1981 WCHA 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.

1981 WCHA Men's ice hockey tournament
DatesMarch 6–15, 1981
Teams8
Finals siteStudent Ice Arena
Houghton, Michigan
Williams Arena
Minneapolis, Minnesota
ChampionsMichigan Tech†[1] (9th title)
Minnesota‡[2] (8th title)
Winning coachJohn MacInnes[3] (9th title)
Brad Buetow[4] (2nd title)
WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournaments

Though not official designations, Michigan Tech is considered as the East Regional Champion† and Minnesota as the West Regional Champion‡.

This was the final year that the WCHA crowned two teams as tournament champions. (as of 2014)

Format

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. The Tournament Champions each received automatic bids to the 1981 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Conference standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against

1980–81 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings
Conference Overall
GP W L T PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
Minnesota†*282080401521044533120261174
Wisconsin2817110341311014227141218155
Michigan Tech*2817110341181024429141195155
Denver2815112321201114023152233197
Michigan2815130301381224023170185161
North Dakota2814122301331343821152186168
Colorado College2812160241281423617190174183
Minnesota-Duluth2811170221201503917211165197
Notre Dame289181191001373613212139166
Michigan State28720115821193612222116144
Championship: Michigan Tech, Minnesota
† indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion

[5]

Bracket

[6] Teams are reseeded after the first round

First Round
March 6–8 		Second Round
March 13–15
        
1 Minnesota 5 5
8 Minnesota-Duluth 1 7
1 Minnesota 7 7
7 Colorado College 1 9
2 Wisconsin 8 4
7 Colorado College 2 11
3 Michigan Tech 7 4
6 North Dakota 4 1
3 Michigan Tech 2 7
5 Michigan 1 1
4 Denver 2 4
5 Michigan 5 5

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

(1) Minnesota vs. (8) Minnesota-Duluth
March 7 Minnesota 5 – 1 Minnesota-Duluth Williams Arena
March 8 Minnesota 5 – 7 Minnesota-Duluth Williams Arena
Minnesota won series 10–8

(2) Wisconsin vs. (7) Colorado College
March 7 Wisconsin 8 – 2 Colorado College Dane County Coliseum
March 8 Wisconsin 4 – 11 Colorado College Dane County Coliseum
Colorado College won series 13–12

(3) Michigan Tech vs. (6) North Dakota
March 6 Michigan Tech 7 – 4 North Dakota Student Ice Arena
March 7 Michigan Tech 4 – 1 North Dakota Student Ice Arena
Michigan Tech won series 11–5

(4) Denver vs. (5) Michigan
March 6 Denver 2 – 5 Michigan DU Arena
March 7 Denver 4 – 5 Michigan DU Arena
Michigan won series 10–6

(1) Minnesota vs. (7) Colorado College
March 14 Minnesota 7 – 1 Colorado College Williams Arena
March 15 Minnesota 7 – 9 Colorado College Williams Arena
Minnesota won series 14–10

(3) Michigan Tech vs. (5) Michigan
March 13 Michigan Tech 2 – 1 Michigan Student Ice Arena
March 14 Michigan Tech 7 – 1 Michigan Student Ice Arena
Michigan Tech won series 9–2

Tournament awards

None

See also

References
  1. "Michigan Tech Men's Team History". Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  2. "Minnesota Men's Team History". Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  3. "John MacInnes Year-by-Year Coaching Record". Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  4. "Brad Buetow Year-by-Year Coaching Record". Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  5. "2009-10 WCHA Yearbook 113-128" (PDF). WCHA. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  6. "2009-10 WCHA Yearbook 129-144" (PDF). WCHA. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
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