By Ryan Stieg
We’ve reached the Mason Cup Final in the CCHA Tournament and believe it or not, I’m still perfect with my predictions.
After going 4 and 0 in the first round, I picked both games correctly in the semifinals with St. Thomas outlasting Bowling Green in a tight game and Minnesota State breezing past Bemidji State. With the Tommies being ineligible for the NCAA Tournament until next season, the Mavericks will be the CCHA’s participant in the tourney next week.
It’s now down to one game for UST, Mankato and myself. Will the Mavericks win both league titles? Will the Tommies be hanging a banner in their new arena next season? Will I finish off the playoffs perfect? We’ll find out Friday night. Here’s my prediction for the Mason Cup Final.
St. Thomas at No. 15 Minnesota State
This game is a complete toss-up. First, there’s the Tommies, who are the hottest team in the nation. They’ve won eight in a row and have only lost three times since the start of 2025. The Tommies have the top three goal scorers in the conference (Liam Malmquist, Cooper Gay and Lucas Wahlin), the top two point-scorers (Malmquist and Wahlin), a strong power play and a sharp goalie in Jake Sibell. Then there’s the Mavericks, who have been consistently the best team in the league all season. First, they’re the MacNaughton Cup champions. They also have the CCHA Player of the Year and Goaltender of the Year in Alex Tracy, the Forward of the Year in Rhett Pitlick and the Defenseman of the Year in Evan Murr. So, should I go with the conference champs, or the team that is peaking at the right time? It’s a tough call, but I’m going with the hotter team. The Tommies win the Mason Cup, 3-2.