2026 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament

2026 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament
DatesMarch 6–20, 2026
Teams8
Finals siteMayo Clinic Health System Event Center
Mankato, Minnesota
CCHA men's Ice Hockey Tournaments
2027 →

The 2026 CCHA Tournament is the 47th tournament in the history of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. It begins on March 6 and ends on March 20, 2026. All games were played at home campus sites.

Format

The first round of the postseason tournament features a best-of-three games format, while the semifinals and final are single games held at the campus sites of the highest remaining seeds. The top eight conference teams in the standings participated in the tournament. Teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 8 according to their final conference standings, with a tiebreaker system used to seed teams with an identical number of points accumulated. The higher-seeded teams each earned home ice and hosted one of the lower-seeded teams.[1] The teams that advance out of the quarterfinals are reseeded according to the regular season standings. The semifinals and final are single-elimination games. The winners of the semifinals play one another to determine the conference tournament champion.

Conference standings

2025–26 Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings
Conference record Overall record
GP W L T OTW OTL SW PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
#16 Minnesota State † 26 14 7 5 1 2 3 51 71 53 38 21 10 7 106 77
#15 St. Thomas 26 15 7 4 2 1 2 50 89 67 37 21 11 5 130 105
#18 Augustana 26 14 8 4 1 2 3 50 72 49 37 22 11 4 109 74
Michigan Tech 26 16 7 3 3 1 0 49 84 59 39 23 13 3 126 106
Bowling Green 26 15 7 4 3 2 1 49 80 59 36 18 11 7 107 88
Bemidji State 26 11 11 4 5 1 3 36 69 68 36 13 19 4 98 103
Lake Superior State 26 8 16 2 1 4 2 31 57 83 36 11 22 3 92 121
Ferris State 26 6 18 2 1 2 1 22 70 100 37 8 27 2 91 138
Northern Michigan 26 3 21 2 0 2 0 13 44 98 34 3 29 2 56 132
Championship: March 20, 2026
† indicates conference regular-season champion (MacNaughton Cup)
* indicates conference tournament champion (Mason Cup)
Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll; updated March 16, 2026
Source: CCHA

Bracket

Quarterfinals
March 6–8 		Semifinals
March 14 		Championship
March 20
           
1 Minnesota State 5 1 2
8 Ferris State 1 2* 0
1 Minnesota State 7
4 Michigan Tech 2
2 St. Thomas 4* 5 —
7 Lake Superior State 3 2 —
1 Minnesota State
(Teams are reseeded after the Quarterfinal round)
2 St. Thomas
3 Augustana 5 2 —
6 Bemidji State 2 1 —
2 St. Thomas 2
3 Augustana 1
4 Michigan Tech 5 3 —
5 Bowling Green 3 2 —

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Results

Note: All game times are local.

Quarterfinals

(1) Minnesota State vs. (8) Ferris State

March 6, 2026
7:07 pm		Minnesota State5–1
(2–0, 1–1, 2–0)		Ferris StateMayo Clinic Health System Event Center
Attendance: 3,068
Game reference
Alex TracyGoaliesMartin LundbergReferees:
Rick Nelson
Sterling Egan
Linesmen:
Nick Huff
Patrick Giles
(Zetterberg, Somoza) Jack Smith – 2:021–0
(Williams) Evan Murr – GW – 16:312–0
(Smith, Somoza) Alex Zetterberg– 29:103–0
3–130:41 – Xavier Jean-Louis (Silich)
(LeBel) Campbell Cichosz – 46:354–1
Luigi Benincasa – EN, UA – 58:535–1
8 minPenalties4 min
35Shots13
March 7, 2026
6:07 pm		Minnesota State1–2 (OT)
(0–0, 1-1, 0–0, 0–1)		Ferris StateMayo Clinic Health System Event Center
Attendance: 2,866
Game reference
Alex TracyGoaliesMartin LundbergReferees:
Rick Nelson
Sterling Egan
Linesmen:
Nick Huff
Patrick Giles
(Watkins) Luigi Benincasa – 36:421–0
1–138:47 – John Lundy (McGrath, Doell)
1–261:45 – GW – Caden Brown (Best, Mesic)
4 minPenalties8 min
29Shots13
March 8, 2026
5:07 pm		Minnesota State2–0
(0–0, 2–0, 0–0)		Ferris StateMayo Clinic Health System Event Center
Attendance: 2,065
Game reference
Alex TracyGoaliesMartin LundbergReferees:
Rick Nelson
Sterling Egan
Linesmen:
Nick Huff
Patrick Giles
Luigi Benincasa – GW – 21:321–0
(Cichosz, Somoza) Mason Wheeler – 35:572–0
6 minPenalties6 min
46Shots17
Minnesota State wins series 2–1

(2) St. Thomas vs. (7) Lake Superior State

March 6, 2026
7:07 pm		St. Thomas4–3 (OT)
(2–0, 0–3, 1–0, 1–0)		Lake Superior StateLee & Penny Anderson Arena
Attendance: 1,217
Game reference
Carsen MusserGoaliesRorke ApplebeeReferees:
Michael Forys
Bobby Lukkason
Linesmen:
Andrew Dokken
Nathan Voll
(Braccini, Miller) Caige Sterzer – 1:121–0
(Gaffney) Ryan O'Neill – 11:512–0
2–126:04 – PP – Carter Batchelder (Druskinis, Milburn)
2–234:04 – Connor Milburn (Ramos, Teleguine)
2–338:01 – John Herrington (Sobush, Batchelder)
(Gaffney) Ryan O'Neill – 51:503–3
(Godbout) Chase Cheslock – GW – 67:514–3
2 minPenalties17 min
40Shots25
March 7, 2026
7:07 pm		St. Thomas5–2
(1–1, 1–0, 3–1)		Lake Superior StateLee & Penny Anderson Arena
Attendance: 1,286
Game reference
Carsen MusserGoaliesRorke ApplebeeReferees:
Michael Forys
Bobby Lukkason
Linesmen:
Andrew Dokken
Nathan Voll
(Godbout, Sterzer) Colton Jamieson – 2:021–0
1–16:01 – Ryan Beck (Teleguine, Milburn)
(O'Neill) Lucas Wahlin – 30:412–1
2–255:48 – Evan Bushy (Piku, Batchelder)
(Schoen, Berry) Lucas Van Vliet – GW – 57:233–2
Lucas Wahlin – EN – 58:084–2
(Wahlin) Lucas Van Vliet – EN – 59:155–2
6 minPenalties10 min
43Shots29
St. Thomas wins series 2–0

(3) Augustana vs. (6) Bemidji State

March 6, 2026
7:07 pm		Augustana5–2
(1–0, 2–0, 1–2)		Bemidji StateMidco Arena
Attendance: 3,082
Game reference
Josh KotaiGoaliesMax HildebrandReferees:
Colin Hronforst
Nicholas Bradshaw
Linesmen:
Kyle Domin
Gabe Halonen
(Hennen, Meerman) Landon Fandel – 17:461–0
(Friesen) Easton Young – 26:532–0
(Meritähti, Chakrabarti) Joey DelGreco – GW – 30:263–0
(Bohn, Friesen) Nace Langus – 54:094–0
4–140:13 – Connor McClennon (Magnussen, Peer)
4–241:18 – PP – Oliver Peer (McClennon, Magnussen)
(Langus, DelGreco) Colton Friesen – EN – 59:215–2
4 minPenalties2 min
27Shots33
March 7, 2026
6:07 pm		Augustana2–1
(0–1, 0–1, 2–1)		Bemidji StateMidco Arena
Attendance: 3,082
Game reference
Josh KotaiGoaliesMax HildebrandReferees:
Colin Hronforst
Nicholas Bradshaw
Linesmen:
Kyle Domin
Gabe Halonen
(Langus, Bohn) Colton Friesen – 57:031–0
(Kotai) Joey DelGreco – EN, GW – 58:322–0
2–119:19 – Reilly Funk (Peer, Magnussen)
6 minPenalties4 min
19Shots43
Augustana wins series 2–0

(4) Michigan Tech vs. (5) Bowling Green

March 6, 2026
7:07 pm		Michigan Tech5–3
(2–1, 1–1, 2–1)		Bowling GreenMacInnes Student Ice Arena
Attendance: 2,836
Game reference
Owen BartoszkiewiczGoaliesTyler PalmerReferees:
Stephen McInchak
Bruce Vida Jr
Linesmen:
Eric Froberg
Jamie Grace
(Van Blaricom, Miller) Carson Birnie – 3:421–0
1–111:14 – Maxwell Martin (Crampton, Doran)
(Miller, Trembecky) Isaac Gordon – 14:172–1
2–228:22 – Gustav Stjernberg (Niedermayer, Waters)
(Leppa, Koskipirtti) Noah Reinhart – PP – 37:533–2
(Prouty, Bartoszkiewicz) Teydon Trembecky – GW – 53:104–2
4–356:22 – PP, EA – Jérémie Minville (Emerson, Rymon)
(Prouty) Isaac Gordon – EN – 59:365–3
6 minPenalties2 min
18Shots39
March 7, 2026
6:07 pm		Michigan Tech3–2
(1–0, 1–0, 1–2)		Bowling GreenMacInnes Student Ice Arena
Attendance: 3,160
Game reference
Owen BartoszkiewiczGoaliesCole MooreReferees:
Steve McInchak
Bruce Vida Jr.
Linesmen:
Eric Froberg
Jamie Grace
(Cicek, Baker) Stiven Sardarian – 8:221–0
(Parker, Cicek) Lauri Raiman – 31:372–0
2–155:16 – Jackson Niedermayer (Emerson, Higgins)
(Sardarian, Baker) Luca Fasciano – EN, GW – 59:003–1
3–259:33 – Dominik Rymon (Higgins, Doran)
6 minPenalties2 min
26Shots42
Michigan Tech wins series 2–0

Semifinals

(1) Minnesota State vs. (4) Michigan Tech

March 14, 2026
7:07 pm		Minnesota State7–2
(3–0, 4–1, 0–1)		Michigan TechMayo Clinic Health System Event Center
Attendance: 3,520
Game reference
Alex TracyGoaliesOwen Bartoszkiewicz
Ryan Manzella
Bryant Lee		Referees:
Colin Kronforst
Bobby Lukkason
Linesmen:
Nathan Voll
Andrew Dokken
(Zetterberg) Ean Somoza – 8:151–0
(Watkins, Murr) Tristan Lemyre – 11:532–0
(Wheeler, Lemyre) Luigi Benincasa – GW – 13:483–0
(Watkins, Benincasa) Tristan Lemyre – 24:224–0
4–125:30 – Tom Leppa (Parker, Van Blaricom)
(Scholl, Murr) Reid Morich – 32:245–1
(Cichosz, LeBel) Fin Williams – 33:306–1
Reid Morich – 34:327–1
7–250:50 – Isaac Gordon (Fasciano)
4 minPenalties0 min
21Shots25

(2) St. Thomas vs. (3) Augustana

March 14, 2025
4:07 pm		St. Thomas2–1
(0–0, 0–0, 2–1)		AugustanaSt. Thomas Ice Arena
Attendance: 2,338
Game reference
Carsen MusserGoaliesJosh KotaiReferees:
Steve McInchak
Bruce Vida Jr.
Linesmen:
Eric Froberg
Jamie Grace
(Williams) Lucas Van Vliet – 45:231–0
1–146:20 – Owen Baumgartner (Bohn, Langus)
(Wahlin) Alex Gaffney – GW – 50:532–1
2 minPenalties2 min
28Shots24

Championship

(1) Minnesota State vs. (2) St. Thomas

March 21, 2025
7:07 pm		Minnesota StatevSt. ThomasMayo Clinic Health System Event Center

Tournament awards

References

  1. ^ "Composite Schedule". Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
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