# 1998 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament

The 1998 CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 27th CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. It was played between March 13 and March 21, 1998. Opening round games were played at campus sites, while all 'final four' games were played at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. By winning the tournament, Michigan State received the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's automatic bid to the 1998 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

## Format

The tournament featured three rounds of play. The three teams that finish below eighth place in the standings were not eligible for postseason play. In the quarterfinals, the first and eighth seeds, the second and seventh seeds, the third seed and sixth seeds and the fourth seed and fifth seeds played a best-of-three series, with the winners advancing to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the remaining highest and lowest seeds and second highest and second lowest seeds play a single-game, with the winners advancing to the finals. The tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the 1998 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

## Conference standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against
1997–98 Central Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Michigan State†* | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 46 | 110 | 54 | 44 | 33 | 6 | 5 | 156 | 76 |
| Michigan | 30 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 45 | 109 | 69 | 46 | 34 | 11 | 1 | 163 | 108 |
| Ohio State | 30 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 39 | 106 | 76 | 42 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 161 | 110 |
| Northern Michigan | 30 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 33 | 96 | 90 | 38 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 130 | 117 |
| Miami | 30 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 32 | 100 | 87 | 37 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 134 | 114 |
| Lake Superior State | 30 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 28 | 82 | 100 | 37 | 15 | 18 | 4 | 104 | 121 |
| Notre Dame | 30 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 28 | 91 | 89 | 41 | 18 | 19 | 4 | 127 | 115 |
| Ferris State | 30 | 12 | 15 | 3 | 27 | 88 | 106 | 39 | 15 | 21 | 3 | 119 | 138 |
| Western Michigan | 30 | 9 | 19 | 2 | 20 | 80 | 91 | 38 | 10 | 25 | 3 | 94 | 125 |
| Alaska-Fairbanks | 30 | 7 | 20 | 3 | 17 | 87 | 138 | 35 | 10 | 21 | 4 | 110 | 154 |
| Bowling Green | 30 | 6 | 21 | 3 | 15 | 77 | 106 | 38 | 8 | 27 | 3 | 100 | 157 |
| Championship: Michigan State † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Final rankings: USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Coaches Poll Top 10 Poll |||||||||||||||

## Bracket

| Quarterfinals March 13–15 | Quarterfinals March 13–15 | Quarterfinals March 13–15 | Quarterfinals March 13–15 | Quarterfinals March 13–15 | | | Semifinals March 19 | Semifinals March 19 | Semifinals March 19 | Championship March 21 | Championship March 21 | Championship March 21 |
| 1 | Michigan State | 3 | 2 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ferris State | 1 | 1 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ferris State | 1 | 1 | – | | | 1 | Michigan State | 5 | | | |
| | | | | | | | 4 | Northern Michigan | 1 | | | |
| 2 | Michigan | 2 | 2* | 4 | | | 4 | Northern Michigan | 1 | | | |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 4 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 4 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | 1 | Michigan State | 3** |
| (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | 1 | Michigan State | 3** |
| (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | 3 | Ohio State | 2 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 2 | 6 | – | | | | | | | | | 3 | Ohio State | 2 |
| 6 | Lake Superior State | 1 | 0 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Lake Superior State | 1 | 0 | – | | | 2 | Michigan | 2 | | | |
| | | | | | | | 3 | Ohio State | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Northern Michigan | 3 | 8 | – | | | 3 | Ohio State | 4 | | | |
| 5 | Miami | 1 | 2 | – | | | | | | | | |
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

### Quarterfinals
#### (1) Michigan State vs. (8) Ferris State

* Michigan State won series 2–0

#### (2) Michigan vs. (7) Notre Dame

* Michigan won series 2–1

#### (3) Ohio State vs. (6) Lake Superior State

* Ohio State won series 2–0

#### (4) Northern Michigan vs. (5) Miami

* Northern Michigan won series 2–0

### Championship
#### (1) Michigan State vs. (3) Ohio State
## Tournament awards
### All-Tournament Team

* F Mike York* (Michigan State)
* F Chris Richards (Ohio State)
* F Todd Compeau (Ohio State)
* D Tyler Harlton (Michigan State)
* D Ryan Root (Ohio State)
* G Jeff Maund (Ohio State)
* Most Valuable Player(s)