MSU finished the regular season in second place in the conference standings, resulting in a first-round bye and home-ice advantage in the second round.

The Spartans will host a best-of-three quarterfinal series March 12-13 — and March 14, if necessary — after the first-round winners are reseeded.

If all the top seeds prevail in the first round, MSU will host Michigan in the quarterfinals. This definitely is not an ideal matchup for the Spartans, as the two teams played four tightly contested games earlier this season.

Here is the breakdown of the first-round matchups.

No. 12 Western Michigan at No. 5 Alaska

This is the most intriguing first-round series.

Alaska is so good on their big, Olympic-sized home sheet of ice (9-3-5). Their power play also has been phenomenal this season, converting at 19.5 percent, which is good for second place in the league.

But the Broncos have extra incentive to extend their season. It has been announced that head coach Jim Culhane will be fired at the conclusion of the season, and we all know how hungry a team can get when playing for its coach.

Western Michigan senior goaltender Riley Gill will be the key for the Broncos this weekend. If he stands on his head like he has done many times this season, the Broncos will have a chance.

But I think the lengthy trip to Alaska will have the Broncos worn out and the Nanooks will sweep the series.

Prediction: Alaska 2-0

No. 11 Bowling Green at No. 6 Nebraska-Omaha

Bowling Green seems to be hitting its stride at the right time.

During the past two weekends, the Falcons have taken seven of 12 possible points and have looked like a much improved team.

These two squads haven’t played since the first weekend of the conference schedule, way back on Halloween weekend, when Nebraska-Omaha took four-of-six points.

The Mavericks have a very dynamic offense that will prove to be too much for the Falcons to handle.

On the defensive end, Nebraska-Omaha has allowed 108 goals this season, second worst in the conference ahead of only Bowling Green, which has allowed 126 goals.

The Falcons will be in every game this series, and they even will steal one, but Nebraska-Omaha ultimately will prevail.

Prediction: Nebraska-Omaha 2-1

No. 10 Lake Superior State at No. 7 U-M

To make the NCAA Tournament, the Wolverines need to run the table and win the CCHA Tournament to receive the automatic bid. If they don’t, it will be the first time in 18 seasons the Wolverines haven’t made it into the national tournament.

U-M sports the third highest scoring offense in the league, averaging 3.05 goals a game through the regular season.

But the main problem with the Wolverines this season has been goaltending.

Junior netminder Bryan Hogan, who had started every game for U-M this season, injured his groin Feb. 26 and is doubtful for this weekend.

Stepping up in his place will be junior goaltender Shawn Hunwick, who had played only 18 minutes this season prior to being thrown into the fray Feb. 26.

U-M has won nine straight against Lake Superior State, and that winning streak will continue this weekend.

Prediction: U-M 2-0

No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Ohio State

Notre Dame is having a season no one expected. In both the CCHA media and coaches preseason polls, the Fighting Irish were picked to finish in second place in the league standings.

But they have been plagued by injuries, barely limping through the regular season.

Ohio State will be an interesting opponent for Notre Dame. Both teams can get up the ice and it should be a pretty wide-open series.

It will be close, but Notre Dame will squeak out of the series to extend its troubled season.

Prediction: Ohio State 2-1

Alex DiFilippo is the State News hockey reporter. He can be reached at difilip3@msu.edu.