| 1976 WCHA Men's ice hockey tournament | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 10–15, 1976 |
| Teams | 8 |
| Finals site | Munn Ice Arena East Lansing, Michigan Student Ice Arena Houghton, Michigan |
| Champions | Minnesota† [1] (5th title) Michigan Tech‡ [2] (8th title) |
| Winning coach | Herb Brooks [3] (3rd title) John MacInnes [4] (8th title) |
WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournaments | |
The 1976 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 17th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 10 and March 15, 1976. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Minnesota and Michigan Tech were invited to participate in the 1976 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
Though not official designations, Minnesota is considered as the East Regional Champion† and Michigan Tech as the West Regional Champion‡.
The top eight teams in the WCHA, according to their final conference standings, were eligible for the tournament and were seeded No. 1 through No. 8. In the first round the first and eighth seeds, the second and seventh seeds, the third and sixth seeds and the fourth and fifth seeds were matched in two-game series where the school that scored the higher number of goals was declared the winner. After the first round the remaining teams were reseeded No. 1 through No. 4 according to their final conference standings and advanced to the second round. In the second round the first and fourth seeds and the second and third seeds competed in an additional two-game, total goal series with the winners of each being declared as co-conference champions.
[5] Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against
| Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Michigan Tech†* | 32 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 50 | 190 | 134 | 43 | 34 | 9 | 0 | 255 | 177 | |
| Michigan State | 32 | 20 | 12 | 0 | 40 | 154 | 139 | 40 | 23 | 15 | 2 | 193 | 176 | |
| Minnesota* | 32 | 18 | 13 | 1 | 37 | 129 | 119 | 44 | 28 | 14 | 2 | 190 | 158 | |
| Michigan | 32 | 17 | 15 | 0 | 34 | 157 | 141 | 39 | 21 | 18 | 0 | 196 | 176 | |
| Notre Dame | 32 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 32 | 143 | 140 | 38 | 19 | 17 | 2 | 171 | 173 | |
| Colorado College | 32 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 31 | 131 | 133 | 38 | 15 | 22 | 1 | 151 | 181 | |
| Wisconsin | 32 | 11 | 19 | 2 | 24 | 137 | 151 | 38 | 12 | 24 | 2 | 153 | 177 | |
| Denver | 32 | 12 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 120 | 140 | 39 | 16 | 23 | 0 | 165 | 175 | |
| Minnesota-Duluth | 32 | 12 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 132 | 160 | 36 | 15 | 21 | 0 | 159 | 179 | |
| North Dakota | 32 | 12 | 20 | 0 | 24 | 119 | 155 | 36 | 15 | 21 | 0 | 142 | 168 | |
| Championship: Minnesota, Michigan Tech † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion | ||||||||||||||
[6] Teams are reseeded after the first round
| First Round March 10–11 | Second Round March 13–15 | ||||||||||
| 1 | Michigan Tech | 5 | 8 | ||||||||
| 8 | Denver | 4 | 6 | ||||||||
| 1 | Michigan Tech | 4 | 6 | ||||||||
| 4 | Michigan | 2 | 5 | ||||||||
| 2 | Michigan State | 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 7 | Wisconsin | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | Minnesota | 7 | 5 | ||||||||
| 6 | Colorado College | 4 | 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | Michigan State | 2 | 6 | ||||||||
| 3 | Minnesota | 2 | 7*** | ||||||||
| 4 | Michigan | 8 | 4 | ||||||||
| 5 | Notre Dame | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
| March 10 | Michigan Tech | 5 – 4 | Denver | Student Ice Arena | ||||
| March 11 | Michigan Tech | 8 – 6 | Denver | Student Ice Arena | ||||
| Michigan Tech won series 13–10 | |
| March 10 | Michigan State | 6 – 4 | Wisconsin | Munn Ice Arena | ||||
| March 11 | Michigan State | 6 – 4 | Wisconsin | Munn Ice Arena | ||||
| Michigan State won series 12–8 | |
| March 10 | Minnesota | 7 – 4 | Colorado College | Williams Arena | ||||
| March 11 | Minnesota | 5 – 1 | Colorado College | Williams Arena | ||||
| Minnesota won series 12–5 | |
| March 10 | Michigan | 8 – 3 | Notre Dame | Yost Ice Arena | ||||
| March 11 | Michigan | 4 – 5 | Notre Dame | Yost Ice Arena | ||||
| Michigan won series 12–8 | |
| March 14 | Michigan Tech | 4 – 2 | Michigan | Student Ice Arena | ||||
| March 15 | Michigan Tech | 6 – 5 | Michigan | Student Ice Arena | ||||
| Michigan Tech won series 10–7 | |
| March 13 | Michigan State | 2 – 2 | Minnesota | Munn Ice Arena | ||||
| March 14 | Michigan State | 6 – 7 | 3OT | Minnesota | Munn Ice Arena | |||
| Minnesota won series 9–8 | |
None
The 1996 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 37th conference playoff in league history and 44th season where a WCHA champion was crowned. The tournament was played between March 1 and March 9, 1996. First round games were played at home team campus sites while all 'Final Five' matches were held at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By winning the tournament, Minnesota was awarded the Broadmoor Trophy and received the WCHA's automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1991 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 32nd conference playoff in league history and 39th season where a WCHA champion was crowned. The tournament was played between March 1 and March 11, 1991. First round games were played at home team campus sites, while all "Final Four" matches were held at the Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. By winning the tournament, Northern Michigan was awarded the Broadmoor Trophy and received the WCHA's automatic bid to the 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1986 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 27th conference playoff in league history and 34th season where a WCHA champion was crowned. The tournament was played between February 28 and March 15, 1986. First round and semifinal games were played at home team campus sites while the championship match was held at the DU Arena in Denver, Colorado. By winning the tournament, Denver was awarded the Broadmoor Trophy and received the WCHA's automatic bid to the 1986 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1985 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 26th conference playoff in league history and 33rd season where a WCHA champion was crowned. The tournament was played between March 1 and March 16, 1985. First round and semifinal games were played at home team campus sites while the championship match was held at the Duluth Arena Auditorium in Duluth, Minnesota. By winning the tournament, Minnesota-Duluth was awarded the Broadmoor Trophy and received the WCHA's automatic bid to the 1985 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1981 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 22nd conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 6 and March 15, 1981. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Michigan Tech and Minnesota received automatic bids to the 1981 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1980 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 21st conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 7 and March 15, 1980. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Minnesota and North Dakota were invited to participate in the 1980 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1979 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 20th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 6 and March 11, 1979. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Minnesota and North Dakota were invited to participate in the 1979 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1978 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 19th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 10 and March 15, 1978. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Wisconsin and Colorado College were invited to participate in the 1978 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1977 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 18th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 9 and March 17, 1977. All games were played at home team campus sites including the championship series. By reaching the finals both Wisconsin and Michigan were invited to participate in the 1977 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1975 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 16th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 3 and March 9, 1975. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Michigan Tech and Minnesota were invited to participate in the 1975 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1974 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 15th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 5 and March 10, 1974. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Michigan Tech and Minnesota were invited to participate in the 1974 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1973 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 14th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 5 and March 11, 1973. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Wisconsin and Denver were invited to participate in the 1973 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1972 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 13th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 7 and March 11, 1972. All games were played at home team campus sites, including each of the two regional final series. By winning the regional tournaments, both Wisconsin and Denver were invited to participate in the 1972 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1971 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament was the 12th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 12 and March 20, 1971. All East Regional games were played at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin while West Regional games were held at the DU Arena in Denver, Colorado. By winning the regional tournaments, both the East Regional Champion†, Minnesota, and West Regional Champion‡, Denver, were invited to participate in the 1971 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey tournament.
The 1970 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament was the 11th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 12 and March 14, 1970. All East Regional games were played at the Duluth Arena Auditorium in Duluth, Minnesota, while West Regional games were held at the DU Arena in Denver, Colorado. By winning the regional tournaments, both the East Regional Champion†, Michigan Tech, and West Regional Champion‡, Wisconsin, were invited to participate in the 1970 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey tournament.
The 1969 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament was the 10th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 6 and March 8, 1969. All East Regional games were played at the Weinberg Coliseum in Ann Arbor, Michigan while West Regional games were held at the DU Arena in Denver, Colorado. By winning the regional tournaments, both the East Regional Champion†, Michigan Tech, and West Regional Champion‡, Denver, were invited to participate in the 1969 NCAA University Division men's ice hockey tournament.
The 1968 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 9th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 5 and March 9, 1968. All games were played at home team campus sites. By being declared as co-champions, both North Dakota and Denver were invited to participate in the 1968 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1967 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 8th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 7 and March 11, 1967. All games were played at home team campus sites. By being declared as co-champions, both Michigan State and North Dakota were invited to participate in the 1967 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1966 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 7th conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 3 and March 5, 1966. All games were played at home team campus sites. By being declared as co-champions, both Michigan State and Denver were invited to participate in the 1966 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
The 1961 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 2nd conference playoff in league history. The tournament was played between March 10 and March 11, 1961. All games were played at home team campus sites. By being declared as co-champions, both Minnesota and Denver were invited to participate in the 1961 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.