By Jacob Messing

The Northern Michigan Wildcats enter the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) finals this weekend with a couple of conference award winners and a scorching top line.

On Tuesday, Grant Potulny and Atte Tolvanen were named 2017 WCHA Coach and Goaltender of the Year, respectively.

In his first season, Potulny has led the No. 16-ranked Wildcats to a 25-14-3 record, a large jump from the 13-22-4 in 2016-17 and five straight losing seasons. They look to build on that momentum this Saturday when they take on Michigan Tech for the WCHA Tournament title at 7 PM EST at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Michigan.

Welcome to the 2018 #WCHAChampionship, @NMUHockey! A goal by @Troy_Loggins at 15:53 of overtime gives the Wildcats a 3-2 win over BGSU. NMU will play next Saturday night for the 2018 WCHA playoff crown. pic.twitter.com/x377l3aQLx

— WCHA Men's Hockey (@WCHA_MHockey) March 12, 2018

Tolvanen, a junior from Vihti, Finland, is 23-9-1 this season. His 23 wins are tied for the NCAA lead. He held opponents to two or fewer goals 13 times this season, including two shutouts.

NMU has gone 14-5-1 since the New Year, largely on the shoulders of Tolvanen and one of the most productive top lines in Division I hockey.

Adam Rockwood and Troy Loggins have been electric all season, finishing sixth and eighth in NCAA scoring, respectively.

Rockwood, a senior who sat out last year after a transfer form Wisconsin, recorded eight goals and 48 points in 42 games, a massive breakout after scoring a combined five goals and 30 points in 60 games with Wisconsin between his freshman and sophomore years.

“He’s got elite vision,” Potulny told Ryan Stieg of The Mining Journal. “Lots of good players can see the play. Adam can see the play and make the play through or under a stick at a high pace through traffic in a confrontational situation.”

Potulny compared him to the San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton of the NHL, a premier setup man during his 20-year career. His vision is what has made Rockwood such a pristine playmaker as his 40 assists lead the nation.

“In every sport I’ve played, I was always a playmaker, never a goal scorer,” Rockwood also told Stieg. He credited his father for his game, adding that he was told to wait on passing until his linemate was in a scoring position.

Enter Loggins, a junior who has established strong chemistry with Rockwood and has benefited from his pass-first mentality. Loggins’ 23 goals and 47 points are each good enough for eighth in the NCAA. Rockwood has assisted 14 of those goals.

Loggins has proven to be a threat every shift at every strength. He ranks eighth in the NCAA with nine power play tallies on the season and first with an impressive five short-handed markers. It’s hard not to argue he’s been a cumulative top-10 player this season.

With six goals over his past six games, he’s getting hot as the Wildcats sit 17th in the PairWise Rankings and eye a conference championship and bid to the NCAA tournament.

Add in No. 1 defenseman Philip Beaulieu — who finished 16th in DI scoring — and it’s easy to see how the Wildcats turn opponents into prey.

Two from @NMUHockey named @WCHA_MHockey first team: G Atte Tolvanen and F Troy Loggins.
Two others named second team: F Adam Rockwood and D Philip Beaulieu.

— George Sipple (@GeorgeSipple) March 8, 2018

Beaulieu, a sophomore out of Duluth, Minnesota, led all defensemen with 42 points in 42 games while his 11 goals placed him in third.

The 22-year-old was held off the scoresheet in each of the past two games after a seven-game point streak (2 G, 14 A) but won’t be held down for much longer.

With a win over Michigan Tech this Saturday, Beaulieu and company would earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Even with a loss, the Wildcats’ strong season could still find them playing into April. Don’t miss the St. Patrick’s Day action in Michigan.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.