MANKATO, Minn. – Ralfs Bergmanis floated the pass across and Evan Murr one-timed the game-winning goal 10:13 into the third period to break the deadlock and lift Minnesota State University men's hockey to their third CCHA Mason Cup Championship Friday night at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
 
Senior captain Josh Groll added an empty net tally to seal the win in front of an energized crowd in downtown Mankato. MSU, already winners of the MacNaughton Cup, added hardware to their collection under second year head coach Luke Strand, vaulting past one final CCHA foe before the team makes its 10^th appearance in the NCAA Tournament next week.
 
Luigi Benincasa finished with one goal and one assist and junior netminder and CCHA Player of the Year Alex Tracy stopped 29 shots against 31 shots to help the home team. The Mavericks outshot the Tommies 35-31 and extended their win streak to five. MSU is 10-0-1 over their last 11 games with momentum heading to one of four predetermined sites in the NCAA Tournament. St. Thomas saw its eight-game win streak snapped.
 
Minnesota State carried play to a 10-2 edge in shots on goal, but Tracy made an important save on CCHA scoring leader Liam Malmquist in the low slot to keep the contest scoreless early. A turnover trapped the Mavericks in their own zone in the closing seconds but the board remained 0-0 after 20 minutes.
 
Matthew Gleason peeled off the wall and found room on the short side for the game's first goal at 6:56 of the middle period. The unassisted marker was Gleason's 11^th of the season for UST.
 
Under four minutes later, Benincasa leveled the game for the Mavericks. After the Tommies failed to clear their zone following a faceoff, Rhett Pitlick corralled a deflection off the glass and Benincasa rifled in a one-timer on the weak side at 10:40. It was his sixth goal of the season and sixth point of the postseason.
 
On a net-front scramble, Kaden Bohlsen found his 11^th of the year to put the Mavericks ahead. Pitlick and Krajnik assisted. Malmquist wouldn't be denied for the Tommies, and the senior took advantage of a power play to tie it 2-2 after making a half-moon around the top of the circles and wristing through his 20^th goal of the year.
 
Tied heading into the third, MSU continued to generate chances, including Murr's seventh goal of the season.
 
Jake Sibell made 31 saves in the loss for UST and the Tommies won 36 faceoffs, compared to MSU's 28. Both teams converted their only power play chance.
 
The Mavericks are the winningest team in Division I college hockey over the past ten seasons and won the Mason Cup for the third time in four years (2022-23, 2021-22). St. Thomas (26-9-3, 18-5-3 CCHA) made its first appearance in the title game on Friday before they make the move to the NCHC next season under head coach Rico Blasi.
 
Minnesota State (27-8-3, 18-5-3 CCHA) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. A selection show to reveal the 16 teams in the bracket is set for Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
 
MSU's last NCAA appearance came in 2022-23, where the Mavericks fell to St. Cloud State in the regional semifinals. A year prior, MSU made a historic run to their first Division I National Championship game, but fell to Denver 5-1.