Gustavus and Saint Mary’s have not squared off in the MIAC Playoffs since the 1993 semifinals. That was the third of three straight postseasons in which the two programs met in the opening round of the conference tournament. Gustavus won all three contests and went on to take the playoff title as well in 1991 and 1993.
This time, it is different.
Thanks to a first round bye that was secured with a No. 3 seed, the Saint Mary’s men’s hockey team is set to travel to No. 2 Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, Feb. 28 for a 5:00 p.m. puck drop for the MIAC Semifinals.
The conference semifinals is a spot the Cardinals have not been in since the 2018-19 season where they were defeated by the No. 1 Augsburg Auggies to head to the conference championship. They are determined to make this season different.
The Cardinals sealed their postseason fate after splitting their final regular season games with Augsburg. The Gusties claimed five of six possible points in the squads’ regular-season showdown in January where the Cardinals fell 5-4 and then 5-3. The Cardinals have been a different team since January and are hungry for tournament action.
Joona Juntunen leads the league with 21 goals scored and goals per game with .84, also first in the conference in assists with 25. Tied with him?
Teammate Cole Mickel with 25. Safe to say their offensive prowess is capable of anything.
The winner of the Semifinals will advance to the MIAC Championship set for Saturday, March 7 at the highest seeded school remaining. The MIAC Playoff champion will receive the postseason championship trophy, the Ed Saugestad Cup, and the Conference’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Hockey Tournament.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Championship Website
More information regarding matchups and game time are posted to the conference tournament website that can be found here.
Ticketing
All tickets must be purchased online through HomeTown Ticketing. There will be no cash sales at the venue. Spectators may purchase tickets on their mobile devices, including upon arrival.
General Admission: $12 (plus HTT service charge)
Students with ID: $3 (plus HTT service charge)
Children 5 and Under: Free
* MIAC passes accepted
Streaming
The 2026 MIAC Men’s Hockey Playoffs will stream live on the MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Individual games are available for $10, or fans may purchase a $25 championship pass for access to the entire tournament. On-demand viewing will be available following the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament.
