# 1997 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament

The 1997 CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 26th CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. It was played between March 7 and March 15, 1997. Opening round games were played at campus sites, while all 'final four' games were played at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. By winning the tournament, Michigan received the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

## Format

The tournament featured three rounds of play. The two teams that finish below eighth place in the standings were not eligible for postseason play. In the quarterfinals, the first and eighth seeds, the second and seventh seeds, the third seed and sixth seeds and the fourth seed and fifth seeds played a best-of-three series, with the winners advancing to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the remaining highest and lowest seeds and second highest and second lowest seeds play a single-game, with the winners advancing to the finals. The tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the 1997 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
1996–97 Central Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Michigan†* | 27 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 46 | 151 | 64 | 43 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 242 | 98 |
| Miami | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 39 | 112 | 79 | 40 | 27 | 12 | 1 | 174 | 119 |
| Michigan State | 27 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 36 | 99 | 76 | 40 | 23 | 13 | 4 | 145 | 118 |
| Lake Superior State | 27 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 34 | 106 | 98 | 38 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 154 | 142 |
| Bowling Green | 27 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 100 | 104 | 38 | 17 | 16 | 5 | 158 | 142 |
| Western Michigan | 27 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 94 | 99 | 37 | 14 | 18 | 5 | 125 | 134 |
| Ohio State | 27 | 9 | 16 | 2 | 20 | 95 | 132 | 39 | 12 | 25 | 2 | 135 | 190 |
| Alaska-Fairbanks | 27 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 92 | 126 | 37 | 14 | 22 | 1 | 135 | 169 |
| Ferris State | 27 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 83 | 121 | 37 | 11 | 23 | 3 | 125 | 166 |
| Notre Dame | 27 | 6 | 20 | 1 | 13 | 73 | 106 | 35 | 9 | 25 | 1 | 92 | 131 |
| Championship: Michigan † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Final rankings: USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Coaches Poll Top 10 Poll |||||||||||||||

## Bracket

| Quarterfinals March 7–9 | Quarterfinals March 7–9 | Quarterfinals March 7–9 | Quarterfinals March 7–9 | Quarterfinals March 7–9 | | | Semifinals March 13 | Semifinals March 13 | Semifinals March 13 | Championship March 15 | Championship March 15 | Championship March 15 |
| 1 | Michigan | 8 | 11 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 1 | 0 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 1 | 0 | – | | | 1 | Michigan | 7 | | | |
| | | | | | | | 5 | Bowling Green | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Miami | 4 | 4 | – | | | 5 | Bowling Green | 2 | | | |
| 7 | Ohio State | 1 | 2 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Ohio State | 1 | 2 | – | | | | | | 1 | Michigan | 3 |
| (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | 1 | Michigan | 3 |
| (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | (Pairings are reseeded after the first round) | 3 | Michigan State | 1 |
| 3 | Michigan State | 4 | 3 | – | | | | | | | | | 3 | Michigan State | 1 |
| 6 | Western Michigan | 1 | 1 | – | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Western Michigan | 1 | 1 | – | | | 2 | Miami | 3 | | | |
| | | | | | | | 3 | Michigan State | 4* | | | |
| 4 | Lake Superior State | 3 | 4 | – | | | 3 | Michigan State | 4* | | | |
| 5 | Bowling Green | 5 | 8 | – | | | | | | | | |
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

### Quarterfinals
#### (1) Michigan vs. (8) Alaska–Fairbanks

* Michigan won series 2–0

#### (2) Miami vs. (7) Ohio State

* Miami won series 2–0

#### (3) Michigan State vs. (6) Western Michigan

* Michigan State won series 2–0

#### (4) Lake Superior State vs. (5) Bowling Green

* Bowling Green won series 2–0

### Championship
#### (1) Michigan vs. (3) Michigan State
## Tournament awards
### All-Tournament Team

* F Mike Watt (Michigan State)
* F Jason Botterill (Michigan)
* F Brendan Morrison* (Michigan)
* D Mike Weaver (Michigan State)
* D Chris Bogas (Michigan State)
* G Chad Alban (Michigan State)
* Most Valuable Player(s)