Though the MIAC has been playing ice hockey since the 1920s, the league did not play a conference tournament until 1986. The championship served as a capstone for the MIAC season and was used as a final argument for a bid to the Division III NCAA Tournament. Despite not possessing an automatic bid the MIAC tournament champion was selected for the National Tournament each year. For the first four seasons the tournament had all rounds played as two-game total-goal series but changed to single-elimination for all round beginning with the 1990 tournament. Five years later the format was again changed, this time to a two-game point system where the first team to three points would win; one point was awarded for a tie and two points for a win. If the two teams were tied after two games than a 20