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 while semifinal- and championship-round 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.

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 record Overall record
GP W L T OTW OTL 3/SW PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
#4 Minnesota State †14131011039561527225110046
#14 Lake Superior State *149502202739342919738663
#18 Bowling Green14851020274634312010110867
#10 Bemidji State1485132024423429161038270
Michigan Tech1477010020383530171217863
Northern Michigan14671221204047291117179103
Alabama–Huntsville143110100818492231813180
Ferris State1401310113285925123155103
Alaska0---------0-----
Alaska Anchorage0---------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
           
1 Minnesota State 3 3 —
8 Ferris State 0 1 —
1 Minnesota State 1
6 Northern Michigan 5
2 Lake Superior State 6 4 —
7 Alabama-Huntsville 1 1 —
6 Northern Michigan 3
(Pairings are reseeded after the first round)
2 Lake Superior State 6
3 Bowling Green 3 5 1
6 Northern Michigan 4 0 5
2 Lake Superior State 4
4 Bemidji State 1
4 Bemidji State 3 4 —
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 StateMayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Dryden McKayGoaliesLogan SteinReferees:
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 StateMayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Dryden McKayGoaliesLogan SteinReferees:
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–Hutsville

March 12, 2021
7:07 PM		Lake Superior State6 – 1
(2–0, 4–1, 0–0)		Alabama–HutsvilleTaffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Attendance: 0
Game reference
Mareks Mitens (40:00)
Ethan Langenegger (20:00)		GoaliesDavid 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–HutsvilleTaffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Attendance: 0
Game reference
Seth EiseleGoaliesDavid FessendenReferees:
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 MichiganSlater Family Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio
Attendance: 630
Game reference
Eric DopGoaliesRico DiMatteoReferees:
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 MichiganSlater Family Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio
Attendance: 630
Game reference
Eric DopGoaliesRico 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 MichiganSlater Family Ice Arena, Bowling Green, Ohio
Attendance: 630
Game reference
Eric DopGoaliesRico DiMatteoReferees:
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 TechSanford Center, Bemidji, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Zach DriscollGoaliesBlake PietilaReferees:
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 TechSanford Center, Bemidji, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Zach DriscollGoaliesBlake PietilaReferees:
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 MichiganMayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Dryden McKay (31:05)
Ryan Edquist (28:55)		GoaliesRico DiMatteoReferees:
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 StateMayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Mareks MitensGoaliesZach DriscollReferees:
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 MichiganMayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, Minnesota
Attendance: 250
Game reference
Mareks MitensGoaliesRico DiMatteoReferees:
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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