Northern Michigan’s Erik Gustafsson leads the Wildcats against Ferris State in the first semifinal at the CCHA Championship on March 19 at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena

CCHA Championship

Joe Louis Arena - Detroit

Semifinals - March 19

Ferris State vs. Northern Michigan        4:35 p.m.

Miami vs. Michigan                                 8:05 p.m.

March 20

Third-place game                                    3:35 p.m.

Championship game                                7:35 p.m.

Fan Fest

GM Wintergarden at the Renaissance Center
March 19 - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.

March 20 - 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The free CCHA Fan Fest includes interactive games, a shooting range, CCHA team lockers and uniform displays, the CCHA Trophy exhibit, a hockey themed concert stage, Zamboni display, dance floor and CCHA Map, merchandise area and history walk.

CCHA Championship Field is set

By Philip Colvin

If you listen to Michigan coach Red Berenson tell it, his Wolverines are in for a rough go against Miami in the semifinals of the CCHA Championship at Joe Louis Arena on March 19.

“Let’s face it, they have been arguably the best team in the country right from the start of the season,” said Berenson. “I can’t remember a team that has dominated the league like Miami has.”

The RedHawks, who went 21-2-5-2 and won the CCHA regular season title by 20 points, needed three games to get past Ohio State in the second round of the playoffs March 5-7. 

Coach Enrico Blasi’s team has two top sophomore goaltenders in Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp, a deep blueline corps led by Will Weber and Chris Wideman and is loaded up front with Jared Palmer, Andy Miele, Carter Camper, Pat Cannone and Tommy Wingels.

Miami is lock to make the NCAA Tournament, but the RedHawks have never won the Mason Cup playoff title and have developed a healthy rivalry with the Wolverines over the last few seasons.

“(Michigan) is playing with a lot of confidence right now,” said Blasi. “We’ll have to do everything well. We’re excited and looking forward to it.”

After beating Lake Superior State in the first round, Michigan swept Michigan State in East Lansing for their first-ever road playoff series victory. 

The Wolverines hit JLA with six wins in their last seven games and their top line of Louie Caporusso, David Wohlberg and Luke Glendening red hot.  After a slow start, Caporusso has scored seven goals and 11 points in his last five games. Carl Hagelin leads the Wolverines with 17 goals and 43 points, but Michigan is also getting production from their other lines and have been better defensively in front of goalie Shawn Hunwick, who took over after starter Bryan Hogan was injured. 

“We feel fortunate, it’s been a rough road,” said Berenson, whose Wolverines finished in very unfamiliar territory - seventh place - this season. “We appreciate it more this time.”

The Wolverines made the CCHA Championship for the 21st straight season but need to win the Mason Cup, and the automatic bid that comes with it, to make it into the NCAA Tournament.

“This season has been challenging for everyone,” said Berenson. “But we’re looking forward to it.”

In a battle of two very similar teams, Ferris State is taking on Northern Michigan in the other CCHA Championship semifinal. The Bulldogs offense has been by committee this season, but their top line of Casey Haines (five game-winning goals), Blair Riley and Cody Chupp is outstanding as is their defensive corps led by Zach Redmond and Scott Wietecha.

“We’ve had great leadership from our seniors and we’re excited about playing at Joe Louis,” said Ferris State coach Bob Daniels.

Under coach Walt Kyle Northern Michigan has regularly started slowly and come on strong down the stretch.  The Wildcats have won 12 of 19 games in 2010 and hit JLA after dismantling Alaska in the second of the playoffs.  Expect CCHA leading scorer Mark Olver to get you out of your seat with a dazzling offensive move, defenseman Erik Gustafsson to control the play and goalie Brian Stewart to erase any mistakes Northern Michigan makes in the defensive zone.

“We know we’ll have our hands full,” said Kyle. “But we’ll be ready to play.”