CCHA men's ice hockey tournament

The CCHA Tournament is the conference tournament for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), an NCAA Division I men's ice hockey conference that originally operated from 1971 to 2013 and has been revived effective in 2021. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the tournament also receives the Mason Cup, which was first presented in 2001. In other years, the trophy was known as the CCHA Tournament Championship Trophy.

CCHA Tournament
Conference hockey championship
SportIce hockey
ConferenceCentral Collegiate Hockey Association
FormatSingle-elimination; best two-of-three first round, single-game semifinals and final
Current stadiumCampus sites
Played1972–2013, 2022–present
Last contest2022 CCHA Tournament
Current championMinnesota State Mavericks
Most championshipsMichigan State Spartans (11)
Winner trophyMason Cup
Official websiteccha.com

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 to 1977. From 1978 to 1981, 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 to 1994 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.

In February 2020, seven schools that had announced several months earlier that they would leave the Western Collegiate Hockey Association after the 2020–21 season announced that they would form a new CCHA, with the 2021–22 season as the first for the revived league.[1] The tournament resumed in 2022 with the Mason Cup once again being awarded to the tournament champion.[2]

CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions
Main articles: List of CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions and List of CCHA Most Valuable Player in Tournament

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.

1993–94

With the addition of Kent State and Notre Dame to the league and Alaska as an affiliate member, the 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. The CCHA eliminates the consolation game.

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.

2006–13

All 11 league members qualified for the tournament. A four-round format was introduced beginning in 2006 with the top five seeds receiving byes and the remaining six teams playing in an on-campus best two-of-three first round series. After the first round, the field was reseeded for the quarterfinal round for an on-campus best two-of-three series. The remaining four teams were reseeded for the CCHA Championship at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

2022–present

The revived CCHA tournament involves all eight members, seeded according to regular-season conference records. The top four teams host best-of-three series in the opening round, matched in the standard format of 1–8, 2–7, 3–6, and 4–5. The semifinals consist of single games hosted by the top two surviving seeds. The final is also a single game, hosted by the top remaining seed.[3]

Championship appearances

"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.[5]

"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.

References
  1. Johnson, Randy (February 18, 2020). "CCHA will be new name for seven teams leaving WCHA in 2021-22". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. "Famed Mason Cup to be awarded to CCHA playoff champion" (Press release). Central Collegiate Hockey Association. May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  3. "CCHA releases 2021-22 conference schedule" (Press release). Central Collegiate Hockey Association. May 20, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  4. "CCHA All-Time Champions". CCHA.com. Archived from the original on 2013-03-25. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  5. Mackinder, Matt (September 22, 2011). "Checking In: Former CCHA commissioner Bill Beagan". U.S. College Hockey Online. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
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