▁Dak ota ▁in ▁college ▁ice ▁hockey . ▁In ▁its ▁ 4 th ▁year ▁under ▁head ▁coach ▁John ▁Gas par ini ▁the ▁team ▁compiled ▁a ▁ 3 5 – 1 2 – 0 ▁record ▁and ▁reached ▁the ▁NCAA ▁tournament ▁for ▁the ▁nin th ▁time . ▁The ▁Fight ing ▁Si oux ▁defeated ▁Wisconsin ▁ 5 – 2 ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁championship ▁game ▁at ▁the ▁Prov idence ▁C iv ic ▁Center ▁in ▁Prov idence , ▁Rh ode ▁Island . ▁ ▁Season ▁ ▁Early ▁Season ▁In ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁the ▁W CH A ▁suffered ▁a ▁trem end ous ▁up he aval . ▁Two ▁years ▁after ▁a ▁proposal ▁to ▁divide ▁the ▁Conference ▁into ▁two ▁divisions ▁was ▁rejected , ▁the ▁three ▁Michigan ▁schools ▁along ▁with ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁left ▁for ▁the ▁C CH A , ▁a ▁less er ▁but ▁more ▁ge ograph ically - center ed ▁conference . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁W CH A ▁was ▁left ▁with ▁only ▁ 6 ▁teams ▁though ▁those ▁teams ▁had ▁combined ▁to ▁win ▁ 5 ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁ 6 ▁national ▁champion ships . ▁The ▁six ▁teams ▁sc ram bled ▁to ▁fill ▁up ▁their ▁conference ▁sched ules ▁against ▁one ▁another ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁several ▁cases ▁of ▁un bal anced ▁home / road ▁games ▁between ▁W CH A ▁members . ▁ ▁Reg ard less ▁of ▁their ▁conference ▁issues , ▁North ▁Dak ota ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁against ▁Bow ling ▁Green , ▁taking ▁both ▁games ▁against ▁the ▁event ual ▁C CH A ▁champion . ▁The ▁following ▁week