# 2022–23 CCHA season

The 2022–23 CCHA season was the 44th season of play for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and was part of the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The regular season began on October 1, 2022, and concluded on February 25, 2023. The conference tournament began on March 3.

## Coaches
### Records

| Team | Head coach | Season at school | Record at school | CCHA record |
| Bemidji State | Tom Serratore | 22 | 354–327–92 | 14–12–0 |
| Bowling Green | Ty Eigner | 4 | 56–42–8 | 11–14–1 |
| Ferris State | Bob Daniels | 31 | 473–562–108 | 256–293–73 |
| Lake Superior State | Damon Whitten | 9 | 117–151–28 | 13–13–0 |
| Michigan Tech | Joe Shawhan | 6 | 95–77–16 | 16–8–2 |
| Minnesota State | Mike Hastings | 11 | 274–96–24 | 23–3–0 |
| Northern Michigan | Grant Potulny | 6 | 95–80–11 | 12–13–1 |
| St. Thomas | Enrico Blasi | 2 | 3–32–1 | 3–22–1 |

## Standings

2022–23 Central Collegiate Hockey Association Standingsvte :
| | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Conference record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record | Overall record |
| | GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| #12 Minnesota State †* | 26 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 52 | 83 | 56 | 39 | 25 | 13 | 1 | 126 | 81 |
| #13 Michigan Tech | 26 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 68 | 54 | 39 | 24 | 11 | 4 | 103 | 88 |
| Bowling Green | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 89 | 76 | 36 | 15 | 19 | 2 | 114 | 114 |
| Northern Michigan | 26 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 82 | 77 | 38 | 21 | 17 | 0 | 123 | 103 |
| Bemidji State | 26 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 39 | 73 | 63 | 36 | 14 | 17 | 5 | 94 | 97 |
| Ferris State | 26 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 62 | 91 | 37 | 14 | 19 | 4 | 92 | 131 |
| St. Thomas | 26 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 69 | 81 | 36 | 11 | 23 | 2 | 86 | 117 |
| Lake Superior State | 26 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 52 | 80 | 36 | 9 | 25 | 2 | 71 | 118 |
| Championship: March 18, 2023 † indicates conference regular season champion (MacNaughton Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Mason Cup) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll ||||||||||||||||||

## Non-Conference record

Of the sixteen teams that are selected to participate in the NCAA tournament, ten will be via at-large bids. Those 10 teams are determined based upon the PairWise rankings. The rankings take into account all games played but are heavily affected by intra-conference results. The result is that teams from leagues which perform better in non-conference are much more likely to receive at-large bids even if they possess inferior records overall.
The CCHA had a poor season in non-conference play. Just two teams finished with a winning record while half of the conference produced just 6 wins in a total of 31 games. The CCHA produced a winning record against just one other conference (ECAC) as well as the independent programs, however, many of those victories came against low-ranking opponents and only minimally improved the CCHA's standing.

### Regular season record

| Team | Atlantic Hockey | Big Ten | ECAC Hockey | Hockey East | Independent | NCHC | Total |
| Bemidji State | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 1–1–0 | 1–3–2 | 2–4–2 |
| Bowling Green | 0–0–0 | 1–3–0 | 2–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–2–0 | 3–5–0 |
| Ferris State | 1–1–0 | 1–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–3–1 | 2–4–1 |
| Lake Superior State | 0–0–0 | 0–3–0 | 1–1–0 | 0–1–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–1–1 | 1–6–1 |
| Michigan Tech | 0–0–0 | 1–0–0 | 2–0–0 | 1–0–0 | 3–0–0 | 0–1–0 | 7–1–0 |
| Minnesota State | 0–0–0 | 1–1–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 2–0–0 | 2–2–0 | 5–3–0 |
| Northern Michigan | 0–0–0 | 0–2–0 | 2–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 2–2–0 | 0–0–0 | 4–4–0 |
| St. Thomas | 0–0–0 | 0–2–0 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 | 1–3–0 | 0–2–0 | 1–7–0 |
| Overall | 1–1–0 | 4–11–0 | 7–1–0 | 1–1–0 | 9–6–0 | 3–14–4 | 25–34–4 |

## Statistics
### Leading scorers

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Class | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Austen Swankler | Sophomore | Bowling Green | 26 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 37 |
| David Silye | Junior | Minnesota State | 26 | 19 | 10 | 29 | 4 |
| André Ghantous | Senior | Northern Michigan | 26 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 30 |
| Artem Shlaine | Junior | Northern Michigan | 26 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 14 |
| Lleyton Roed | Freshman | Bemidji State | 25 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 6 |
| Nathan Burke | Senior | Bowling Green | 26 | 15 | 9 | 24 | 12 |
| Chase Gresock | Senior | Bowling Green | 26 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 6 |
| Jake Livingstone | Junior | Minnesota State | 26 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 26 |
| Elias Rosén | Senior | Bemidji State | 26 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 12 |
| Ryan Sandelin | Senior | Minnesota State | 25 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 33 |

### Leading goaltenders

Minimum 1/3 of team's minutes played in conference games.
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Class | Team | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
| Keenan Rancier | Sophomore | Minnesota State | 21 | 1185:06 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 37 | 0 | .908 | 1.87 |
| Blake Pietila | Senior | Michigan Tech | 24 | 1425:48 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 48 | 6 | .929 | 2.02 |
| Mattias Scholl | Sophomore | Bemidji State | 24 | 1412:23 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 52 | 1 | .910 | 2.21 |
| Béni Halász | Freshman | Northern Michigan | 24 | 1302:41 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 55 | 2 | .910 | 2.53 |
| Christian Stoever | Sophomore | Bowling Green | 23 | 1362:40 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 60 | 1 | .918 | 2.64 |

## CCHA Tournament

Teams are reseeded for the semifinals
| Quarterfinals March 3–5 | Quarterfinals March 3–5 | Quarterfinals March 3–5 | Quarterfinals March 3–5 | Quarterfinals March 3–5 | Semifinals March 11 | Semifinals March 11 | Semifinals March 11 | Championship March 18 | Championship March 18 | Championship March 18 |
| 1 | Minnesota State | 6 | 2 | – | | | | | | |
| 8 | Lake Superior State | 1 | 1 | – | | | | | | |
| 8 | Lake Superior State | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | Minnesota State | 7 | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Ferris State | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Michigan Tech | 1 | 5 | – | 6 | Ferris State | 2 | | | |
| 7 | St. Thomas | 0 | 4 | – | | | | | | |
| 7 | St. Thomas | 0 | 4 | – | | | | 1 | Minnesota State | 3* |
| | | | | | | | | 4 | Northern Michigan | 2 |
| 3 | Bowling Green | 3 | 1 | – | | | | | | | 4 | Northern Michigan | 2 |
| 6 | Ferris State | 4* | 2* | – | | | | | | |
| 6 | Ferris State | 4* | 2* | – | 2 | Michigan Tech | 0 | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Northern Michigan | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Northern Michigan | 7 | 2* | – | 4 | Northern Michigan | 4 | | | |
| 5 | Bemidji State | 3 | 1 | – | | | | | | |
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

## Ranking
### USCHO

| Team | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | Final |
| Bemidji State | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| Bowling Green | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| Ferris State | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| Lake Superior State | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| Michigan Tech | 20 | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 19 | 18 | 17 | - | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | - | 13 |
| Minnesota State | 3 | - | 5 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 16 | - | 19 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | - | 12 |
| Northern Michigan | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |
| St. Thomas | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | - | NR |

### USA Today

| Team | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | Final |
| Bemidji State | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Bowling Green | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Ferris State | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Lake Superior State | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Michigan Tech | NR | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Minnesota State | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 18 | NR | 18 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 11 |
| Northern Michigan | 20 | 20 | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| St. Thomas | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |

### Pairwise

| Team | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Final |
| Bemidji State | 22 | 48 | 54 | 30 | 14 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 21 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 34 | 34 | 32 | 34 |
| Bowling Green | 9 | 13 | 37 | 32 | 36 | 33 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 31 | 38 | 39 | 39 |
| Ferris State | 19 | 23 | 32 | 22 | 34 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 31 | 38 | 33 | 35 | 32 | 36 | 42 | 31 | 33 | 41 | 42 | 37 | 38 | 38 |
| Lake Superior State | 22 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 52 | 57 | 55 | 53 | 56 | 58 | 57 | 58 | 61 | 60 | 60 | 59 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 57 | 57 | 57 |
| Michigan Tech | 22 | 44 | 32 | 29 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Minnesota State | 22 | 31 | 6 | 25 | 22 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 27 | 20 | 24 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 10 |
| Northern Michigan | 21 | 24 | 39 | 33 | 41 | 29 | 24 | 22 | 27 | 32 | 36 | 31 | 43 | 39 | 36 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 37 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 26 |
| St. Thomas | 22 | 38 | 50 | 49 | 42 | 47 | 51 | 49 | 47 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 47 | 49 | 50 | 49 |
Note: teams ranked in the top-10 automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament. Teams ranked 11-16 can qualify based upon conference tournament results.

## Awards
### NCAA

AHCA West All-American First Team :
| Player | Position | Team |
| Blake Pietila | G | Michigan Tech |
| AHCA West All-American Second Team |||
| Jake Livingstone | D | Minnesota State |

### CCHA

| Award | Award | Recipient |
| Player of the Year | Player of the Year | Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech |
| Forward of the Year | Forward of the Year | David Silye, Minnesota State |
| Defenseman of the Year | Defenseman of the Year | Jake Livingstone, Minnesota State |
| Goaltender of the Year | Goaltender of the Year | Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech |
| Rookie of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Kyle Kukkonen, Michigan Tech |
| Coach of the Year | Coach of the Year | Joe Shawhan, Michigan Tech |
| All-CCHA Teams |||
| First Team | Position | Second Team |
| Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech | G | Mattias Sholl, Bemidji State |
| Jake Livingstone, Minnesota State | D | Akito Hirose, Minnesota State |
| Elias Rosén, Bemidji State | D | Brett Thorne, Michigan Tech |
| Ryland Mosley, Michigan Tech | F | Louis Boudon, Lake Superior State |
| David Silye, Minnesota State | F | Nathan Burke, Bowling Green |
| Austen Swankler, Bowling Green | F | André Ghantous, Northern Michigan |
| Rookie Team | Position | |
| Béni Halász, Northern Michigan | G | |
| Dalton Norris, Bowling Green | D | |
| Josh Zinger, Northern Michigan | D | |
| Kyle Kukkonen, Michigan Tech | F | |
| Joey Larson, Northern Michigan | F | |
| Lleyton Roed, Bemidji State | F | |

## 2023 NHL Entry Draft

| Round | Pick | Player | College | NHL team |
| 4 | 118 | Hampton Slukynsky $^†$ | Northern Michigan | Los Angeles Kings |
| 5 | 132 | Eric Pohlkamp $^†$ | Bemidji State | San Jose Sharks |
| 5 | 154 | Chase Cheslock $^†$ | St. Thomas | New Jersey Devils |
† incoming freshman