2021 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament

Last updated

The 2021 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 62nd and final tournament in the history of the men's Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The tournament was held between March 12 and March 20, 2021. Quarterfinal games were played on home campus sites, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all semifinal and championship games were held at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, the home venue for Minnesota State. By winning the tournament, Lake Superior State received the WCHA's automatic bid for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Contents

After the 2020–21 season, the men's WCHA disbanded after seven of its members left to reestablish the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Two other members dropped men's hockey after the season. The WCHA remains in operation as a women-only league. [1]

Format

The first round of the postseason tournament featured a best-of-three games format, while the semifinals and final were single games held at the campus site of the highest remaining seed. The top eight conference teams participated in the tournament. Teams were 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. [2]

Conference standings

2020–21 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Standings
Conference recordOverall record
GPWLTOTWOTL3/SWPTSGFGAGPWLTGFGA
#4 Minnesota State †14131011039561527225110046
#14 Lake Superior State *149502202739342919738663
#18 Bowling Green 14851020274634312010110867
#10 Bemidji State 1485132024423429161038270
Michigan Tech 1477010020383530171217863
Northern Michigan 14671221204047291117179103
Alabama–Huntsville 143110100818492231813180
Ferris State 1401310113285925123155103
Alaska 0---------0-----
Alaska Anchorage 0---------0-----
Championship: March 20, 2021
† indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion
Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll

Bracket

Quarterfinals
March 12–14 		Semifinals
March 19 		Championship
March 20
           
1Minnesota State33—
8 Ferris State 0 1 —
1 Minnesota State 1
6Northern Michigan5
2Lake Superior State64—
7 Alabama-Huntsville 1 1 —
6 Northern Michigan 3
(Pairings are reseeded after the first round)
2Lake Superior State6
3 Bowling Green 3 51
6Northern Michigan40 5
2Lake Superior State4
4 Bemidji State 1
4Bemidji State34—
5 Michigan Tech 1 1 —

Note: * denotes overtime periods

Results

Quarterfinals

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

March 12, 2021
6:07 PM		Minnesota State3 – 0
(0–0, 0–0, 3–0)		Ferris State Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Dryden McKay Goalies Logan Stein Referees:
Bruce Vida
Ryan Gordon
Linesmen:
Matt Tyree
Kyle Domin
(Smith, Borchardt) Julian Napravnik (10) – GW – 48:491–0
(Zmolek, Livingstone) Jared Spooner (3) – 49:422–0
(McMahan) Walker Duehr (8) – 55:283–0
2 minPenalties4 min
27Shots15
March 13, 2021
4:07 pm		Minnesota State3 – 1
(0–0, 1–0, 2–1)		Ferris State Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Dryden McKay Goalies Logan Stein Referees:
Bruce Vida
Ryan Gordon
Linesmen:
Matt Tyree
Kyle Domin
(Spooner, McMahan) Walker Duehr (9) – 29:031–0
(Gerads) Sam Morton (4) – GW – 42:192–0
(Gerads) Jake Livingstone (4) – EN – 59:153–0
3–153:00 – PP – Marshall Moise (4) (Norris, Pokorny)
2 minPenalties4 min
31Shots24
Minnesota State Won Series 2–0

(2) Lake Superior State vs. (7) Alabama–Huntsville

March 12, 2021
7:07 PM		Lake Superior State6 – 1
(2–0, 4–1, 0–0)		Alabama–Huntsville Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Attendance: 0
Game reference
Mareks Mitens (40:00)
Ethan Langenegger (20:00)		Goalies David Fessenden (36:20)
Derek Krall (23:40)		Referees:
Scott Roth
Shane Paskey
Linesmen:
Eric Froberg
Jamie Grace
(Calder, Boudon) Pete Veillette (12) – 03:141–0
(Nordqvist, Riedell) Brandon Puricelli (5) – GW – 45:172–0
2–121:35 – PP – Lucas Bahn (2) (Neudecker, Corrow)
(unassisted) Pete Veillette (13) – 21:413–1
(Calder, Boudon) Lukas Kaelble (1) – 33:504–1
(Nordqvist, Posa) Alexandro Ambrosio (1) – 36:205–1
(Eriksson) Miroslav Mucha (5) – 38:406–1
24 minPenalties20 min
27Shots14
March 13, 2021
5:07 pm		Lake Superior State4 – 1
(0–0, 3–1, 1–1)		Alabama–Huntsville Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Attendance: 0
Game reference
Seth Eisele Goalies David Fessenden Referees:
Scott Roth
Shane Paskey
Linesmen:
Eric Froberg
Jamie Grace
(Jeffers, Eriksson) Louis Boudon (8) – PP – 20:181–0
(Puricelli, Eriksson) Will Riedell (6) – PP GW – 27:152–0
(Oliver, Veillette) Hampus Eriksson (5) – PP – 30:253–0
(Manz) Brandon Puricelli (6) – 53:204–0
4–118:41 – PP – Mick Henegan (1) (Merkley, Scoville)
10 minPenalties18 min
35Shots17
Lake Superior State Won Series 2–0

(3) Bowling Green vs. (6) Northern Michigan

March 12, 2021
7:00 PM		Bowling Green3 – 4
(1–0, 0–4, 2–0)		Northern Michigan Slater Family Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio
Attendance: 630
Game reference
Eric Dop Goalies Rico DiMatteo Referees:
Rick Nelson
Mike Forys
Linesmen:
Marty Shaffer
Paul Tunison
(Theocharidis, Craggs) Taylor Schneider (8) – 13:321–0
1–129:48 – PP – Alex Frye (4) (Van Unen, Schultz)
1–230:37 – Mikey Colella (2) (unassisted)
1–333:26 – PP – Griffin Loughran (5) (Vanderbeck, Van Unen)
1–437:05 – GW – Brandon Schultz (5) (Vanderbeck)
(Wells, Wright) Taylor Schneider (9) – 41:452–4
(Cullen, Theocharidis) Taylor Schneider (10) – 49:293–4
10 minPenalties10 min
33Shots21
March 13, 2021
7:07 PM		Bowling Green3 – 4
(2–0, 0–0, 3–0)		Northern Michigan Slater Family Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio
Attendance: 630
Game reference
Eric Dop Goalies Rico DiMatteo (44:42)
John Hawthorne (15:18)		Referees:
Rick Nelson
Mike Forys
Linesmen:
Marty Shaffer
Paul Tunison
(Johnson, Kruse) Cameron Wright (8) – GW – 11:481–0
(Craggs, Cullen) Ethan Scardina (1) – 19:212–0
(Craggs, Johnson) Evan Dougherty (7) – 43:053–0
(Cullen, Theocharidis) Evan Dougherty (8) – 44:424–0
(Theocharidis, Craggs) Alex Barber (9) – PP – 47:405–0
6 minPenalties23 min
50Shots23
March 14, 2021
5:07 PM		Bowling Green3 – 4
(0–2, 1–1, 0–2)		Northern Michigan Slater Family Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio
Attendance: 630
Game reference
Eric Dop Goalies Rico DiMatteo Referees:
Rick Nelson
Mike Forys
Linesmen:
Marty Shaffer
Paul Tunison
0–105:33 – Vincent de Mey (7) (Marritt, Keefer)
0–217:56 – GW – Mikey Colella (3) (Ghantous, Nardi)
0–337:04 – PP – Joseph Nardi (11) (Van Unen, Vanderbeck)
(Dougherty, Barber) Sam Craggs (4) – PP – 38:481–3
1–446:02 – PP – Mikey Colella (4) (Ghantous, Vanderbeck)
1–558:08 – EN – Garrett Klee (3) (unassisted)
36 minPenalties24 min
40Shots34
Northern Michigan Won Series 2–1

(4) Bemidji State vs. (5) Michigan Tech

March 12, 2021
7:07 PM		Bemidji State3 – 1
(2–1, 1–0, 0–0)		Michigan Tech Sanford Center, Bemidji, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Zach Driscoll Goalies Blake Pietila Referees:
Robert Lukkason
Brady Johnson
Linesmen:
Nathan Voll
Tyler Landman
0–102:33 – Brian Halonen (8) (Ashbrook, Nardella)
(Harris, Looft) Aaron Miller (6) – 08:001–1
(Jubenvill, L. Sillinger) Alex Ierullo (7) – GW – 14:222–1
(O. Sillinger, Ierullo) Lukas Sillinger (6) – 31:423–1
6 minPenalties2 min
26Shots34
March 13, 2021
6:07 PM		Bemidji State4 – 1
(0–1, 2–0, 2–0)		Michigan Tech Sanford Center, Bemidji, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Zach Driscoll Goalies Blake Pietila Referees:
Robert Lukkason
Brady Johnson
Linesmen:
Nathan Voll
Tyler Landman
0–112:09 – Tommy Parrottino (6) (Swoyer, Thorne)
(Kirkup) Brad Johnson (3) – 36:581–1
(Rosén, Miller) Ethan Somoza (7) – GW – 37:492–1
(Zmolek) Alex Adams (2) – EN – 57:423–1
(Ierullo, Johnson) Ross Armour (4) – EN – 59:294–1
8 minPenalties2 min
31Shots34
Bemidji State Won Series 2–0

Semifinals

(1) Minnesota State vs. (6) Northern Michigan

March 19, 2021
2:07 PM		Minnesota State1 – 5
(0–1, 0–4, 1–0)		Northern Michigan Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Dryden McKay (31:05)
Ryan Edquist (28:55)		Goalies Rico DiMatteo Referees:
Bruce Vida
T. J. Likens
Linesmen:
Tyler Landman
Nathan Voll
0–101:16 – PP – André Ghantous (8) (Nardi)
0–220:24 – GW – Alex Frye (5) (Newhouse, Schultz)
0–328:56 – Joseph Nardi (12) (Sorensen)
0–431:05 – A. J. Vanderbeck (8) (Frye, Schultz)
0–532:57 – PP – André Ghantous (9) (Nardi, Vanderbeck)
(Furry, Gerads) Reggie Lutz (8) – PP – 42:491–5
4 minPenalties4 min
29Shots20

(2) Lake Superior State vs. (4) Bemidji State

March 19, 2021
7:37 PM		Lake Superior State4 – 1
(1–0, 2–0, 1–1)		Bemidji State Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Mareks Mitens Goalies Zach Driscoll Referees:
Rick Nelson
Mike Forys
Linesmen:
Matt Tyree
Kyle Domin
(Manz, Jeffers) Brandon Puricelli (7) – 13:281–0
(Eriksson, Mucha) Jacob Bengtsson (2) – GW – 35:312–0
(Miura, Mucha) Hampus Eriksson (6) – 38:143–0
(Eriksson) Lukas Kaelble (2) – 44:144–0
4–156:00 – PP EA – Ethan Somoza (5) (O. Sillinger, Rosén)
8 minPenalties4 min
21Shots27

Championship

(2) Lake Superior State vs. (6) Northern Michigan

March 20, 2021
7:07 PM		Lake Superior State6 – 3
(2–0, 2–1, 2–2)		Northern Michigan Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Mareks Mitens Goalies Rico DiMatteo Referees:
Robert Lukkason
Brady Johnson
Linesmen:
Nathan Voll
Tyler Landman
(Puricelli, Nordqvist) Dustin Manz (2) – 01:201–0
(Manz, Jeffers) Brandon Puricelli (8) – 12:022–0
(Mucha, Henrikson) Jacob Nordqvist (3) – 30:503–0
(Veillette, Boudon) Ashton Calder (13) – GW – 33:304–0
4–139:14 – PP – André Ghantous (10) (Vanderbeck, Van Unen)
4–243:05 – A. J. Vanderbeck (5) (Frye)
(Veillette, Kaelble) Ashton Calder (14) – SH – 51:045–2
5–355:52 – David Keefer (2) (Erkkila)
(unassisted) Ashton Calder (15) – EN – 57:246–3
4 minPenalties2 min
30Shots28

Tournament awards

Most Outstanding Player

Ashton Calder (Lake Superior State)
[3]

References

  1. ↑ Christensen, Joe (July 2, 2021). "WCHA's men's hockey era officially ends after 70 years". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  2. ↑ "WCHA Postseason Tournament". wcha.com. February 16, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Minnesota State's Mike Hastings Wins 2021 Spencer Penrose Award". WCHA. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
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