The Wildcats took Minnesota State-Mankato to a 2-2 overtime tie and a shootout on Friday night before falling 2-0 in the shootout, earning one point in the standings.

Then the Mavericks posted a 3-0 victory on Saturday night to clinch the MacNaughton Cup regular-season championship in the CCHA by a single point over two teams and two points over two more teams.

Mankato finished with 51 points as St. Thomas, which is exiting the league after this season, and second-year member Augustana each had 50 points. Michigan Tech and Bowling Green State both finished with 49 points with no other league team within 13 points of the Huskies and Falcons.

That included NMU, which ended up with 13 points after having the faintest of postseason hopes entering the weekend, needing a sweep themselves while eighth-place Ferris State would have to get swept at Lake Superior State.

Northern Michigan University’s Caiden Gault, top right, gets off a shot that Minnesota State-Mankato goalie Alex Tracy, left, kick saves during their CCHA game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Nov. 28. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Instead, the Bulldogs pulled out a split in Sault Ste. Marie, winning Thursday night 5-2 before tying 2-2 on Friday night, LSSU prevailing in a shootout.

So Ferris ended up with 22 points, nine ahead of Northern and nine behind seventh-place Lake State.

Northern finished its season at 3-29-2 overall, 3-21-2 in the league, while Mankato improved to 18-9-7 overall and 14-7-5 in the CCHA.

Here are details from the series:

Mankato 2, NMU 2

On Friday night, the Wildcats broke a scoreless deadlock just past the midpoint of the second period, then after allowing late second-period and mid-third-period goals, forced overtime when leading scorer Caiden Gault knocked in his 16th goal of the season with 1:37 remaining in regulation.

After no scoring in overtime, the Mavericks ended the shootout early by scoring on their first two chances while stoning Northern on theirs.

Freshman sensation Oliver Auyeung-Ashton returned to protect the NMU goal and made 42 saves, including 14 in the opening period, 15 in the third and four in OT.

Meanwhile, Mankato goalie Alex Tracy was called on to make just 21 saves, 10 coming in the second period and one in OT.

Senior forward Kyle Bettens finally broke the scoreless deadlock more than halfway through regulation, scoring with 8:40 left in the second period after the Wildcats built momentum by killing a penalty.

The goal was set up when Northern’s Medrick Bolduc forced a turnover in the neutral zone, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information, then sent a pass to Bettens, who beat his defender wide before making a move in tight to beat a sprawling Tracy.

The lead only lasted a little over five minutes before the Mavs’ Campbell Cichosz used a flash screen for the tying goal.

Auyeung-Ashton made back-to-back saves of the “incredible” variety, according to NMU SI, before Mankato’s Mason LeBel jumped on a third rebound to give his team a 2-1 lead with 9:47 remaining in regulation.

But Gault pulled off some of his magic that’s made him one of the top goal scorers in the CCHA this season after NMU coach Dave Shyiak pulled Auyeung-Ashton for an extra attacker with just under two minutes remaining.

With 1:37 left, Gault walked into the left circle and fired a blistering wrist shot into the upper corner past Tracy’s glove.

The OT went scoreless because Auyeung-Ashton made all four saves on shots on goal he faced.

It went to a shootout despite the Mavs holding a 44-23 edge in shots on goal, 77-45 in total shot attempts and winning faceoffs 25-23 as both teams blocked 12 shots.

Assists were credited to Bolduc on Northern’s first goal and Joe Schiller and Tobias Pitka on Gault’s.

In the shootout, NMU’s Aidyn Hutchinson and Gault were stopped by Tracy, while Jordan Ronn and Jack Smith converted for Mankato.

Mankato 3, NMU 0

In what the Wildcats already knew would be their season finale, they managed 20 shots on Tracy, who stopped all of them, including 10 in the second period.

Auyeung-Ashton gave up two goals with 32 saves, the final goal coming into an empty net with 1:05 remaining.

Gault led Northern with eight total shots, while Schiller had three blocks.

Evan Murr scored what proved to be the game winner with 13:44 left in the opening period as the defenseman had time and space on a 4-on-4, walking around the top of the right circle before charging down the slot.

The Mavericks made it 2-0 with 1:49 left, technically not an empty netter as Auyeung-Ashton was on his way to the bench.

Then the last goal came 44 seconds later for the final 3-0 decision.

This was the Wildcats’ seventh shutout of the season, the fourth time since the calendar turned to 2026, though that’s also the time NMU scored its most goals in a game, four two weeks ago and five last week.

Minn. St. 2, NMU 2

Friday at Mankato, Minn.

Summary:

First period — No scoring

Second period — 1. NMU, Kyle Bettens (Bolduc) 11:20; 2. MSM, Campbell Cichosz (Bergmanis) 16:44

Third period — 3. MSM, Mason LeBel (Strand, Williams) 10:13; 4. NMU, Caiden Gault (Schiller, Pitka) 18:23

Overtime — No scoring

Mankato wins shootout 2-0

Penalties-minutes: NMU 3-6, Minn. St.-Mankato 4-8

Power-play opportunities: NMU 0 of 3, Minn. St.-Mankato 0 of 2

Goalie saves: NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 42 (14-9-15-4); Minn. St.-Mankato, Alex Tracy 21 (7-10-3-1)

Minn. St. 3, NMU 0

Saturday at Mankato, Minn.

Summary:

First period — 1. MSM, Evan Murr (Watkins, Benincasa) 6:16

Second period — No scoring

Third period — 2. MSM, Ean Somoza (unassisted) 18:11; 3. MSM, Tristan Lemyre (Watkins, Stender) eng 18:55

Penalties-minutes: NMU 6-12, Minn. St.-Mankato 3-6

Power-play opportunities: NMU 0 of 2, Minn. St.-Mankato 0 of 5

Goalie saves: NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 32 (12-11-9); Minn. St.-Mankato, Alex Tracy 20 (5-10-5)

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.