Quarterfinal #1: Purdue University NW v. UW Oshkosh
The 2025 NCHL Conference Tournament starts off with Purdue University NW taking on UW Oshkosh. PNW was the top team in the Orange Division, finishing undefeated in eight divisional games. UWO is the 4th place team in the Black Division, compiling a 3-7 divisional record. While they did not meet in interdivisional play this season they did matchup against one another in January 2024. In that lone clash PNW emerged with a 5-2 victory. 

 

Both teams have also met once in the postseason. That came in 2022 when they were competing in the Championship game for Bruno’s Goblet. It was a hard fought game that required overtime to determine a victor. Ultimately, UWO came away as the winner with a 5-4 score.

In divisional play this year the PNW offense has dominated. Over eight conference games they averaged 6.5 goals per game. Their defense has not been a slouch either as they only gave up 2 goals per game, for a goal differential of +35.

UWO has not been as proficient on either end of the ice. During their 10 divisional games they averaged 3 goals per game and gave up 4.6. That led to a -17 goal differential. 

 

Two players UWO will have to be aware of are PNW’s Jordan Degouw and Jacob Behnke. Degouw leads the team in points, goals, and assist, with 37, 15, and 22, respectively. Following close behind is Behnke as he has tallied 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points. 

Leading the way for UWO are Trent Bachman and Zach Johnson. Bachman also leads the team in points, goals, and assists. He has tallied 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points. Johnson sits second on the team in all three areas, having notched 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points. 

 

As they hit the ice PNW will be riding a hot streak, having emerged victorious in the previous four games. On the other hand, UWO will be trying to break a three game losing streak. 

 

Quarterfinal #2: Concordia University WI v. DePaul University
In a rematch of the previous two years Conference Championship Game, Concordia University WI and DePaul University meet in Quarterfinal #2. Meaning at least one new team will be in the Championship game this year. Last season, DePaul won their first Hap Cup by a score of 9-6. 

 

CUW comes into this game as the 2nd place team in the Black Division, with a record of 8-2, and DePaul the 3rd place team in the Orange Division, with a record of 3-5. CUW and DePaul did not meet in interdivisional play. However, they were both in the Lindenwood Showcase last weekend and met on the final day, an 8-1 CUW victory. So, there will be some recent familiarity. That victory also helped CUW snap a five game losing streak as they come into the tournament and added to the now seven game losing streak of DePaul.

 

This will be the fourth meeting between these two teams in the Conference Tournament. Currently, DePaul holds a 2-1 advantage. Over the course of those previous three games, CUW outscored DePaul 17-13, an average of 5.7 goals for to 4.3 against.

 

Over the course of their 10 divisional games CUW is averaging 5.6 goals and surrendering 1.8, leading to a +38 goal differential. DePaul has averaged 3.5 goals per game and given up 2.8 over their eight divisional games, for a +7 goal differential. 

 

Two CUW players DePaul will have to watch are Garrett Wilderman, who put up three goals in their matchup last weekend and is second on the team in points with 43, 14 goals and 29 assists. CUW is loaded with weapons, so it is hard to choose a second. However, the reigning ACHA D2 Player of the Year, Charlie Emme, has to be accounted for. He had a four point game in their meeting last weekend and has totaled 36 points this season, 19 goals and 17 assists.

 

DePaul has two players tied at the top of their points list, Ryan Plotke and Christopher Lee. Both Plotke and Lee have tallied 24 points. To get there, Plotke scored 13 goals and assisted on 11 others while Lee has 12 goals and 12 assists. 

 

Quarterfinal #3: Marian University v. Roosevelt University
Quarterfinal #3 will see Conference Tournament host Marian University hit the ice in front of their home fans against Roosevelt University. This will be the first meeting between these two teams in five years, having last squared off at the beginning of the 2019-20 season. Marian is the top seed from the Black Division, having complied a 10-0 record with one win coming in a shootout, and Roosevelt is the 4th place team from the Orange Division, with a record of 3-5.

 

This will be the third time these two teams meet in the Conference Tournament. During the previous two meetings Marian has come out on top and is averaging five goals for to one goal against. 

 

During divisional play this season Marian averaged 7.1 goals for to 1.7 goals against. As a result, Marian has the top goal differential in the league, a whopping +54. Roosevelt has not been as lucky during their divisional play. They are giving up a little over two times as many goals as they score, 1.6 goals for to 3.7 goals against. 

 

Easton Nick and Simon Ellingson of Marian will have to be accounted for by Roosevelt. Nick is Marian’s leading scorer, having tallied 18 goals and 18 assists. Ellingson is not far behind, having put 16 pucks in the net while assisting on 18 others. 

 

Roosevelt has two tied for their lead in goal scoring, Kamil Bednarz and Aiden Ryan. Each has scored 11 times this season while Bednarz has 12 assists to Ryan’s seven. 

 

Quarterfinal #4: Aurora University v. Marquette University
Rounding out play on day one will be the second place team in the Orange Division, Aurora University, 6-2 record, and Marquette University, third place in the Black Division, 6-4 record. When they hit the ice, it will mark the third time they have met in the Conference Tournament, with Marquette looking for their first victory. Aurora has won the previous two games by an average score of 4-3, so they have each been one goal affairs.

 

Aurora and Marquette did meet during the regular season in an interdivisional series and split. Aurora won the series opener 6-5 in a shootout while Marquette took the series finale 5-0. 

 

Over the course of their eight divisional games, Aurora has averaged 3.3 goals for to 2.8 goals against, a goal differential of +4. Marquette has had a bit more success on the offensive side, having averaged 5.8 goals per game over their 10 divisional games to 3.3 goals against, a goal differential of +25. 

 

Aurora’s two players to watch are Max Lieberman, the team’s leading scorer with 12 goals and 19 assists. Two of those goals and one assist came in their November meeting. One other player to be aware of is Brandon Alesia, who is second on the team with 10 goals. 

 

While Marquette’s Chase Breslin and Jack Rose were shutout in their earlier series with Aurora, they are overwhelmingly the teams top two scorers. Rose has 17 goals, with 7 assist and Breslin 12 goals to go along with 15 assists. So, their location on the ice will once again need to be noted.