FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2018 WCHA SEMIFINAL-ROUND MATCHUPS SET Minnesota State hosts Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan welcomes Bowling Green in best-of-three semifinal round of 2018 WCHA Playoffs on March 9-11 BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – March 4, 2018 – The quest for the inaugural Jeff Sauer WCHA Championship Trophy, Presented by Anderson’s Maple Syrup, is moving on to the best-of-three semifinal round of the 2018 WCHA Playoffs. Minnesota State will host Michigan Tech in a rematch of the 2017 semifinals, while Northern Michigan welcomes Bowling Green the weekend of March 9-11. The two winners will move on to the one-game 2018 WCHA Championship, held Saturday, March 17 at the home of the highest-remaining seed. The WCHA Postseason Tournament champion receives the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. Pairings, locations and start times for the Friday-Sunday, March 9-11 best-of-three, semifinal round of the 2018 WCHA Playoffs (* denotes if necessary): No. 5 Michigan Tech at No. 1 Minnesota State (Verizon Center; Mankato, Minn.) • Game 1 (Friday, March 9): 7:07 p.m. CT • Game 2 (Saturday, March 10): 7:07 p.m. CT • *Game 3 (Sunday, March 11): 7:07 p.m. CT No. 3 Bowling Green at No. 2 Northern Michigan (Berry Events Center; Marquette, Mich.) • Game 1 (Friday, March 2): 7:07 p.m. ET • Game 2 (Saturday, March 3): 7:07 p.m. ET • *Game 3 (Sunday, March 4): 7:07 p.m. ET Top-seeded and nationally third-ranked Minnesota State (28-7-1), which won the MacNaughton Cup as 2017-18 WCHA regular season champions, ran its unbeaten streak to 13-straight games (12-0-1) with a quarterfinal-round sweep of No. 8 seed Alaska. Northern Michigan, the tournament’s No. 2 seed and ranked No. 19 nationally, outlasted No. 7 seed Alabama Huntsville in three games. Third-seeded and nationally-ranked No. 17 Bowling Green won both games against No. 6 seed Ferris State, while fifth- seeded Michigan Tech pulled off the lone quarterfinal-round upset with a road sweep at No. 4 seed Bemidji State. – MORE – 2018 WCHA SEMIFINAL-ROUND MATCHUPS SET | 1 of 2 The Mavericks swept the Huskies in their lone regular season series, winning 3-1 and 5-3 on Oct. 27-28 at the Verizon Center. Minnesota State will be looking to avenge a 2017 semifinal-round loss to Michigan Tech, which won a decisive Game 3 at home. The Wildcats swept the Falcons on Jan. 12-13 at the Berry Events Center, following a 5-2, series-opening victory with a 3-2, overtime triumph the next night. The 2018 WCHA Postseason Tournament is brought to you in part by supporting sponsors Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup, SPIRE Credit Union and UNRL. About the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) The Western Collegiate Hockey Association, among the most historic, tradition-rich and successful conferences in all of collegiate athletics, will proudly mark its 66th season of men’s competition in 2017- 18. The 10-team Division 1 conference consists of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (Chargers), the University of Alaska Anchorage (Seawolves), the University of Alaska (Nanooks), Bemidji State University (Beavers), Bowling Green State University (Falcons), Ferris State University (Bulldogs), Lake Superior State University (Lakers), Michigan Technological University (Huskies), Minnesota State University (Mavericks) and Northern Michigan University (Wildcats). For more information, visit wcha.com. MEDIA CONTACT MORE INFORMATION Matt Hodson Website: wcha.com Associate Commissioner, Marketing & Communications Twitter: @wcha_mhockey E: [email protected] Facebook: facebook.com/wchahockey O: 952.681.7668 Instagram: @wcha_mhockey M: 612.801.2808 WCHA.tv: portal.stretchinternet.com/wcha – WCHA – 2018 WCHA SEMIFINAL-ROUND MATCHUPS SET | 2 of 2 .