CCHA men's ice hockey tournament

CCHA Tournament
Conference Hockey Championship
Sport	Ice hockey
Conference	Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Number of teams	11
Format	Single-elimination best two-of-three tournament
Current stadium	Joe Louis Arena
Current location	Detroit, Michigan
Played	1972-present
Last contest	2010 CCHA Tournament
Current champion	Michigan Wolverines
Most championships	Michigan State Spartans (11)
Winner trophy	Mason Cup
Official website	CCHA.CSTV.com

The CCHA Tournament is the conference tournament for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The winner of the tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the tournament also receives the Mason Cup, which began in 2001. 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.

CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions

Main article: List of CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions

Tournament format

All eleven league members qualify 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 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.

2011 tournament bracket

	Opening round March 4–6 Best of three					Quarterfinals March 11–13 Best of three					Semifinals March 18					Championship March 19
						1	Michigan	2
						11	Bowling Green	0
	6	Northern Michigan	1
	11	Bowling Green	2
											1	Michigan	2
											4	Western Michigan	5
						4	Western Michigan	2
						5	Ferris State	1
																4	Western Michigan	2
																3	Miami	5
						2	Notre Dame	2
						8	Lake Superior State	1
	8	Lake Superior State	2
	9	Ohio State	0
											2	Notre Dame	2
											3	Miami	6
						3	Miami	2
						7	Alaska	0
	7	Alaska	2
	10	Michigan State	0

• Re-seeding takes place at the Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds so the highest seed plays the lowest seed, the second-highest seed plays the second-lowest seed, and so on.

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	.800
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