College Hockey This weekend

[scsavre]

I dont want to get this argument going too much already. But someone had said the WCHA was not the best conference or something.

Well, not only is the WCHA the best conference in hockey, it is actually the most prolific conference in all of Div 1 sports. Here are a few stats to chew on.

Since 1951

36 national titles

Runner ups 27 times

Frozen 4 appearances, 54 of 58 seasons.

staggering to say the least. Hopefully the league will be back on top this year.

[cbrooks]

And who has the most of those titles in the WCHA

I have a theory on college hockey. WCHA has for the most part been the dominant conference. I just think a few programs have caught up to us. Look at Miami(oh), Notre Dame and BC. I remember UND always beating BC a couple decades ago.

[scsavre]

If you were thinking the Sioux, you would actually be wrong. there is another team that has more titles while playing in the WCHA.

[cbrooks]

Stp Denver . UND needs a couple more titles soon. I can't handle having some other WCHA team with those bragging rights.

[Bear55]

And who has the most of those titles in the WCHA

Well since Michigan has claim to 10 NCAA titles and only two of them were in the CCHA I will go with them.

[solbes]

"]Now who is keeping tabs on these to see if any of us have any idea of what we are talking about.

Fortunately for you, it's Friday and I'm bored at work. I must be REALLY bored. Da ta da da, da da ta da ta, da ta da da...I give you THE OFFICIAL WCHA PICKS leader board...

You get a score of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 for each series predicted. Pick it correctly and you get a 0. Pick a sweep and the other team sweeps, you get 4. And so on and so forth. Summed score for all weeks predictions are divided by total number of games played. 4 week minimum to make the leaderboard and 6 min at end of year. I have the spreadsheed if you feel the need to check my math!

1) Shorelunch, 1.05 with 4 weeks of predictions

2) ScSavr, 1.11 with 4 weeks of predictions

3) Solbes, 1.21 with 8.2 weeks of predictions

4) cbrooks, 1.39 with 8 weeks of predictions

In the running, but too little data:

Fishing tech, 0.80 with 1 week of prediction

Bear, 2.00 with 2 weeks of predictions (were you serious in week of Dec 2?)

Fortunately for some of you, you didn't make picks on weeks of Dec 2 and Dec 9th. They were awful for those who did (Bear, cbrooks, and myself).

Wnner gets???

[solbes]

<--- This guy would love to join in NCAA title discussion, but he must keep his mouth shut. We have 0.

[scsavre]

Solbes that is awesome stuff. Thanks goodness for your boring job. I didnt eve go in today.

I like to see Brooks on bottom there.

Bear, Michigan is what I was referencing good catch. Of coarse it takes a gopher fan to figure that out.

I do belive it goes like this though

Michigan 9 eight while in the WCHA

Denver 7

Nodak 7 I wont put an asterisk even though they were caught with ineligible candian old guys.

Wisc 6

BU -5

MN - 5

No other program in Minnesota has a title, thats depressing. How can UMD not have a title, you had the goat/golden jet up there in the 80's.

the state of Michigan has 19, that unreal.

[Bear55]

Solbes I didn't even know you were keeping track or I might have put some effort into picking every week. Next year we should some kind of pick-em season among us college hockey fans.

[Bear55]

]

Bear, Michigan is what I was referencing good catch. Of coarse it takes a gopher fan to figure that out.

If you want to get all technical Michigan won a lot of titles back in the day as an Independent, there were a couple of other short term conferences back then too so they could have picked up a little there. I even think UND picked up a title as an independent. Pretty sure the Gophers have a couple of titles that don't count just before the NCAA officially recognized a champion so we got screwed on that one. Things were kind of a mess back then, somewhat luckily for us the WCHA kind of took over and got to claim all those titles way back when

The key to this whole thing is giving cbrooks a hard time no matter how you spin the titles/conferences/independents.

One other key is the Gophers need to get back to their winning ways, I was ok with us being tied for titles with WI and Denver and knocking on UND's door but it didn't take long for Denver and WI to jump out in front again.

[solbes]

Naw, I wasn't keeping track. Just got bored today, so thought it might be kind of fun to see where we stand. Not too late to get in though, 4 weeks of picks and you are on the final board!

I agree, next year we could make it a little more formal and get some more people too. Need to have some kind of stupid prize or trophy that gets passed around too.

Note all those teams are powerhouse hockey programs. I agree it's strange we haven't had a UMD or SCSU type team yet. Took 37 minutes of overtime for UMD to lose in 1984 title game. They had a 2 goal lead on Denver in '04 in the semis and lost the lead. No one was scoring on Boerkhel that year.

[cbrooks]

Well since Michigan has claim to 10 NCAA titles and only two of them were in the CCHA I will go with them.

STP Michigan .....

It would be nice if I won the picks but it would be even sweeter to win my bet with bear

[Bear55]

I must say I am getting nervous, I never thought they would last this long, the WCHA is a battle and just about everyone has a bad weekend at some point during the season.

I can see now agreeing to conference only sweeps was a bad move but I will fall on the grenade if I have to.

[Bear55]

I better get in my last minute picks.

Denver/CC - Split

Beaver Sweep

Gopher Sweep

Alaska Sweep

St. Cloud/Omaha Split

The gopher sweep is kind of a reach but I figure we have to win those games to have any hope at the NCAA's and picking all splits is no fun.

[scsavre]

Man do the gophs need a new coaching staff. They look so lost out there. Ill take a tie. I am really tired of this lousy reffing too. The penalties on the gophs early was a joke. ruined the flow of the game. and then of coarse the refs had to call weak ones on the dogs later.

Ill take the tie, I guess.

[scsavre]

We will have to figure out a way to have a pickem next year. Solbe can keep track, haha.

We should all do a tourny bracket, wcha then the frozen. Any of you guys going to either tourny?

[cbrooks]

I watch the Gopher UMD game. Gophers are a tough team. I thought they were gonna score in the last 30 seconds when Barribal had that nice move to go to the net. That was a good game. Too bad for UMD's first goal wasn't Patterson fault but thats how it goes. Hopefully Gophers can win tonight along with CC again. UND still a point ahead in the standings.

I have no plans right now of going to any tourneys. I like the tourney bracket idea.

[scsavre]

Brooks, could you believe how hard it is for the Gophs to clear the puck out of the d zone. It is embarrassing, especially on the penalty kill.

After watching the Dogs and Gophs 3 times now, I cant see the Dogs going all the way this year. But then again the Gophs to throw a wrench in good teams game plans.

[cbrooks]

The turnovers kill the Gophers. I think thats there weak point from what I watch of them. They did against UND as well. I like there defense. They block alot of shots and Patterson has to be one of the leagues top goaltender. I just think they match up to UMD pretty good. The Gophs show up to play to the good teams but lose to lesser teams. I think it has something to do how they keep there D man back. They hardly ever pinch on the 5 on 5. Really conservative team. I think a few small things they could improve on and they could be one of the top teams.

[scsavre]

Coaching would be that small thing. They are hard to figure out that is fore sure. They play conservative, but get 40 shots and miss another 30. It really doesnt make sense to me. If we had a coach to polish these kids off, they could be good.

I almost feel bad when the Gophs knock off the top teams, cause against the bad teams it doesnt look like they even try.

Stinking Sioux fans better appreciate all the points we are are going to take from the top teams the next few weekends.

[cbrooks]

I do appreciate. I'm cheering for the Gophers from here on out.

[solbes]

A little disappointing that the Dogs couldn't get it done last night. Certainly came out flat and did not play their game. Hoeffel almost scored at the end, and Oleksuk also almost scored. Oleksuk got TOO much height somehow from the JT Brown pass; puck sailed right over the net.

My Gopher rooting family went home after 2 last night. No cheering in this house for Gophers tonight. I hope this one's broadcast in HD.

We will probably go to either the Final 5, or REALLY keep our fingers crossed for...not going to go there yet. Too much hockey left in the year. The top 3 are still all knotted up. Thanks to CC last night. This one's in Denver I believe.

[cbrooks]

Feb 6th WCHA standins

Denver..........13-4-3.......29pts

UMD.............13-4-3.......29pts

UND.............14-6-0.......28pts

UNO.............12-6-2.......26pts

Wisconsin.......11-7-2.......24pts

CC..............10-10-0......20pts

AA..............9-11-2.......20pts

Minnesota.......8-9-3........19pts

SCSU............7-11-2.......16pts

Mankato.........6-12-4.......16pts

Bemidji St......6-12-2.......14pts

Mich Tech.......1-18-1........3pts

[scsavre]

WCHA reffing is just terrible. They are affecting the turn out of the games now. Maybe they are just preparing the players for bad reffing down the stretch.

Terrible calls both ways on the Gophs and Dogs. Calling off a legit tying goal, and not even reviewing a close one for the Dogs. Its becoming a joke.

[scsavre]

i wonder if i scored a goal, would it read Connelley from Connelly and Fontaine. that was crazy.

[solbes]

Really up tempo game last night. I enjoyed all three periods and would have enjoyed it even if I was rooting for the Gophers. I agree the reffing has been poor. I would have called that a legit tying goal at 3-3. But those calls usually have a way of evening out over a season. Adam was reffing last night? Between he and Shep; well I don't have too many good things to say, so I won't say any more.

Dogs had a lot of great passing around the net. That's one of the better games I've seen them play offensively. Defensively they seemed to let the Gophers walk right in front of their net. Bjugstad and Hoeffel together are a pretty good combo. Bjugstad just moves very well for such a big guy. I agree with Gorg, he's going to be really great next year.

My oldest daughter had never seen a hat trick before. She called it during the first intermission. Mike almost got a double hat trick. His 5 goals tied a school record set in 1972, so good for him. I thought he's been the best and most consistent player for us this year, so maybe this gets him some small Hobey consideration.

[cbrooks]

I thought both should have been goals. The one goal that Kyle Oleksuk had called off I kind of understand its when the ref intended to blow the whistle. It was a premature whislte then.It was just bad reffing overall. It went both ways. How about that cross checking called on Mike Connelly. I could go on and on. No consistency.

It was a good game. I thought it was gonna be a blowout at first but the Gophs answer back. UMD look really good. I don't think I ever saw a player get 5 goals in a game.

[scsavre]

I thought that Cross check was about the only call that was right. But again they likely called it because of all the bad calls earlier. The dogs goal was close, they could have at least reviewed it. It did look like the net was dislodged before the puck went in though. It deserved a look. I like Gorg, he had a couple fo good ones last night. Gotta love when the announcers call out a team for acting to get penalty calls. Really humiliates a guy.

Again the gophs just are not a very good team. they look so lost at times. Barribal missing most of the game doesnt help either.

Solbes I think we did good on our pickem, Brooks, Im sure he is still holding down last place.

[Bear55]

I didn't get to watch the game last night but it sounds like I missed a good one. The Gophs are going to have to win the WCHA Final Five to get a chance at the NCAA's. They are playing well but just not doing enough damage to climb the in the rankings.

[solbes]

Scores for this week: Bear 7, cbrooks 7, SCSavr 2, me 2. A weekly score of 2 is the best to date. Updated Pick'em rankings:

1) ScSavr, 0.96 with 5 weeks of predictions

2) Shorelunch, 1.05 with 4 weeks of predictions

3) Solbes, 1.13 with 9.2 weeks of predictions

4) cbrooks, 1.39 with 9 weeks of predictions (stayed the same!)

In the running, but too little data:

Fishing tech, 0.80 with 1 week of prediction

Bear, 1.80 with 3 weeks of predictions

We could do the INCH online pick em next year, but it makes you rank the whole league. Honestly who cares whether Niagra beats Sacred Heart? So that might be kinda boring.