CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament

CCHA Tournament
Conference Hockey Championship
Sport	Ice hockey
Conference	Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Number of teams	12
Format	Single-elimination best two-of-three tournament
Current stadium	Joe Louis Arena
Current location	Detroit, Michigan
Played	1972–2013, 2022–future
Last contest	2013 CCHA Tournament
Current champion	Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Most championships	Michigan State Spartans (11)
Winner trophy	Mason Cup
Official website	CCHA.CSTV.com

The CCHA Tournament was the conference tournament for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The winner of the tournament received an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the tournament also received the Mason Cup, which was first presented in 2002. In other years, the trophy was simply known as the CCHA Tournament Championship Trophy.

The tournament was first held in 1972, the first year of conference play. It was held at The Arena in St. Louis, Missouri from 1972–77. From 1978–81, the CCHA Tournament was held at the rink of the higher seed. Starting in 1982, the CCHA Tournament first round was held at the rink of the higher seed with Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan hosting the CCHA Tournament semifinals and finals. From 1993–94 and 2002–05, the CCHA championship format had six teams competing at Joe Louis Arena with the bottom four teams competing for the third and fourth spots in the semifinals.

The CCHA, in its original form, dissolved in 2013 as a consequence of the early-2010s conference realignment. A new CCHA is scheduled to begin play in 2021–22, and the conference tournament is expected to resume at that time.

Tournament format

All twelve league members qualify for the tournament. A four-round format was introduced beginning in 2006 with the top four seeds receiving byes and the remaining eight teams playing in an on-campus best two-of-three first round series. After the first round, the field is reseeded for the quarterfinal round for an on-campus best two-of-three series. The remaining four teams are reseeded for the CCHA Championship at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Two semifinals are played on Friday afternoon and night. The championship game is played the following night, and is preceded by the consolation game.

Previous formats

1972

The CCHA Tournament format begins as a single-game elimination two-round format.

1973

A round-robin championship format was adopted. Although not a member of the CCHA's Division I, Western Michigan is invited as the fourth team in the CCHA Tournament.

1974–75

The single-game elimination format returns. Western Michigan is invited for a second year as the fourth team in the CCHA Tournament.

1976

Championship game is changed to a two-game, total-goals series.

1977–81

All tournament rounds are changed to a two-game, total-goals series.

1982–85

First round series remain a two-game, total-goals series. Semifinals and finals are changed to single-game elimination format. The CCHA Tournament is expanded from four teams to eight teams in a three-round format.

1986

First round series changed to a best two-of-three format. Semifinals and finals remain single-game elimination.

1990

After Bowling Green is selected for the NCAA tournament over Michigan despite the Wolverines victory over the Falcons in the consolation game, the CCHA eliminates the consolation game.

1993–94

With the addition of Kent State and Notre Dame to the league and Alaska as an affiliate member, tournament expanded to 12 teams. A quarterfinal at Joe Louis Arena narrows the field from six to four. Alaska is placed in the tournament by team choice. In order, the top six teams select their opponent for the first round among the bottom five teams and Alaska.

1995

The tournament retracts to 10 teams. A highest seed-hosts, midweek play-in game narrows the field from five to four.

1996–99

Tournament format returns to eight teams.

2000–01

The tournament field expands back to 10 along with the midweek play-in game.

2002–05

All 12 teams qualify for the tournament with a quarterfinal at Joe Louis Arena narrowing the field from six to four. The consolation game returns to boost records and rankings for NCAA Tournament selection.

Championship appearances

By school No. School Record Pct 15 Michigan State 11–4 .733 15 Michigan 9–6 .600 12 Lake Superior State 4–8 .333 7 Bowling Green State 8–2 .700 7 Ohio State 2–6–1 .278 6 Saint Louis 3–5–1 .389 4 Northern Michigan 2–2 .500 3 Western Michigan 1–2–1 .375 3 Miami 0–2 .000 2 Notre Dame 1–1 .500 2 Ferris State 0–3 .000 1 Nebraska-Omaha 0–1 .000

By coach No. Coach Record Pct 17 Ron Mason 16–4 .800 15 "Red" Berenson 9–6 .650 7 Jeff Jackson 5–2 .714 6 Rick Comley 4–3–1 .563 6 Bill Selman 3–5–1 .389 4 Frank Anzalone 0–4 .000 3 John Markell 1–2 .333 3 Jerry York 1–2 .333 2 Bill Wilkinson 1–1 .500 2 Jerry Welsh 0–3–1 .125 2 Enrico Blasi 0–1 .000 1 Dave Chambers 1–0 1.000 1 Jack Vivian 1–0 1.000 1 Bill Neal 0–1–1 .250 1 Bob Daniels 0–1 .000 1 George Gwozdecky 0–1 .000 1 Mike Kemp 0–1 .000 1 Walt Kyle 0–1 .000 1 "Lefty" Smith 0–1 .000 1 Rick Duffett 0–2 .000

"Modern Era"

In 1981–82, four teams from the WCHA (Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and Notre Dame) defected to the CCHA. The four teams brought their long, storied history with 12 combined NCAA National Championships giving the young, up-start league instant credibility. The tournament championship was moved from small on-campus rinks to Joe Louis Arena, home of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. These events give the league a distinct turning point at which the "Modern Era" of the CCHA Tournament begins.

"Road to the Joe"

Commissioner Bill Beagan coined the phrase "Road to the Joe" in describing the CCHA Tournament in 1985–86. The phrase is commonly used in reference to the CCHA Tournament.

"Super Six"

With the tournament expanding to 12 teams in 2001–02, the CCHA adopted the name "Super Six" in reference to the six teams who advance past the first round to the CCHA championships at Joe Louis Arena. The name was dropped following the 2005 season when the CCHA championships were reduced back to four teams.

External links

• Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Official Athletic Site