BLAINE, Minn. – The 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Men's Hockey Playoffs got underway on Wednesday night. No. 4 Bethel pulled away in the third period to defeat No. 5 St. Olaf, 5-2.
The Royals will move on to the semifinal round, where they will face No. 1-seeded Saint John's at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The second half of the semifinal round will be played in St. Peter on Saturday, as No. 2 Gustavus hosts No. 3 Saint Mary's at 5:00 p.m.
NO. 4 BETHEL 5, NO. 5 ST. OLAF 2 | Box Score |
-Bethel outshot St. Olaf by a margin of 80-52. Fifty-five of those shots were on-goal, and four found their way past first-year goaltender Ryan Nolan. The fifth goal of the game came against an open net.
-Bethel forward Joe Westlund scored the first goal of the game on a power play at 3:23 in the first period. Westlund went on to tally the game-winner at the seven-minute mark in the third.
-St. Olaf first-year goaltender Ryan Nolan recorded 50 saves in his first career playoff game. Austin Ryman stopped 30 shots for the Royals.
-The Royals are now headed back to the MIAC semifinals for the third consecutive season and fourth time in five years.
SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS SET
The 2026 MIAC Men's Hockey Playoffs will continue with two semifinal contests on Saturday, February 28. Tickets are on sale now. All tickets will be sold and purchased online via HomeTown Ticketing. There will not be cash sales at any venue; however, spectators can purchase tickets using a mobile device, including while at the venue. Playoff tickets will go on sale after the regular season has concluded. General admission adult tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge). Student (with ID) tickets are $3 (plus HTT service charge), and children ages five and under are admitted free.
NO. 3 SAINT MARY'S AT NO. 2 GUSTAVUS | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
-The Gusties will host the Cardinals in semifinal action on Saturday, February 28. Game time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. in St. Peter.
-Gustavus claimed five of six possible points in the squads' regular-season showdown in January, winning in overtime at home and in regulation on the road.
-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.
NO. 4 BETHEL AT NO. 1 SAINT JOHN'S | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
-Bethel will head to St. Cloud on Saturday night for a matchup with top-seeded Saint John's. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
-The two squads traded regulation wins in their two-game regular-season series back in December. Each team won on the other's home ice.
-This will be the first playoff meeting between the Johnnies and Royals in the modern era. The two programs squared off in the 2001 MIAC Playoff Championship during the conference's "mini-game" format. SJU won that series and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The semifinal winners will meet on Saturday, March 7, in the 2026 MIAC Men's Hockey Playoff championship game. 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.
PAY-PER-VIEW
The 2026 MIAC Men's Hockey Playoffs will be streamed live on the MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Individual playoff contests will be streamed for $10 each, or $25 for a "championship pass" to stream the entire tournament live. On-demand access to playoff games will be available after the NCAA Tournament concludes.
The MIAC Sports Network Help Page provides guidance and links to help fans navigate the streaming platform. Hudl Customer Support is also available by email or 24/7 chat to assist with any issues.
PLAYOFF APPAREL
Official playoff apparel will be available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament. Team champion apparel will be added and available for purchase shortly after the championship game.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2026 MIAC Men's Hockey Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the five teams in the field. Throughout the tournament, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.
2026 MIAC MEN'S HOCKEY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
No. 4 Bethel 5, No. 5 St. Olaf 2 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
No. 3 Saint Mary's at No. 2 Gustavus | 5:00 PM | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
No. 4 Bethel at No. 1 Saint John's | 7:00 PM | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
Championship | Saturday, Mar. 7, 2026
High-seed host | TBD | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
GAME TIMES ARE TENTATIVE