gophers need to end a trend
The Gophers' NCAA tournament hopes rest on how they fare in the Big Ten tournament this weekend. If they win the Big Tens, they'll earn an automatic bid to the NCAAs. But recent history shows Minnesota hasn't fared well in conference tournaments. The Gophers haven't won a game in a conference tournament since 2010. Their last conference tournament title was the WCHA Final Five in 2007, and they are on a three-game losing streak in conference semifinals:
YearConference tournament resultNCAA result
2014Lost 3-1 to Ohio State in Big Ten semisAdvanced to championship game, lost to Union
2013Lost 2-0 to Colorado College in WCHA semisLost in first round to Yale
2012Lost 6-3 to North Dakota in WCHA semisAdvance to Frozen Four, lost to Boston College in semis
2011 Swept by Alaska-Anchorage in WCHA first rd.Did not qualify
2010 Lost two games to one to North Dakota in WCHA first rd.Did not qualify
2009 Lost 2-1 to Minnesota Duluth in WCHA play-in gameDid not qualify
2008 Went 2-1 in WCHA Final Five, falling to Denver in finalLost in first round to Boston College
2007 Won WCHA Final Five in OT over North DakotaLost in overtime to North Dakota in regional final
