MARQUETTE – While Michigan Tech’s sweep of Northern Michigan University knocked the Wildcats out of a home playoff berth in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, it also clinched the McNaughton Cup for the Huskies.

The cup is awarded for winning the WCHA, which MTU did after former leader Minnesota State-Mankato lost to Bemidji State 1-0 on Saturday.

Both Tech (18-7-3) and Mankato (16-5-7) finished with 39 points with the tiebreaker going to the Huskies.

Northern travels to Big Rapids to face fourth-place Ferris State in the best-of-three first round of the league playoffs at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 5 p.m. game to be played Sunday if that games proves necessary.

MTU hosts eighth-place Alaska-Fairbanks at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and if necessary, Sunday.

At stake are the four berths in the WCHA Final Five to be played at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids the following weekend.