University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, March 20
Mankato, Minn. / Mayo Clinic HSEC
7:07 p.m. CT
at
Minnesota State
Men’s Hockey returns to Mankato for Mason Cup Final
3/18/2026 3:26:00 PM | Men's Hockey
The Tommies are back where they were 364 days ago
ST. PAUL, Minn. – #15 St. Thomas (21-11-5) heads back to the Mason Cup Final for the second season in a row. The Tommies return to Mankato this Friday for a rematch with the #16 Minnesota State Mavericks (21-10-7) 364 days after the Mavs won the Cup in 2025.
The Tommies defeated then 13th ranked Augustana in a 2-1 heavyweight bout. Neither team scored through the first 40 minutes before Lucas Van Vliet scored his 14th of the season. The Vikings answered back 57 seconds later to tie the game. Lucas Wahlin won a face off directly to Alex Gaffney some minutes later and the Harvard transfer sniped a shot over the left shoulder of CCHA Player of the Year Josh Kotai to regain the lead. Carsen Musser stopped 23 of 24 shots for his 11th win of the season and third of the playoffs. Gaffney leads the Tommies in points (40), Wahlin leads them in goals (21), and Chase Cheslock leads them in assists (23). Musser is 11-5-3 with a 2.89 GAA and .891 SV% this season. St. Thomas is 0-8 on the power play during the playoffs and 0-8 against the Mavericks this season. They have converted on 20.6% of their total chances.
On the other side of the bracket, the Mavericks pummeled the Michigan Tech Huskies, 7-2. The MacNaughton Cup champions are playing their best hockey of the season. They got goals from five different scorers last Saturday while Tristan Lemrye and Reid Morich each notched two-goal games. Minn. State scored all seven goals without one power play against the Huskies. Alex Tracy made 23 saves on 25 shots for his 20th win of the season. Lemrye leads the Mavericks in goals (15) and points (31). Luigi Benincasa and Evan Murr are tied for the team lead with 18 assists. Tracy is 20-10-7 with a 1.82 GAA and .926 SV%. The Mavs convert on 18.1% of their power play chances and have one of the best penalty kills in the country at 85.8%.
THIS WEEKEND'S GAME
-Puck drop is scheduled for 7:07 pm on Friday, March 20 in Mankato, Minnesota. The Tommies are 2-0-0 at Mayo Clinic HSEC this season, 8-5-3 on Friday, 10-4-3 on the road, 14-8-3 in Minnesota, 13-5-2 following a win this season.
ON THE RADIO
-ESPN 1500 is the home of all St. Thomas Men's Hockey games.
-Fans can listen on the radio at 1500 AM, online at https://live.skornorth.com/listen/ or on the Varsity Sports App.
CCHA TV ON MIDCO SPORTS PLUS
-All St. Thomas home games and CCHA games will be live streamed on Midco Sports Plus.
-Midco Sports Plus provides each subscriber with access to all content and events with the purchase of a monthly or yearly subscription.
-Midco Sports Plus is available on IOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.
TOMMIE TIDBITS
-The Tommies have set program records in goals (130), shots (1,211), assists (221), and shorthanded goals (11) this season.
-Lucas Wahlin has set the single-season program record in goals (21) to supplant his former linemate, Liam Malmquist.
-Wahlin's two-goal game in game two of the Mason Cup Quarterfinal was the fourth of his season and eighth of his career.
-Lucas Van Vliet has tied the single-season program record for game-winning goals with four (Cooper Gay '23-'24 and Lucas Wahlin '24-'25).
-Nathan Pilling has not recorded a penalty in the playoffs, the Tommies are 15-5-3 when their penalty-leader does not take a trip to the box.
-Ryan O'Neill recorded his first multi-goal game of his career in game one of the Mason Cup Quarterfinal (140 games).
-The Toms headed into the third period tied with Augustana before taking the game, 2-1. They are 5-1-2 when tied entering the third, and 17-2-4 when leading or tied entering the third this season.
-The Tommies are 8-2-0 in one-goal games this season, Minnesota State is 8-3-0.
-St. Thomas remains unbeaten in overtime this season with a 3-0-5 record while the Mavericks are 1-3-7.
-The Tommies are without a power play goal in the Mason Cup Playoffs during this run. This season, they are 8-5-1 when failing to score on the power play and 13-6-4 when scoring at least one power play goal.
MORE WEEKLY HONORS
The 15th ranked Tommies return to the Mason Cup Final to face #16 Minnesota State for the second season in a row this Friday at 7:07 pm in Mankato. The Purple got there in large part due to the individual performances of Lucas Van Vliet and Carsen Musser. The two of them have been rewarded with CCHA weekly honors.
Carsen Musser continued his strong stretch of goaltending in the second half of the season with a 23 save performance against #13 Augustana in which he allowed only one goal. Musser dueled the conference's Player of the Year, Josh Kotai, and won to push the Toms to the Mason Cup Final. Musser is 3-0-0 in the playoffs with a 1.92 goals against average and .923 save percentage. This is the second weekly honor for Musser who last earned the award in December.
Lucas Van Vliet broke the ice in the semifinal with his third goal of the playoffs to beat Kotai in the third period. Fresh off the back of being named CCHA Rookie of the Year, Van Vliet has earned his fifth Rookie of the Week this season, tied for the most in CCHA history.
SHOOTERS SHOOT
-The Tommies have outshot their opponents in 26 of 37 games this season.
-They are 16-7-3 while doing so.
-The Purple are 13-4-3 with 30+ shots and 8-7-2 with less than 30 shots.
SEASON AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE
-The Tommies are 2-1-0 against the Mavericks this season and 2-0-0 against them at Mayo Clinic HSEC.
-Ryan O'Neill's four points lead the Toms against Minnesota State, he is also the only Tommie with multiple goals (2) against them this season.
-The Toms' playoff goaltender, Carsen Musser has not seen action against Minnesota State this season. Will Ingemann is 1-1-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .902 SV% while Aaron Trotter is 1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .900 SV%.
-The Purple's power play is 0-8 on the season against Mankato. The Mavericks power play is also scoreless (0-12) against the Purple.
-Liam Watkins leads with four points while Tristan Lemrye's two goals lead the Mavericks. Alex Tracy is 1-2-0 with a 2.97 GAA and .888 SV% this season.
PLAYOFF HISTORY AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE
-The Tommies are 0-3-0 all-time against the Mavericks when meeting in the Mason Cup Playoffs.
-The first two losses came in the first round of the 2021-22 season when the Tommies were in their first season of the DI era and Minnesota State was the top ranked team in the country.
TOMMIE HOCKEY'S IRON MAN
Luc Laylin played in his 148th straight game as a Tommie on Saturday night against Augustana. The senior surpassed Ethan Gauer for the all-time program record against Augustana during the regular season (DIII days included). Luc is sixth in DI program history with 27 goals, eighth with 25 assists, sixth with 52 points, and 12th with 28 blocks. He played in a career-high 38 games last season and has played in all 36 games so far this season.
THE BELIEVER CLASS
The Tommies' senior class was celebrated on Senior Night two weekends ago. The whole class is made up of nine players with seven coming from the freshman class of 2022-23. Together the seven "believers" (Lucas Wahlin, Ryan O'Neill, Quinton Pepper, Jake Braccini, Luc Laylin, Carson Peters, and Aaron Trotter) have combined for:
-66-68-14 overall record
-49-42-11 CCHA record
-Two 2nd place finishes, and a 3rd place finish in the CCHA and a trip to the Mason Cup Final
-8 wins over nationally ranked opponents
-146 goals, 239 assists, and 385 points in 147 games
-33 goalie wins, 2381 saves, and four shutouts
GRAY JERSEY SUCCESS
The Tommies debuted their alternate gray uniforms on October 12th in a 5-2 loss against then #10 North Dakota. They have not been defeated since with a 4-0-0 record. Stats in their four games since the debut: 5.5 goals per game, 2.5 goals allowed per game, 31 PP%, 81 PK%, +1 in first period, +6 in second, +5 in third. The Tommies are 8-4-2 in the 14 games since they last wore the grays. Alex Gaffney and Lucas Wahlin lead with nine points and a +8 rating in gray. Both Will Ingemann and Carsen Musser are 2-0-0 with a 2.50 GAA.
THEY ALL SCORE GOALS
The Tommies have gotten goals from 19 different players this season. Lucas Wahlin's 21 lead the team and are a DI-era program record. Nathan Pilling leads the team with six power play goals. Five players have tallied shorthanded goals, while Gaffney and Pilling lead the team with three. Lucas Van Vliet has tied the program record with four game-winning goals this season. Alex Gaffney earned his third game-winning goal of the season against the Vikings to match Lucas Wahlin.
POINTS PARITY
-The Tommies have had a different player lead them in points each of their first five seasons of DI play.
LUCAS WAHLIN – CCHA STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) recognizes outstanding achievement both on and off the ice through its annual Student-Athlete of the Year Award. Lucas Wahlin is the latest recipient of this prestigious honor for the 2025-26 season.
A business administrative major with a minor in sports management, Wahlin carries an impressive 3.85 cumulative grade point average. He has earned Dean's List recognition every semester and exemplifies academic excellence while balancing the demands of DI hockey. His dedication in the classroom mirrors his discipline on the ice, consistently demonstrating leadership, engagement, and respect.
A third-year captain for St. Thomas, Wahlin has led the Tommies through a critical period of growth. His leadership helped establish the cultural foundation of Tommie hockey, one built on brotherhood and relentless compete.
Head coach, Rico Blasi had this to say about Wahlin, "Lucas embodies our culture on and off the ice. His ability to navigate his rigorous coursework while continuing to lead our team is impressive."
In the community, Wahlin is equally impactful. He volunteers with a local hockey club during J-terms and summers, introducing young athletes to the sport. He organizes and runs summer shooting clinics for youth players and recently spoke at the Minnesota Wild Leadership Summit, sharing insights with aspiring student-athletes about leadership and balancing athletics with academics. Wahlin also mobilized his teammates to serve as volunteer readers at JFK Elementary, supporting students working to improve their literacy skills.
On the ice, Wahlin's accomplishments are second-to-none. He is the St. Thomas DI program's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points. He became the first Tommie to reach both 100 points and 50 career goals at the DI level. This season he leads the CCHA with 18 goals and is the conference's all-time leader in points. He recently reached 30 points in a season for the third time in his career, a program best.
A two-time CCHA Forward of the Month and four-time Forward of the Week honoree, Wahlin has consistently been recognized for his excellence. His sustained performance, leadership, and sportsmanship embody the standards the CCHA Student-Athlete of the Year Award was created to honor.
Lucas Wahlin exemplifies the highest ideals of a CCHA student-athlete, excelling academically, leading competitively, serving selflessly, and fostering a culture of excellence both on and off the ice.
467 FOR BLASI
-Head coach, Rico Blasi, won his 450th game on Tuesday, November 11 against St. Cloud State. The now 25-year head coach currently sits 21st all-time and fourth among active head coaches. His 467 career wins are one from Joe Marsh in 20th, and five from Don Vaughan in 19th.
100 FOR WAHLIN
-Lucas Wahlin became the first Tommie to score 100 career points after his three-point burst against the St. Cloud State Huskies on Tuesday, November 11. The Tommie captain did so in 109 games at a 0.92 points per game pace.
-25 different players either assisted on a Wahlin goal or scored a goal off a Wahlin assist over the course of the last four seasons.
-Liam Malmquist led each category with 12 assists on Wahlin goals and 15 goals off Wahlin assists.
-At the present day, he has recorded 131 points, 37 more than the next closest Tommie.
CURRENT TOMMIES AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE
-Ryan O'Neill – 2G-7A-9P
-Luc Laylin – 6G-2A-8P
-Lucas Wahlin – 2G-6A-8P
-Jake Braccini – 3G-1A-4P
-Caige Sterzer – 2G-2A-4P
-Alex Gaffney - 2G-2A-4P
-Nick Williams – 0G-3A-3P
-Chase Cheslock – 0G-2A=2P
-Nathan Pilling – 1G-1A-2P
-Quinton Pepper – 1G-1A-2P
-Mason Poolman – 0G-2A-2P
-Bauer Berry – 0G-2A-2P
-Lucas Van Vliet – 0G-2A-2P
-Attila Lippai – 1G-0A-1P
-Dylan Godbout – 1G-0A-1P
-Hayes Hundley – 0G-1A-1P
-Charlie Schoen – 0G-1A-1P
-Aaron Trotter – 4-6-0, 282 saves, 539 mins, 33 GA, 3.67 GAA, .895 SV%
-Will Ingemann – 1-1-0, 46 saves, 120 mins, 5 GA, 2.50 GAA, .902 SV%
MILESTONE WATCH
-Career Points
2025-26 CCHA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
-Carsen Musser Goaltender of the Week (3/16/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (3/16/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (3/9/26)
-Nathan Pilling Rookie of the Week (2/9/26)
-Aaron Trotter Goaltender of the Week (1/27/26)
-Nathan Pilling Rookie of the Week (1/27/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (1/20/26)
-Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Week (1/20/26)
-Hayes Hundley Rookie of the Week (1/4/26)
-Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Week (12/15/25)
-Nathan Pilling Rookie of the Week (12/8/25)
-Carsen Musser Goaltender of the Week (12/8/25)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (12/1/25)
-Nick Williams Defenseman of the Week (12/1/25)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (11/23/25)
-Alex Gaffney Forward of the Week (10/20/25)
-Chase Cheslock Defenseman of the Week (10/6/25)
2025-26 CCHA PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
-Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Month (2/2/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Month (2/2/26)
-Carsen Musser Goaltender of the Month (1/5/26)
-Chase Cheslock Defenseman of the Month (1/5/26)
-Alex Gaffney Forward of the Month (11/3/25)
MARCH RECAP
-3-0-0, +5 goal differential
-Swept Lake Superior State in the Mason Cup Quarterfinals with a 4-3 OT win and 5-2 regulation win.
-Defeated #13 Augustana, 2-1 in the Mason Cup Semifinal
-Lucas Van Vliet leads the Tommies with three goals.
-Lucas Wahlin leads the way with four points.
-Carsen Musser is 3-0-0 with a 1.92 GAA and .923 SV%.
-The Toms are 0-8 on the power play and 4-5 on the penalty kill.
FEBRUARY RECAP
-1-3-2, -8 goal differential
-Took two points from the Bemidji State Beavers with a shootout win in their game two 2-2 tie after dropping game one in regulation, 3-1.
-Nabbed just one point at home against #18 Augustana with a 3-3 SOL in game one and 4-0 loss in game two, the Tommies first shuout loss in 503 days
-Took two of six points from Bowling Green with a 3-2 OT win and 3-1 regulation loss
-Nathan Pilling led the Tommies with three goals
-Pilling, Alex Gaffney, and Lucas Wahlin each led the team with four points
-Aaron Trotter was 0-2-0 with a 3.16 GAA and .864 SV%
-Carsen Musser was 1-1-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .905 SV%
-The Toms were 5-19 on the power play (26.3%) and 12-16 (75%) on the penalty kill.
JANUARY RECAP
-8-1-0, +22 goal differential
-Split with the national ranked Michigan Tech Huskies with a 4-2 win in game one and 4-3 loss in game two
-Swept Lake Superior State to win the season series, 3-1-0 with a 7-4 comeback win and a dominant 5-0 victory.
-Swept Bemidji State for the first time in program history with a 5-1 win on Friday and 3-2 win on Saturday.
-Completed the season series with a 4-2 win over Minnesota State on the road. The Tommies are now 2-0 in Mankato since the Mason Cup Final loss.
-Swept Ferris State in a pair of high scoring affairs (5-3 and 8-4)
-Jake Braccini led the Tommies with eight goals
-Lucas Van Vliet's 15 points paced the Purple
-Aaron Trotter was 5-1-0 with a 1.88 GAA and .923 SV%
-Carsen Musser was 2-0-0 with a 3.27 GAA and .848 SV%
-Will Ingemann was 1-0-0 with a 4.00 GAA and .789 SV%
-The Toms were 10-38 (26.3%) on the power play and 32-35 (91.4%) on the penalty kill.
DECEMBER RECAP
-3-1-0, +4 goal differential
-Swept the Northern Michigan Wildcats on the road, 2-0 and 4-3.
-Split with the Lake State Lakers on home ice. Took game two 4-1 after dropping the opener, 5-3.
-Lucas Wahlin owned December with five goals while Nathan Pilling and Chase Cheslock led the way with six points a piece.
-Carsen Musser was 3-0-0 with a 1.34 GAA and .945 SV%
-Aaron Trotter was 0-1-0 with a 5.20 GAA and .839 SV%
-The Toms were 3-15 (20%) on the power play and 8-11 (73%) on the penalty kill.
NOVEMBER RECAP
-4-1-2, +7 goal differential
-Took five of six points from the Michigan Tech Huskies with a 3-3 shootout win and 2-1 regulation win.
-Came back from down 2-0 to force overtime in game one against Bowling Green and then dominated in game two, 6-2.
-Came back from down 1-0, 3-1, and 4-3 to tie the Vikings, 4-4. The Tommies ultimately fell in the shootout to earn one conference point in hostile territory.
-Finished off their season series with St. Cloud State on Tuesday to sweep the Huskies, 4-3 and 3-1.
-Took down the 18th ranked Mavericks, 4-3 in overtime on the road. Nathan Pilling notched his second game winner of the season.
-Alex Gaffney's six goals and 10 points led the way.
-Will Ingemann was 2-0-1 with a 2.57 GAA and .914 SV%.
-Aaron Trotter was 1-1-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .922 SV%
-Carsen Musser is 1-0-1 with a 2.44 GAA and .922 SV%
-The Toms were 3-25 (12%) on the power play and 18-24 (75%) on the penalty kill.
OCTOBER RECAP
-2-5-1, -7 goal differential
-Won the first game of the season over St. Cloud State on the road, Nathan Pilling scored the game winning goal.
-Dropped a pair to North Dakota, 6-2 and 5-2.
-Split the road series with Air Force, with an 11-2 win in game one and a 6-2 loss in game two.
-Tied on night one at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena and then won the shootout against #15 Providence before dropping game two 7-4.
-Lost to open CCHA play against Mankato, 3-1 at home.
-Alex Gaffney led the Tommies with 11 points (5G-6A) in October.
-Carsen Musser was 1-4-0 with a 5.25 GAA and .831 SV%.
-Aaron Trotter was 1-0-1 with a 2.24 GAA and .929 SV% .
-Will Ingemann was 0-1-0 with a 2.64 GAA and .875 SV%.
-The Toms are 6-31 (19.4%) on the power play and 20-27 (74%) on the penalty kill.
DI SCORING RECORD HOLDERS
-Lucas Wahlin (56), Cooper Gay (35, 2022-25), and Jake Braccini (33) round out the top three in DI goals scored.
-Lucas Wahlin (131), Ryan O'Neill (94), and Liam Malmquist (72, 2023-25) make up the top three in career points.
NHL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
-Bauer Berry (Edmonton Oilers)
-Chase Cheslock (New Jersey Devils)
-Carsen Musser (Utah Mammoth)
-Nathan Pilling (Ottawa Senators)
-Lucas Van Vliet (Vegas Golden Knights)
-Lucas Wahlin (Colorado Avalanche)
NHL DRAFT PICKS
-Bauer Berry was selected as the 218th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL draft by the Edmonton Oilers.
-Chase Cheslock was selected as the 154th overall pick of the 2023 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils and was the first drafted Tommie to commit to the program out of high school.
-Carsen Musser was selected as the 166th overall pick of the 2023 NHL draft by the Utah Mammoth.
-Lucas Van Vliet was selected as the 197th overall pick of the 2024 NHL draft by the Vegas Golden Knights.
PRESEASON PUB
-The Tommies were picked to finish in first place in the CCHA coaches' poll for the second consecutive season earlier in September.
-They were also selected second in the media poll for the second year in a row.
-Lucas Wahlin was once again named Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches after his 17-24—41 point season last year. The now senior was selected as team captain for the third year running last week.
-Newcomer, Nathan Pilling, was named Preseason Rookie of the Year by the conference coaches. He skated in 218 total games across four seasons in the WHL for the Moose Jaw Warriors, Edmonton Oil Kings, and Seattle Thunderbirds… scored 70 career goals, added 56 career assists, and tallied 126 total points in the WHL… coming off a career-best season as assistant captain with the Thunderbirds with 37 goals, 30 assists, and 67 points in 67 games in 2024-25.
COACH BLASI
-Entering fifth season for St. Thomas
-During his 20-year tenure at Miami, Blasi was the head coach of 10 NCAA tournament teams, one national runner-up and one other Frozen Four team
-National Coach of the Year in 2005-06
-Coached one Hobey Baker Award winner (Andy Miele) and 10 Hobey Baker finalists, 10 All-America players, and 25 who went on to play in the NHL, including Stanley Cup Champions Alex Martinez, Jeff Zatkoff, Blake Coleman, and Riley Smith.
-His 467-411-91 record has him 21st all-time and 4th among active head coaches.
NICE TO MEET YA
St. Thomas returned just 13 players from its breakthrough 2024-25 squad. The Tommies welcome in 15 newcomers into the fold, 10 freshman and five transfers.
-Freshmen
The Tommies defeated then 13th ranked Augustana in a 2-1 heavyweight bout. Neither team scored through the first 40 minutes before Lucas Van Vliet scored his 14th of the season. The Vikings answered back 57 seconds later to tie the game. Lucas Wahlin won a face off directly to Alex Gaffney some minutes later and the Harvard transfer sniped a shot over the left shoulder of CCHA Player of the Year Josh Kotai to regain the lead. Carsen Musser stopped 23 of 24 shots for his 11th win of the season and third of the playoffs. Gaffney leads the Tommies in points (40), Wahlin leads them in goals (21), and Chase Cheslock leads them in assists (23). Musser is 11-5-3 with a 2.89 GAA and .891 SV% this season. St. Thomas is 0-8 on the power play during the playoffs and 0-8 against the Mavericks this season. They have converted on 20.6% of their total chances.
On the other side of the bracket, the Mavericks pummeled the Michigan Tech Huskies, 7-2. The MacNaughton Cup champions are playing their best hockey of the season. They got goals from five different scorers last Saturday while Tristan Lemrye and Reid Morich each notched two-goal games. Minn. State scored all seven goals without one power play against the Huskies. Alex Tracy made 23 saves on 25 shots for his 20th win of the season. Lemrye leads the Mavericks in goals (15) and points (31). Luigi Benincasa and Evan Murr are tied for the team lead with 18 assists. Tracy is 20-10-7 with a 1.82 GAA and .926 SV%. The Mavs convert on 18.1% of their power play chances and have one of the best penalty kills in the country at 85.8%.
THIS WEEKEND'S GAME
-Puck drop is scheduled for 7:07 pm on Friday, March 20 in Mankato, Minnesota. The Tommies are 2-0-0 at Mayo Clinic HSEC this season, 8-5-3 on Friday, 10-4-3 on the road, 14-8-3 in Minnesota, 13-5-2 following a win this season.
ON THE RADIO
-ESPN 1500 is the home of all St. Thomas Men's Hockey games.
-Fans can listen on the radio at 1500 AM, online at https://live.skornorth.com/listen/ or on the Varsity Sports App.
CCHA TV ON MIDCO SPORTS PLUS
-All St. Thomas home games and CCHA games will be live streamed on Midco Sports Plus.
-Midco Sports Plus provides each subscriber with access to all content and events with the purchase of a monthly or yearly subscription.
-Midco Sports Plus is available on IOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.
TOMMIE TIDBITS
-The Tommies have set program records in goals (130), shots (1,211), assists (221), and shorthanded goals (11) this season.
-Lucas Wahlin has set the single-season program record in goals (21) to supplant his former linemate, Liam Malmquist.
-Wahlin's two-goal game in game two of the Mason Cup Quarterfinal was the fourth of his season and eighth of his career.
-Lucas Van Vliet has tied the single-season program record for game-winning goals with four (Cooper Gay '23-'24 and Lucas Wahlin '24-'25).
-Nathan Pilling has not recorded a penalty in the playoffs, the Tommies are 15-5-3 when their penalty-leader does not take a trip to the box.
-Ryan O'Neill recorded his first multi-goal game of his career in game one of the Mason Cup Quarterfinal (140 games).
-The Toms headed into the third period tied with Augustana before taking the game, 2-1. They are 5-1-2 when tied entering the third, and 17-2-4 when leading or tied entering the third this season.
-The Tommies are 8-2-0 in one-goal games this season, Minnesota State is 8-3-0.
-St. Thomas remains unbeaten in overtime this season with a 3-0-5 record while the Mavericks are 1-3-7.
-The Tommies are without a power play goal in the Mason Cup Playoffs during this run. This season, they are 8-5-1 when failing to score on the power play and 13-6-4 when scoring at least one power play goal.
MORE WEEKLY HONORS
The 15th ranked Tommies return to the Mason Cup Final to face #16 Minnesota State for the second season in a row this Friday at 7:07 pm in Mankato. The Purple got there in large part due to the individual performances of Lucas Van Vliet and Carsen Musser. The two of them have been rewarded with CCHA weekly honors.
Carsen Musser continued his strong stretch of goaltending in the second half of the season with a 23 save performance against #13 Augustana in which he allowed only one goal. Musser dueled the conference's Player of the Year, Josh Kotai, and won to push the Toms to the Mason Cup Final. Musser is 3-0-0 in the playoffs with a 1.92 goals against average and .923 save percentage. This is the second weekly honor for Musser who last earned the award in December.
Lucas Van Vliet broke the ice in the semifinal with his third goal of the playoffs to beat Kotai in the third period. Fresh off the back of being named CCHA Rookie of the Year, Van Vliet has earned his fifth Rookie of the Week this season, tied for the most in CCHA history.
SHOOTERS SHOOT
-The Tommies have outshot their opponents in 26 of 37 games this season.
-They are 16-7-3 while doing so.
-The Purple are 13-4-3 with 30+ shots and 8-7-2 with less than 30 shots.
SEASON AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE
-The Tommies are 2-1-0 against the Mavericks this season and 2-0-0 against them at Mayo Clinic HSEC.
-Ryan O'Neill's four points lead the Toms against Minnesota State, he is also the only Tommie with multiple goals (2) against them this season.
-The Toms' playoff goaltender, Carsen Musser has not seen action against Minnesota State this season. Will Ingemann is 1-1-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .902 SV% while Aaron Trotter is 1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .900 SV%.
-The Purple's power play is 0-8 on the season against Mankato. The Mavericks power play is also scoreless (0-12) against the Purple.
-Liam Watkins leads with four points while Tristan Lemrye's two goals lead the Mavericks. Alex Tracy is 1-2-0 with a 2.97 GAA and .888 SV% this season.
PLAYOFF HISTORY AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE
-The Tommies are 0-3-0 all-time against the Mavericks when meeting in the Mason Cup Playoffs.
-The first two losses came in the first round of the 2021-22 season when the Tommies were in their first season of the DI era and Minnesota State was the top ranked team in the country.
- Ethan Gauer gave the Tommies an early lead in game one but earned the 3-2 win.
- Minnesota State scored two minutes into game two and took it 8-2.
- After a scoreless first period, Matthew Gleason scored an unassisted goal to put the Purple on top in the second. Mankato answered with two goals before Liam Malmquist scored on the power play to cap off the four-goal frame. The Maverick's Evan Murr scored halfway through the third period. After an empty net goal, Minnesota State won 4-2.
TOMMIE HOCKEY'S IRON MAN
Luc Laylin played in his 148th straight game as a Tommie on Saturday night against Augustana. The senior surpassed Ethan Gauer for the all-time program record against Augustana during the regular season (DIII days included). Luc is sixth in DI program history with 27 goals, eighth with 25 assists, sixth with 52 points, and 12th with 28 blocks. He played in a career-high 38 games last season and has played in all 36 games so far this season.
THE BELIEVER CLASS
The Tommies' senior class was celebrated on Senior Night two weekends ago. The whole class is made up of nine players with seven coming from the freshman class of 2022-23. Together the seven "believers" (Lucas Wahlin, Ryan O'Neill, Quinton Pepper, Jake Braccini, Luc Laylin, Carson Peters, and Aaron Trotter) have combined for:
-66-68-14 overall record
-49-42-11 CCHA record
-Two 2nd place finishes, and a 3rd place finish in the CCHA and a trip to the Mason Cup Final
-8 wins over nationally ranked opponents
-146 goals, 239 assists, and 385 points in 147 games
-33 goalie wins, 2381 saves, and four shutouts
GRAY JERSEY SUCCESS
The Tommies debuted their alternate gray uniforms on October 12th in a 5-2 loss against then #10 North Dakota. They have not been defeated since with a 4-0-0 record. Stats in their four games since the debut: 5.5 goals per game, 2.5 goals allowed per game, 31 PP%, 81 PK%, +1 in first period, +6 in second, +5 in third. The Tommies are 8-4-2 in the 14 games since they last wore the grays. Alex Gaffney and Lucas Wahlin lead with nine points and a +8 rating in gray. Both Will Ingemann and Carsen Musser are 2-0-0 with a 2.50 GAA.
THEY ALL SCORE GOALS
The Tommies have gotten goals from 19 different players this season. Lucas Wahlin's 21 lead the team and are a DI-era program record. Nathan Pilling leads the team with six power play goals. Five players have tallied shorthanded goals, while Gaffney and Pilling lead the team with three. Lucas Van Vliet has tied the program record with four game-winning goals this season. Alex Gaffney earned his third game-winning goal of the season against the Vikings to match Lucas Wahlin.
POINTS PARITY
-The Tommies have had a different player lead them in points each of their first five seasons of DI play.
- Christiano Versich in 2021-22 (15 points)
- Mack Byers in 2022-23 (26 points)
- Lucas Wahlin in 2023-24 (30 points)
- Liam Malmquist in 2024-25 (45 points)
- Alex Gaffney through 37 games in 2025-26 (40 points)
LUCAS WAHLIN – CCHA STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) recognizes outstanding achievement both on and off the ice through its annual Student-Athlete of the Year Award. Lucas Wahlin is the latest recipient of this prestigious honor for the 2025-26 season.
A business administrative major with a minor in sports management, Wahlin carries an impressive 3.85 cumulative grade point average. He has earned Dean's List recognition every semester and exemplifies academic excellence while balancing the demands of DI hockey. His dedication in the classroom mirrors his discipline on the ice, consistently demonstrating leadership, engagement, and respect.
A third-year captain for St. Thomas, Wahlin has led the Tommies through a critical period of growth. His leadership helped establish the cultural foundation of Tommie hockey, one built on brotherhood and relentless compete.
Head coach, Rico Blasi had this to say about Wahlin, "Lucas embodies our culture on and off the ice. His ability to navigate his rigorous coursework while continuing to lead our team is impressive."
In the community, Wahlin is equally impactful. He volunteers with a local hockey club during J-terms and summers, introducing young athletes to the sport. He organizes and runs summer shooting clinics for youth players and recently spoke at the Minnesota Wild Leadership Summit, sharing insights with aspiring student-athletes about leadership and balancing athletics with academics. Wahlin also mobilized his teammates to serve as volunteer readers at JFK Elementary, supporting students working to improve their literacy skills.
On the ice, Wahlin's accomplishments are second-to-none. He is the St. Thomas DI program's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points. He became the first Tommie to reach both 100 points and 50 career goals at the DI level. This season he leads the CCHA with 18 goals and is the conference's all-time leader in points. He recently reached 30 points in a season for the third time in his career, a program best.
A two-time CCHA Forward of the Month and four-time Forward of the Week honoree, Wahlin has consistently been recognized for his excellence. His sustained performance, leadership, and sportsmanship embody the standards the CCHA Student-Athlete of the Year Award was created to honor.
Lucas Wahlin exemplifies the highest ideals of a CCHA student-athlete, excelling academically, leading competitively, serving selflessly, and fostering a culture of excellence both on and off the ice.
467 FOR BLASI
-Head coach, Rico Blasi, won his 450th game on Tuesday, November 11 against St. Cloud State. The now 25-year head coach currently sits 21st all-time and fourth among active head coaches. His 467 career wins are one from Joe Marsh in 20th, and five from Don Vaughan in 19th.
100 FOR WAHLIN
-Lucas Wahlin became the first Tommie to score 100 career points after his three-point burst against the St. Cloud State Huskies on Tuesday, November 11. The Tommie captain did so in 109 games at a 0.92 points per game pace.
-25 different players either assisted on a Wahlin goal or scored a goal off a Wahlin assist over the course of the last four seasons.
-Liam Malmquist led each category with 12 assists on Wahlin goals and 15 goals off Wahlin assists.
-At the present day, he has recorded 131 points, 37 more than the next closest Tommie.
CURRENT TOMMIES AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE
-Ryan O'Neill – 2G-7A-9P
-Luc Laylin – 6G-2A-8P
-Lucas Wahlin – 2G-6A-8P
-Jake Braccini – 3G-1A-4P
-Caige Sterzer – 2G-2A-4P
-Alex Gaffney - 2G-2A-4P
-Nick Williams – 0G-3A-3P
-Chase Cheslock – 0G-2A=2P
-Nathan Pilling – 1G-1A-2P
-Quinton Pepper – 1G-1A-2P
-Mason Poolman – 0G-2A-2P
-Bauer Berry – 0G-2A-2P
-Lucas Van Vliet – 0G-2A-2P
-Attila Lippai – 1G-0A-1P
-Dylan Godbout – 1G-0A-1P
-Hayes Hundley – 0G-1A-1P
-Charlie Schoen – 0G-1A-1P
-Aaron Trotter – 4-6-0, 282 saves, 539 mins, 33 GA, 3.67 GAA, .895 SV%
-Will Ingemann – 1-1-0, 46 saves, 120 mins, 5 GA, 2.50 GAA, .902 SV%
MILESTONE WATCH
-Career Points
- Ryan O'Neill is 6 away from 100
- Ryan O'Neill is three away from 75
- Chase Cheslock is nearest to 100 with 94
2025-26 CCHA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
-Carsen Musser Goaltender of the Week (3/16/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (3/16/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (3/9/26)
-Nathan Pilling Rookie of the Week (2/9/26)
-Aaron Trotter Goaltender of the Week (1/27/26)
-Nathan Pilling Rookie of the Week (1/27/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (1/20/26)
-Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Week (1/20/26)
-Hayes Hundley Rookie of the Week (1/4/26)
-Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Week (12/15/25)
-Nathan Pilling Rookie of the Week (12/8/25)
-Carsen Musser Goaltender of the Week (12/8/25)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (12/1/25)
-Nick Williams Defenseman of the Week (12/1/25)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Week (11/23/25)
-Alex Gaffney Forward of the Week (10/20/25)
-Chase Cheslock Defenseman of the Week (10/6/25)
2025-26 CCHA PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
-Lucas Wahlin Forward of the Month (2/2/26)
-Lucas Van Vliet Rookie of the Month (2/2/26)
-Carsen Musser Goaltender of the Month (1/5/26)
-Chase Cheslock Defenseman of the Month (1/5/26)
-Alex Gaffney Forward of the Month (11/3/25)
MARCH RECAP
-3-0-0, +5 goal differential
-Swept Lake Superior State in the Mason Cup Quarterfinals with a 4-3 OT win and 5-2 regulation win.
-Defeated #13 Augustana, 2-1 in the Mason Cup Semifinal
-Lucas Van Vliet leads the Tommies with three goals.
-Lucas Wahlin leads the way with four points.
-Carsen Musser is 3-0-0 with a 1.92 GAA and .923 SV%.
-The Toms are 0-8 on the power play and 4-5 on the penalty kill.
FEBRUARY RECAP
-1-3-2, -8 goal differential
-Took two points from the Bemidji State Beavers with a shootout win in their game two 2-2 tie after dropping game one in regulation, 3-1.
-Nabbed just one point at home against #18 Augustana with a 3-3 SOL in game one and 4-0 loss in game two, the Tommies first shuout loss in 503 days
-Took two of six points from Bowling Green with a 3-2 OT win and 3-1 regulation loss
-Nathan Pilling led the Tommies with three goals
-Pilling, Alex Gaffney, and Lucas Wahlin each led the team with four points
-Aaron Trotter was 0-2-0 with a 3.16 GAA and .864 SV%
-Carsen Musser was 1-1-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .905 SV%
-The Toms were 5-19 on the power play (26.3%) and 12-16 (75%) on the penalty kill.
JANUARY RECAP
-8-1-0, +22 goal differential
-Split with the national ranked Michigan Tech Huskies with a 4-2 win in game one and 4-3 loss in game two
-Swept Lake Superior State to win the season series, 3-1-0 with a 7-4 comeback win and a dominant 5-0 victory.
-Swept Bemidji State for the first time in program history with a 5-1 win on Friday and 3-2 win on Saturday.
-Completed the season series with a 4-2 win over Minnesota State on the road. The Tommies are now 2-0 in Mankato since the Mason Cup Final loss.
-Swept Ferris State in a pair of high scoring affairs (5-3 and 8-4)
-Jake Braccini led the Tommies with eight goals
-Lucas Van Vliet's 15 points paced the Purple
-Aaron Trotter was 5-1-0 with a 1.88 GAA and .923 SV%
-Carsen Musser was 2-0-0 with a 3.27 GAA and .848 SV%
-Will Ingemann was 1-0-0 with a 4.00 GAA and .789 SV%
-The Toms were 10-38 (26.3%) on the power play and 32-35 (91.4%) on the penalty kill.
DECEMBER RECAP
-3-1-0, +4 goal differential
-Swept the Northern Michigan Wildcats on the road, 2-0 and 4-3.
-Split with the Lake State Lakers on home ice. Took game two 4-1 after dropping the opener, 5-3.
-Lucas Wahlin owned December with five goals while Nathan Pilling and Chase Cheslock led the way with six points a piece.
-Carsen Musser was 3-0-0 with a 1.34 GAA and .945 SV%
-Aaron Trotter was 0-1-0 with a 5.20 GAA and .839 SV%
-The Toms were 3-15 (20%) on the power play and 8-11 (73%) on the penalty kill.
NOVEMBER RECAP
-4-1-2, +7 goal differential
-Took five of six points from the Michigan Tech Huskies with a 3-3 shootout win and 2-1 regulation win.
-Came back from down 2-0 to force overtime in game one against Bowling Green and then dominated in game two, 6-2.
-Came back from down 1-0, 3-1, and 4-3 to tie the Vikings, 4-4. The Tommies ultimately fell in the shootout to earn one conference point in hostile territory.
-Finished off their season series with St. Cloud State on Tuesday to sweep the Huskies, 4-3 and 3-1.
-Took down the 18th ranked Mavericks, 4-3 in overtime on the road. Nathan Pilling notched his second game winner of the season.
-Alex Gaffney's six goals and 10 points led the way.
-Will Ingemann was 2-0-1 with a 2.57 GAA and .914 SV%.
-Aaron Trotter was 1-1-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .922 SV%
-Carsen Musser is 1-0-1 with a 2.44 GAA and .922 SV%
-The Toms were 3-25 (12%) on the power play and 18-24 (75%) on the penalty kill.
OCTOBER RECAP
-2-5-1, -7 goal differential
-Won the first game of the season over St. Cloud State on the road, Nathan Pilling scored the game winning goal.
-Dropped a pair to North Dakota, 6-2 and 5-2.
-Split the road series with Air Force, with an 11-2 win in game one and a 6-2 loss in game two.
-Tied on night one at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena and then won the shootout against #15 Providence before dropping game two 7-4.
-Lost to open CCHA play against Mankato, 3-1 at home.
-Alex Gaffney led the Tommies with 11 points (5G-6A) in October.
-Carsen Musser was 1-4-0 with a 5.25 GAA and .831 SV%.
-Aaron Trotter was 1-0-1 with a 2.24 GAA and .929 SV% .
-Will Ingemann was 0-1-0 with a 2.64 GAA and .875 SV%.
-The Toms are 6-31 (19.4%) on the power play and 20-27 (74%) on the penalty kill.
DI SCORING RECORD HOLDERS
-Lucas Wahlin (56), Cooper Gay (35, 2022-25), and Jake Braccini (33) round out the top three in DI goals scored.
-Lucas Wahlin (131), Ryan O'Neill (94), and Liam Malmquist (72, 2023-25) make up the top three in career points.
NHL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
-Bauer Berry (Edmonton Oilers)
-Chase Cheslock (New Jersey Devils)
-Carsen Musser (Utah Mammoth)
-Nathan Pilling (Ottawa Senators)
-Lucas Van Vliet (Vegas Golden Knights)
-Lucas Wahlin (Colorado Avalanche)
NHL DRAFT PICKS
-Bauer Berry was selected as the 218th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL draft by the Edmonton Oilers.
-Chase Cheslock was selected as the 154th overall pick of the 2023 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils and was the first drafted Tommie to commit to the program out of high school.
-Carsen Musser was selected as the 166th overall pick of the 2023 NHL draft by the Utah Mammoth.
-Lucas Van Vliet was selected as the 197th overall pick of the 2024 NHL draft by the Vegas Golden Knights.
PRESEASON PUB
-The Tommies were picked to finish in first place in the CCHA coaches' poll for the second consecutive season earlier in September.
-They were also selected second in the media poll for the second year in a row.
-Lucas Wahlin was once again named Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches after his 17-24—41 point season last year. The now senior was selected as team captain for the third year running last week.
-Newcomer, Nathan Pilling, was named Preseason Rookie of the Year by the conference coaches. He skated in 218 total games across four seasons in the WHL for the Moose Jaw Warriors, Edmonton Oil Kings, and Seattle Thunderbirds… scored 70 career goals, added 56 career assists, and tallied 126 total points in the WHL… coming off a career-best season as assistant captain with the Thunderbirds with 37 goals, 30 assists, and 67 points in 67 games in 2024-25.
COACH BLASI
-Entering fifth season for St. Thomas
-During his 20-year tenure at Miami, Blasi was the head coach of 10 NCAA tournament teams, one national runner-up and one other Frozen Four team
-National Coach of the Year in 2005-06
-Coached one Hobey Baker Award winner (Andy Miele) and 10 Hobey Baker finalists, 10 All-America players, and 25 who went on to play in the NHL, including Stanley Cup Champions Alex Martinez, Jeff Zatkoff, Blake Coleman, and Riley Smith.
-His 467-411-91 record has him 21st all-time and 4th among active head coaches.
NICE TO MEET YA
St. Thomas returned just 13 players from its breakthrough 2024-25 squad. The Tommies welcome in 15 newcomers into the fold, 10 freshman and five transfers.
-Freshmen
- Bauer Berry | 6-4 | Defenseman | Grand Forks, N.D. | Muskegon (USHL)
- Josh Giuliani | 6-1 | Forward | Plymouth, Minn. | Dubuque (USHL)
- Hayes Hundley | 6-3 | Defenseman | Upper Arlington, Ohio | Fargo (USHL)
- Will Ingemann | 5-11 | Goaltender | Plymouth, Minn. | Penticton (BCHL)
- Colton Jamieson | 6-0 | Defenseman | Hudson, Wis. | Madison (USHL)
- Attila Lippai | 5-9 | Forward | St. Paul, Minn. | Tri-City (USHL)
- Nathan Pilling | 6-4 | Forward | Calgary, Alta. | Seattle (WHL)
- Sam Ranallo | 5-10 | Forward | Rogers, Minn. | Cranbrook (BCHL)
- Luke Schelter | 6-2 | Forward | Centennial, Colo. | Fargo (USHL)
- Lucas Van Vliet | 6-2 | Forward | Livonia, Mich. | Dubuque (USHL)
- Alex Gaffney | 5-9 | Forward | West Orange, N.J. | Harvard (NCAA)
- Dylan Godbout | 5-11 | Forward | Woodbury, Minn. | Ohio State (NCAA)
- Carsen Musser | 6-4 | Goaltender | Fairmont, Minn. | Colorado (NCAA)
- Charlie Schoen | 5-10 | Forward | Andover, Minn. | Arizona State (NCAA)
- Nick Williams | 5-9 | Defenseman | Edina, Minn, | Michigan Tech (NCAA)
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/ Men's HockeyTommie Men's Hockey 2025 Intro Video
Wednesday, November 12
Press Conference: Rico Blasi January 27th 2025
Monday, January 27
St. Thomas Men's Hockey 2023-24 Intro Video
Friday, October 27
Rico Blasi Pre-Season Press Conference, September 26th, 2022
Friday, October 21
