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Another year, another playoff run at the CCHA’s top prize, the Mason Cup.

Minnesota State enters the Mason Cup Playoffs this weekend as the No. 1 seed after securing 56 league points and a .718 points percentage in CCHA play. The No. 14/16 Mavericks are clearly the team to beat in this tournament, but which team — if any — can challenge them for CCHA supremacy?

Eighth-seeded Lake Superior State will get the first shot at it when the Lakers make the trip to Mankato for a best-of-three series in the first round. Meanwhile, second-seeded Augustana will take part in its first-ever Mason Cup Playoffs, hosting No. 7 seed Bemidji State in Sioux Falls, and two teams with momentum will converge in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, when No. 6 seed Ferris State and No. 3 seed St. Thomas meet on the ice. Then, in the No. 4 versus No. 5 matchup, Bowling Green will host Michigan Tech in a rematch of last year’s first-round series.

Sioux Falls Live sports reporter Trent Singer has assembled a panel of writers, reporters and college hockey connoisseurs from around the league to provide their prognostications for the first round of action, which begins Friday night and runs through Sunday, if necessary.

Here’s a look at the panel of eight contributors:

• Michigan Tech graduate, /
• Augustana TV play-by-play,
• Minnesota State radio play-by-play,
• Hockey reporter,
• Sports editor, Bemidji Pioneer
• Hockey reporter,
• Sports reporter,
• Hockey reporter,

With that out of the way, let’s get to it. Here’s how the panel thinks the first round of the Mason Cup Playoffs will play out.

Braun: Minnesota State showed that its clearly the No. 1 team in this league over the course of the season, with Alex Tracy cementing himself as the best goaltender and Rhett Pitlick's addition paying huge dividends as he led the team in goals and points. Lake State struggled down the stretch, and the Mavericks swept the Lakers just two weeks ago. While I expect it to be a little more challenging than 4-0, 4-1, I'm expecting another sweep.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

Brown: The Mavericks have lost just once in their last nine contests and are playing as well as anybody in the country right now. The Lakers have some great individual speed and talent, but they've been too inconsistent. Minnesota State took all 4 games against Lake Superior State in the regular season, and I expect them to make it six straight against the Lakers.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

Dean: Just before winter break, the Mavericks and Lakers played what felt like the biggest series of the season to that point in a battle of first- and second-place teams in Mankato. MSU came away with five crucial points in a pair of one-goal games, including a dramatic overtime victory on Saturday. The Mavs have rolled since, clinching their seventh MacNaughton Cup in the past eight years two weeks ago with a sweep in Sault St. Marie. Lake Superior State has done just the opposite, going 4-13-1 since a 6-2 start in conference play. Injuries have played a huge factor in the Lake State slide. Leading goal-scorer Sasha Teleguine sat out both games against the Mavericks two weeks ago and hasn’t skated the last two weekends, while last year’s CCHA Co-Player of the Year, Connor Milburn, has sat out the past three contests. And that’s just the tip of iceberg in what’s been an injury-riddled season. The Lakers at full strength are the real deal, but this smells of a sweep because even if Milburn and Teleguine play, you have to imagine they are at less than 100%.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

McAlpine: Minnesota State hit a brief rough patch in January, splitting four straight series. However, MSU finished the season on a 6-0-1 stretch and is 18-4-3 going back to Nov. 1. The Mavericks have been one of the nation’s best defensive teams and have received timely goals, and with Tracy between the pipes, it’d be hard to bet against Luke Strand’s club. MSU swept LSSU just two weeks ago, too, outscoring the Lakers 8-1 in the series.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

Rubado: There’s only one series I see ending in two games. Minnesota State has too much power to handle this iteration of Lake Superior State, especially if the Lakers are still without Milburn. I'd be surprised if this weekend is any less than a formality for the Mavericks.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

Schlossman: The good news for the Lakers? Two-thirds of their wins this season have come on the road. The bad news? Minnesota State has lost just two of its last 17 home games.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

Singer: Going into Mankato and coming away with a series win presents a difficult challenge for any team but even more so for a Lakers squad that has gone 4-11-1 since the start of the new year, dropping from fourth to eighth in the standings. Meanwhile, the Mavs are 6-1-1 in their last eight games, and they boast the No. 1 scoring defense in the country, allowing just 1.5 goals per game. I like MSU’s firepower and brick wall between the pipes in a first-round sweep of LSSU.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-1.

Stieg: The Lakers have a solid lineup, but the Mavericks have the league's top scorer and its best goaltender. I think Mankato just has too many weapons.
Prediction: Minnesota State wins series, 2-0.

Braun: Augustana was idle last weekend after a difficult final series against Alaska. Bemidji State had a disappointing season, to say the least, and Augustana was probably the biggest surprise of the season. No one really knew how the points percentage would work out, but Augustana found a way to earn the No. 2 seed. And with Josh Kotai in net, the Vikings have a great chance to win every night. I think the depth scoring from Augustana will put them over the top.
Prediction: Augustana wins series, 2-1.

Brown: Bemidji State is one of the hardest teams to figure out. They could very easily make another run to the championship if all the pieces come together. Meanwhile, Augustana is the No. 2 seed, but the Vikings have won just one of their last six games. This was the toughest series to call, but in the end, I think Kotai will be ready for his playoff moment. And a hungry Vikings team comes through on Sunday night.
Prediction: Augustana wins series, 2-1.

Dean: Last year’s MacNaughton Cup champion, Bemidji State, has slipped down to seventh a year after losing three all-conference players, but the Beavers enter this series hot, unbeaten in five straight until dropping Saturday’s finale in Mankato. Augustana is well built from the back with a Mike Richter semifinalist in the form of Kotai and a strong D-core but is coming off an uninspiring series two weekends ago when it was swept by Alaska Fairbanks, the No. 37 team in the country by the Pairwise. Bemidji State is a tough matchup in a series that has the potential to go three games with a grinding, hard-nosed style. I also have some questions about Augustana’s recent form, as well as their ability to make adjustments when facing a CCHA opponent for a second weekend after playing just half of a league schedule. This feels like a series where chances are at a premium, and there will be at least a couple of games decided by one goal. But that’s how the Beavers like it. If Mattias Sholl plays like he did Friday night in Mankato, Bemidji has all the pieces for an upset. Prediction: Bemidji State wins series, 2-1.

McAlpine: Augustana didn’t exactly finish the regular season strong, going 1-4-1 down the stretch, and the Vikings allowed a season-high five goals in their regular-season finale — a 5-3 loss to Alaska. At the same time, the Beavers have shown an ability to be a thorn in their opponent’s side, as made evident by their shootout win Friday in Mankato. BSU went 4-1-1 over its final six games, too, and will make it a hard-fought series. However, Kotai will steal the show, and with home ice on their side, the Vikings will pull it out.
Prediction: Augustana wins series, 2-1.

Rubado: The most intriguing first-round series is Bemidji State heading to Augustana. You have one of the most experienced CCHA playoff teams in BSU taking on the group with the least experience. In each of the two series head-to-head, the two teams split. I have this going three games with the Beavers' experience paying off in the end.
Prediction: Bemidji State wins series, 2-1.

Schlossman: There was plenty of offense when these teams played in November. Don't expect that to be the case this time.
Prediction: Augustana wins series, 2-1.

Singer: I think a week of rest going into the playoffs is going to do wonders for the Vikings in this series. There have been nagging injuries among several key players, including defenseman Uula Ruikka, and a week to heal up before the start of the postseason should be a massive benefit. But Bemidji won’t make it easy, having won four of its last six heading into the playoffs. I love the goaltending battle in this matchup between Sholl and Kotai, and the crowd at Midco Arena should be amped up with a familiar Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe in the building. AU prevails in a Sunday tilt to advance to the semis.
Prediction: Augustana wins series, 2-1.

Stieg: This one's a tough call. Augie has more talent and has had a better year, but the Beavers tend to do well in the playoffs. I think they could make a run.
Prediction: Bemidji State wins series, 2-1.

Braun: St. Thomas struggled for a decent stretch of the season but finished strong, winning six of eight to clinch home ice and the No. 3 seed in the last game of the regular season. Ferris State has been on a roll since coach Bob Daniels announced his retirement after the end of the season. This might be influenced a little too much by my gut, but I think the players won't let this be the last weekend in Daniels’ coaching career. The Bulldogs pull off the series win on Sunday in Mendota Heights.
Prediction: Ferris State wins series, 2-1.

Brown: This may be the swan song series for Daniels, and his team has played pretty well the last few weeks. But St. Thomas has become a completely different team in the second half of the season, going 12-3-1 since the start of the new year and winning five in a row heading into the playoffs. I think the Bulldogs are scrappy enough to make this a series, but the Tommies will be a bit too much.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-1.

Dean: The Tommies enter the playoffs with the momentum of five straight wins, including a sweep in a pair of one-goal games last weekend to secure home ice for themselves and force Tech on the road. Senior Liam Malmquist (13-23-36) and junior Lucas Wahlin (16-19-35) might be the best offensive duo in the league that doesn’t reside in Mankato, and the UST power play has been running at a 31% clip since an 0-for-19 start to the season, the third-best success-rate in the country during that stretch dating back to mid-November. St. Thomas has struggled to consistently put together a full 60 minutes on a nightly basis, but the Tommies have plenty of firepower to break down Ferris State’s porous defense.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-0.

McAlpine: No CCHA team is hotter than St. Thomas. The Tommies have won five straight and seven of their last 10, which includes a four-point weekend against Minnesota State. They swept Ferris State in January, too, erupting for 13 goals in the series, and Wahlin has been on a tear. The junior captain owns a five-game goal streak and has nine points (6-3-9) in that stretch. After being decimated by injuries at this time last year, the Tommies carry plenty of momentum into the postseason.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-0.

Rubado: Tom Serratore said it on Feb. 1 — no team should want to play Ferris State right now. However, I think it should also be said for the Tommies. The second-half emergence of Jake Sibell has been a difference-maker for one of college hockey's hottest programs. I think the Bulldogs sneak one out before UST buys one more weekend at Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-1.

Schlossman: Sibell hasn't lost a game since November. He's not losing two on the same weekend.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-0.

Singer: Both teams are playing well heading into the playoffs, but the Tommies have been arguably the most consistent team in the conference since the start of the new year. Apparently, Sibell can’t lose right now, and when UST’s forward group is clicking, the Tommies can hang out with anyone in the country. FSU has played well down the stretch, and I think the Bulldogs are going to keep it close in both games. But St. Thomas has proven its ability to eke out close wins during its recent surge. I like the Tommies in a sweep.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-0.

Stieg: The Bulldogs are underrated, but the Tommies are hot right now — and healthy. I think UST's potent offense pushes it to the next round.
Prediction: St. Thomas wins series, 2-0.

Braun: Bowling Green and Michigan Tech were fighting for third or better going into 2025, but the Falcons were able to get a couple more results down the stretch than the Huskies. In doing so, they’ll get to host this year's first round series. Last year, it was in Houghton. Michigan Tech has been better on the road than at home — save for last weekend — but I think they've got one more surprise in them. They’ll find a way to push this series to Sunday and get the second win.
Prediction: Michigan Tech wins series, 2-1.

Brown: This one's really intriguing because they only played one series in the regular season back in November, so Bowling Green hasn't seen MTU's Ryan Manzella in net yet. And on the other side, Christian Stoever is just getting back into form after a short absence. If we're being honest, neither team is playing all that great down the stretch. I think the Falcons’ offense, though, is just a bit more in sync right now.
Prediction: Bowling Green wins series, 2-1.

Dean: Michigan Tech entered last weekend sitting in a home-ice position before being handed a sweep on thin margins in Mendota Heights. The Huskies will be plenty motivated as they take the long haul down to Ohio for the first round. Bowling Green has the edge in goaltending with senior Stoever really coming on for the Falcons in the second half, but I prefer Michigan Tech’s depth of skaters in this series. The Huskies are one of the better possession teams in the league, and Bowling Green has struggled to consistently convert chances this season. The Falcons are sixth in the country in shots on goal (34.1 per game) but rank in the bottom 20 in goals per game (2.5). Michigan Tech should do well in limiting BG’s shot volume to take this series, but I think goaltending steals a game for the Falcons.
Prediction: Michigan Tech wins series, 2-1.

McAlpine: The Falcons and Huskies finished the season with nearly identical records in CCHA play, with MTU at 12-11-3 and BG at 12-10-4. It’s an interesting matchup as both teams struggled down the stretch, too. MTU has lost three straight and went 1-6-1 after Feb. 1, while BG went 2-4-0 over its final six. There was also an exhibition loss to the NTDP in that stretch. The two teams haven’t met since late November, and the reality is the Nos. 4/5 matchup is always a toss-up. However, the Huskies are the reigning CCHA champs. They have plenty of playoff experience, and they’ve been a good road team this season, going 7-9-0 away from Houghton.
Prediction: Michigan Tech wins series, 2-1.

Rubado: These are two contrasting teams. Bowling Green’s strength is in its forward depth and in goal. Michigan Tech has the edge on the blue line and in postseason experience. But when looking at this matchup, I see one area where the scales tip in MTU’s favor. With one of the CCHA’s best power plays taking on one of the league’s most penalized teams, the Huskies take this series in three games. Prediction: Michigan Tech wins series, 2-1.

Schlossman: It hasn't been an easy stretch for either Michigan Tech or Bowling Green. Playing at home helps the Falcons.
Prediction: Bowling Green wins series, 2-1.

Singer: The postseason offers both of these teams an opportunity to reset and recalibrate after running into rough patches to close out the regular season. Stoever gives the Falcons an advantage in goal, but I don’t know if it’s enough to put BGSU over the top. The Huskies have three of the league’s top point-getters in Stiven Sardarian (34), Max Koskipirtti (27) and Isaac Gordon (26), and with Chase Pietila leading the blue line, they are a tough team to beat when their systems are operating smoothly. I expect a back-and-forth series, but in the end, MTU’s playoff experience allows it to pull off a mild first-round upset on Sunday in Ohio.
Prediction: Michigan Tech wins series, 2-1.

Stieg: This will be a close one. BG has played better than expected this year, but the Huskies tend to get hot during the playoffs. It's a coin flip, and I'm going with the Falcons.
Prediction: Bowling Green wins series, 2-1.