MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State men's hockey team secured their fourth Mason Cup Championship in five years with an emphatic 4-1 win over No. 15 St. Thomas in front of a crowd of nearly 5,000 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center on Friday.
 
In a rematch of the title game last season, senior goaltender Alex Tracy stopped 29 of 30 shots and junior defenseman Evan Murr recorded the eventual game-winning goal in the second period.
 
The conference tournament championship (fourth in the CCHA and seventh in the Division I era) gave the Mavericks an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament (March 27-28). MSU will make its 10^th national appearance next week, in one of four predetermined locations. The NCAA selection show is set for Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. CT and airs live on ESPNU. Fans are welcome to join the team for a selection show party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Mankato.
 
Tristan Lemyre scored his 16^th goal of the season from below the goal line on a wraparound at 6:24. Murr and Liam Watkins assisted on the even strength marker. Dylan Godbout answered ten minutes later for the Tommies. After an initial shot was blocked, Attila Lippai and Bauer Berry assisted on Godbout's second shot from the top of the left circle.
 
Murr gave the Mavericks a 2-1 edge at even strength in the second period. Murr's first shot was blocked. He corralled the rebound and skated around the crease to deposit his 10^th goal of the year at 15:07. Ralfs Bergmanis and Jordan Ronn added assists and the Mavericks held a 29-22 shot advantage at the second intermission.
 
Junior Luigi Benincasa put away his 11^th of the season after he and Lemyre skated through the neutral zone through UST's defensive pair. Senior Jack Smith added insurance at 15:49 on the power play with assists from Murr and Lemyre. Both finished with three-point nights.
 
On the blue line, senior captain Mason Wheeler blocked a season-high 11 shots. Wheeler led the CCHA in blocks this season with 88.
 
The Maverick penalty kill was flawless against a pair of St. Thomas power plays. Minnesota State extended their streak on the PK to 27 consecutive, dating back to Jan. 31 vs. Ferris State.
 
With 17 new players in 2025-26, Minnesota State (22-10-7), under third-year head coach Luke Strand, also won the MacNaughton Cup, as regular season CCHA Champions in February.
 
NCAA Regional sites include Albany, New York (MVP Arena), Loveland, Colorado (Blue Arena), Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Denny Sanford PREMIER Center) and Worchester, Massachusetts (DCU Center).