There will be some of that at stake.