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    |  | The WCHA playoff formats have changed many times over the years.  Following
        is a quick breakdown of how a playoff champion was determined over the
        years when the Gophers were a member of the WCHA. | 
  
    | , one round of four teams | 
  
    | , one round and a finals | 
   
    | , one round and a championship
    game | 
   
    | , two rounds with eight teams | 
  
    | , eight teams at East and West regionals | 
  
    | , eight teams in two rounds
    of two-game total goal series | 
  
    | , eight teams in two rounds
    of two-game total goal series plus a two-team championship | 
  
    | , an opening round, best-of-three
      series at campus sites followed by a conference playoff championship with
    four teams at one venue | 
  
    | , an opening round, best-of-three
      series at campus sites followed by a conference playoff championship with
    five teams at one venue | 
  
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