It’s playoff time in the NCHA and WIAC this weekend. And meanwhile in the MIAC, the final weekend of the regular-season is here and a champion will be crowned.
Here’s at look at the big games ahead as hockey in the west region of NCAA Division III heats up to another level.
NCHA
Lake Forest (10-11-4) at Aurora (17-6-2)
These two teams get their series started Friday night and Aurora, the 10th-ranked team in the USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll is the home team. This could be an interesting series. During the regular season the Foresters handed Aurora a 7-0 loss. The two teams also played to a pair of ties, with Lake Forest prevailing in the shootout both times by a 2-1 score.
So yes, the Spartans, winners of two in a row, are the favorite, but nothing is going to come easy. And it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if a mini game decided this series.
Aurora, 5-4; Lake Forest, 4-3, Aurora, 2-1 (mini game)
Concordia (4-20-1) at Adrian (19-4-2)
Talk about a tall order for the Falcons, who have their hands full against the reigning national champions. Adrian produced two of its highest scoring gams of the year against Concordia in the regular season, winning 8-2 and 12-1. It’s hard to imagine things will go any different this time around. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs simply have too much firepower, especially with conference points leader Matius Spodniak (44) heading things up. He also leads the league in goals (22).
Adrian, 8-1 and 7-0
Marian (11-12-2) at St. Norbert (15-8-2)
The Sabres were a thorn in the side of the Green Knights during the regular season, playing one game to a 4-4 tie and earning a 1-0 win in the other. But the No. 13 Green Knights come in having won three of their last four, closing out the regular season with a big 6-1 win over Adrian. Marian has won four of five and has to be feeling good about itself going into this series. Again, this is another series where a decisive mini game wouldn’t surprise anyone. But I think the Green Knights get it done in two.
St. Norbert, 4-3 and 6-4
MSOE (14-11) at Trine (17-7-1)
Trine comes into this series as hot as anyone, rattling off five consecutive wins. And the Thunder are at home for the opening series. The Raiders have lost four in a row. These two teams played a month ago and it turned out to be an interesting series. The Thunder lost the opener 2-1 but bounced back with a 5-2 win in the finale. Here’s the tithing about Trine that is worth nothing for this series. It has allowed only four goals during its win streak. If that defense stays on point, the Thunder will be tough to beat.
Trine, 4-1 and 5-2
WIAC
UW-River Falls (11-13-1) at UW-Stout (15-9-1)
The Blue Devils have had a turnaround season, nearly doubling their win total from a year ago, and now they hope to advance in the conference tournament. They don’t come into the tourney with a lot of momentum, having dropped four in a row, and offensively, they’ve struggled lately. The Falcons come in with nothing to lose and are playing well right now, rattling off four consecutive wins. Their just 2-9-1 away from home but maybe that trend changes this weekend. Let’s go with the upset here.
UW-River Falls, 3-2 and 4-3
Northland (1-22-2) at UW-Superior (14-9-2)
It’s a tall order for the Lumberjacks as they take on a UW-Superior team that nearly won the WIAC regular-season crown. Yes, the Yellowjackets have dropped their last two but they are at home and they have had success against Northland this year, winning the two regular-season meetings by a combined score of 10-0. The Lumberjacks will compete hard. They always do. But look for the Yellowjackets to get it done on the scoreboard.
UW-Superior, 5-1 and 4-0
MIAC
St. Scholastica (15-6-2) vs. Augsburg (14-8-1, 10-4)
A conference championship is on the line, and it wouldn’t be the MIAC if the title wasn’t decided until the final weekend of the season.
The Saints have been the frontrunner this season but the Auggies have used a late-season surge to put themselves in a position they are no stranger to as a program. Augsburg has won its last five games.
St. Scholastica has three of the top five goal scorers in the league and this is a team that always has a chance to win with Arkhip and Filimon Ledenkov on the ice together making plays.
Augsburg’s Gavin Holland and Austin Dollimer are both ranked in the top 10 in goals scored as well in the conference. This should be a fun series to watch. Both teams are capable of winning this series. It won’t surprise me if Augsburg gets it done, but the Saints are chasing history and I have a feeling they catch it.
St. Scholastica, 5-4 and 4-3
Concordia (10-11-2, 7-6-1) vs. Saint Mary’s (11-11-1, 7-7)
Both teams have 20 points apiece and are tied for the fourth spot in the MIAC standings. The Cobbers and Cardinals are similar in some ways, with both teams scoring a little more than three goals a game and both teams allowing a little over three goals per game.
The Cobbers finished January on a four-game winning streak but have struggled this month, winning just once in five games. The Cardinals are 2-2 are in their last four but did get a win over St. Scholastica last weekend.
Concordia, 4-3; Saint Mary’s, 4-2
