Battles Await with Carla Berg Cup and Regionals On The Line

WCCHA Preview and photos provided by WCCHA Commissioner, Ryan Donovan.

Ryan Donovan

From the open of the season in early September through the final regular season games this past weekend, 11 WCCHA league teams have competed for 8 available spots at the 2019 WCCHA Tournament. While the teams have also found success in the Regional rankings picture, the Carla Berg Cup Playoffs hold double importance – the chance for a league title, but also the opportunity to claim a spot at the 2019 Central Regional Tournament.

Eight teams are confirmed for the 2019 WCCHA Tournament – #1 St. Thomas, #2 North Dakota State, #3 Minnesota, #4 St. Cloud State, #5 Minnesota State, #6 Wisconsin, #7 UW-Eau Claire and #8 North Dakota. Each team has reason to believe it could be their year, and their weekend, for glory. But how did we get here?

In the Northwest Division, St. Cloud State sent an early warning shot with a home sweep over Minnesota-Duluth to open the Division schedule, and continued their momentum up until their final game to earn the Division Championship. Going from 5th place to 1st, the Huskies showed vast improvement in every facet of their game, especially defensively and in goal where the tandem of Devon Dell and Jaxon Castro ruled supreme.

Not far behind, though, were North Dakota State and Minnesota, who tied on points but finished in that order as the Bison held the head-to-head tiebreaker. NDSU’s Riley Fisher certainly played his part as one of only two defenseman in the top 10 in league scoring.

For Minnesota, Dylan Ross was a juggernaut, scoring better than a goal a game for the defending WCCHA Champions. With the 1-2-3 finish, these three teams booked automatic spots at the tournament.

St. Thomas and North Dakota State hold the #1 and #2 seed, respectively, for this weekend’s Carla Berg Cup Playoff

In the Southeast, it was a year of redemption for St. Thomas as they claimed the crown with a perfect divisional record. Led by Captain Jack Sterne and Assistant Captain Tyler Hayes, the Tommies have amassed an impressive 24-3-2 overall record and get scoring from everywhere, making them a tough matchup each night – a key to their consistency.

After a slow start, Minnesota State recovered nicely to get to second place with big time contributors like Justin Novak, and UW-Eau Claire took 3rd thanks to strong play from Jared Konen, Garret Dey and Tyler Husnick. The race was close, but ultimately these three teams locked in their direct bids to the upcoming playoffs.

With six of eight spots claimed, the final two would go to Wisconsin and North Dakota. Both teams did not finish where they would have liked in the Division, but used similarly strong interdivisional/independent league performances to create the necessary resume for a postseason bid. For Wisconsin, a sweep over Northwest winners St. Cloud State was key, while North Dakota simply wouldn’t go away with splits against UW-Eau Claire and St. Thomas.

Missing out this season are Bethel, Minnesota-Duluth and UW-La Crosse, all with league wins that put them in contention until the final few games. Ultimately, though, none were able to get the totality of results necessary to move into the tournament.

Tournament Matchups Set Up Intriguing Playoffs

With the final seeding confirmed, the tournament features some exciting first round games.

While the #1 vs #8 game often features the starkest gap, in this case the lower seed North Dakota was one of only three WCCHA teams to beat the Tommies. Thus, UST will have to be on guard for a tough challenge from a Fighting Hawks team that never gives up, but will carry confidence and intent into their opening round match-up after a successful regular season.

The Blugolds and Fighting Hawks return once again to the WCCHA Tournament this season

In the #2 vs #7 game, North Dakota State meets a UW-Eau Claire team they just recently swept. However, those two wins came on the comfort of home ice, and both featured late go-ahead goals for the slimmest of victories. With neutral ground once again pitting the teams against each other, the Bison will have to be ready for an always tough Blugold tournament effort.

The #3 vs #6 game may be the most anticipated, as it features a rematch of last season’s championship game. In that one, both regulation and overtime could not separate Minnesota and Wisconsin, with only a sudden death round shootout goal giving Minnesota the title. The teams did not meet this year as part of the interdivision rotating schedule, and so both will be looking forward to the rematch a year in the making.

Finally, the #4 vs #5 matchup features two classic and successful WCCHA programs facing off for the first time this season. Resurgent St. Cloud State has a defensive game plan that puts them in contention every game, but Minnesota State has the offense to challenge anyone. Which approach will rule the day?

Ultimately, each team has a legitimate shot of overcoming the challenges, finding the necessary effort – and luck – to finish off three games and lift the Carla Berg Cup. Anything can happen in the tournament, though, and has – including 3 years ago when all four lower seeds advanced from the quarterfinals.

With the autobid up for grabs and even the top WCCHA teams hovering around the Regional qualification zone, every team knows the one sure way of reaching the ACHA postseason is to win the WCCHA Tournament. Starting on Friday, we will find out which team is ready to stake their claim for the Carla Berg Cup, raise the WCCHA Championship banner and book their ticket to the ACHA Central Regional Tournament.

For full event information, visit the WCCHA Tournament Central Page.

The post 2019 WCCHA Tournament Preview appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

– by Ryan Donovan, Commissioner of the WCCHA

Ryan Donovan

With the Winter Break underway, almost two-thirds of the WCCHA season has come and gone. There were surprises in both the Northwest and Southeast division, with the battle for tournament qualification as intense as ever and teams jockeying for position in the ACHA Central Region Rankings.

While all six automatic qualification spots are now claimed – three from each division – the race for the wildcard will likely come down to the final weekend of the WCCHA regular season. Regionally, the WCCHA is well represented in the Rankings, with Minnesota reaching a highest-ever ranking for a WCCHA team earlier this season when they rose to #5. At the break, five conference teams sit in the top 20, setting up a barnstorming finish upon a return to action in the coming weeks.

After a few opening weeks of non-conference action in September, Divisional play got underway the final weekend of September in a Northwest Division series between St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth. In what would start an amazing run, the Huskies would sweep a tight series to match their division win total from 2017-2018 in only their first two games.

Over the course of first semester, the resurgent St. Cloud State team used a formula of superior goaltending and timely scoring to claim the Northwest Division title, completing their divisional schedule at 9-1-0. Not far behind, last year’s league champions Minnesota have mostly kept pace, booking a spot at this year’s tournament with 2 games remaining. North Dakota State – also enjoying a strong year despite significant offensive turnover – have earned the third and final automatic qualification spot.

In the Southeast Division, last year’s final wildcard qualifier St. Thomas has similarly surged up the standings, currently sitting in pole position with 2 important games remaining. The Tommies have impressed this season with a relentless and balanced attack with nine (!) players in the top ten in league scoring.  Minnesota State, currently second, have claimed a spot at the tournament after completing their divisional schedule at 4-3-1. The Division Title race will come down to the upcoming series between the Tommies and the third place Blugolds, ensuring a second “new” Division winner this season.

CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF CONFERENCE RESULTS, INCLUDING THE CURRENT DIVISIONAL STANDINGS AND KRACH RANKINGS HERE

With all of the Divisional qualification spots gone, much of the focus will be on the race for the Wildcard in the final weeks of the regular season. Four teams – the University of Wisconsin, University of North Dakota, University of Minnesota-Duluth and Bethel University – have a realistic shot at finishing in the qualification zone in the league-wide KRACH Rankings. Each team will have the chance to earn it on the ice, with some marquee series matchups including Bethel vs. Wisconsin, North Dakota vs. North Dakota State, and Minnesota-Duluth vs. UW-Eau Claire. The final league-wide KRACH Rankings, which take into account all WCCHA results, will be released Sunday, February 3 ahead of the tournament.

In greater ACHA play, WCCHA teams have plenty at stake in the race for Regionals. Minnesota currently leads the pack at #11, followed closely by #13 St. Thomas. Within striking distance as we enter 2019 are #16 St. Cloud State, #17 North Dakota State and #20 Minnesota State, with UW-Eau Claire just outside the top 20.

Serving as extra incentive this season is the location of Regionals, as the WCCHA will host the ACHA Central Regional Tournament at the Schwan Super Rink – also home to the WCCHA Tournament – March 1-3, 2019. With the winner of the WCCHA Tournament earning an autobid, this could finally be the season that two WCCHA teams enter the ACHA postseason with their eyes set on the ACHA National Championships in Dallas in late March.

For WCCHA players, Fall 2018 featured a slew of impressive performers. Leading the pack is St. Thomas’s Jack Sterne with 37 points, good for T-33 nationally. UST’s Jerame Schuetzle and Minnesota’s Dylan Ross are tied for the league lead in goals with 20 each, while UST’s Ben Papke leads all defensemen in the conference with 30 points.

In the net, North Dakota State’s Jordan Elliott heads the list of game winners with 9 this season. The two headed monster of Devon Dell and Jaxon Castor have been phenomenal for St. Cloud State, with the pair lining up 1-2 in both GAA and save percentage at 1.52/.958 and 2.00/.950, respectively.

In total, the first semester had its fair share of surprises and featured a number of standout team and individual performances. With the new year upon us, the final few weeks of the regular season could yet have some additional surprises in store as the race for the WCCHA Tournament reaches the boiling point. In just over a week, the first league teams return to non-conference action with the next bit of WCCHA play set to begin on January 22.

Then, come Sunday, February 3, the final two spots at the WCCHA Tournament will be officially awarded to the wildcard winners, with 2019 Carla Berg Cup Finals set for Feb. 8-10, 2019 at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, MN.

To follow the action, visit www.wccha.com or follow the WCCHA on twitter, instagram and facebook @wcchahockey.

The post WCCHA 2018 – At the Break appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

(Photos and the following ACHA/WCCHA update provided by WCCHA Commissioner, Ryan Donovan)

Ryan Donovan

While NCAA hockey is just getting underway, many teams in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) are well into their seasons. This year, the ACHA boasts over 500 collegiate hockey teams in 49 states, spread across 3 men’s divisions and 2 women’s divisions.

Here in Minnesota, ACHA hockey has found a place among what can sometimes be a crowded hockey landscape. In particular, the Western Collegiate Club Hockey Association (WCCHA) features teams from Universities in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. An ACHA DII conference, the league boasts 12 full members and 1 associate member this year, with the conference champion guaranteed a spot at the Central Regional Tournament.

WCCHA Enters 16th Season of Play With High Expectations

Adopting a new league format in 2017-2018 that will once again be used this season, the WCCHA features two division of six teams each, the Northwest and Southeast. Teams play divisional opponents twice, with the the top three teams guaranteed a spot at the 8 team WCCHA Tournament in February. In addition, every WCCHA team plays at least 4 games against interdivisional opponents, with a league-wide KRACH Ranking system used to grant the final two wild card spots into the 8 team tournament field.

University of Minnesota 2018 WCCHA Champs

Coming into the season, last year’s division winners – the University of Minnesota in the Northwest and the University of Wisconsin in the Southeast – are poised to challenge once again. The Gophers return some big guns, including Dylan Ross (Powder Springs, GA) and Dylan Klehr (Lino Lakes, MN), but will need goaltender Andrew Kash (Barrington, IL) to step up after the loss of ACHA Central Region All-American Clay Knutsen (Orono, MN). Wisconsin graduated some firepower, but WCCHA Offensive Player of the Year Matt Masterman (Edina, MN) returns to lead the Badgers once again. Sophomore Jake Cohn (Prior Lake, MN) also returns after a big freshman season.

In the Northwest, North Dakota State is one team to watch. A team that is strong as any at home, the Bison have talent at every position, including at goalie with Jordan Elliot (Fargo, ND) returning for his second season. Bethel can also be expected to push for top spot in the division after a strong debut season, while North Dakota is always a tough competitor. Having missed out on the tournament last season, St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth have both reloaded in hopes of pushing for a tournament berth this year.

In the Southeast, Minnesota State-Mankato will almost surely be in the mix, with last year’s WCCHA 2nd Team All-WCCHA goaltender Waldemar Sunden (Lerum, SWE) back between the pipes along with last season’s leading scorer Justin Novak (Farmington, MN). UW-Eau Claire, led by WCCHA 2nd Team All-WCCHA defenseman AJ Romanoski (Hudson, WI), should also be a threat to unseat the Badgers. The University of St. Thomas comes in as a very strong dark horse challenger, with a talented and improved roster this season. Finally, UW-La Crosse and UW-Superior will look to surpass expectations, as both have strengthened significantly in the off-season after a 5th and 6th place finish, respectively, last year.

The regular season will culminate with the 2019 WCCHA Tournament, which will once again take place at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, MN from Feb. 8-10. The winner this year will not only get to lift the Carla Berg Memorial Cup, but will also gain the honor or representing the WCCHA at the 2019 Central Regional Tournament.

WCCHA Set to Host 2019 ACHA Division II Central Regional Tournament

For the first time, the ACHA Division II Central Regional Tournament will take place in Minnesota in 2019. The ACHA selected the WCCHA’s bid to host the event at the Schwan Super Rink from March 1-3, 2019.

The event features 10 of the top teams in the Central Region in a single-elimination tournament, with the last two teams standing earning spots at the 2019 ACHA Division II National Tournament. Teams earn qualification by finishing in spots 3-12 in the ACHA Regional Rankings, although league auto-bids – including the WCCHA – could take the place of a few teams if those teams are not otherwise qualified by ranking.

Commissioner Ryan Donovan, on the bid award: “We’re honored to be selected and to have the opportunity to host this event here in Minnesota, the State of Hockey. The ACHA has never hosted a men’s regional or national event here in the state, and so we’re excited to be hosting this important tournament that will showcase some of the best collegiate club hockey the region has to offer.”

Note:  Minnesota Hockey Magazine is happy to be a WCCHA media outlet for this coming season.  The WCCHA will be providing MHM and our readers with regular updates.

The post WCCHA, ACHA Set For Memorable Season appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.