College Hockey This weekend

[solbes]

Fresh set of match ups this week. Here's my predictions in no particular order:

Minn at Mich Tech: Sweep for Maroon and Gold. Tech started out hot but has struggled against WCHA.

Duluth at Wisc: Split, Dogs usually lose Friday and win Saturday at Kohl Center. Hoping they follow UND's lead instead of keeping tradition.

St Cloud at AA: Split, tough travels to the great north for SCSU. But a sweep would get them moving again.

Bemidji at Denver: Split, Denver's due for a loss. I'm not convinced they are that good.

North Dakota at Neb Omaha: Blais bowl Nebraska style; MATCHUP of the WEEK. I've been waiting to see what happens between these two. Honestly I have no idea, but I guess that tells me to go split. A sweep by either team would be huge!

Looking back I can't believe the only sweep I predicted is the Gophers... Weird.

[Shorelunch]

My predictions FWIW . . .

Minn at Mich Tech: MN 3 points

Duluth at Wisc: UMD 3 points

St Cloud at AA: SCSU sweep

Bemidji at Denver: Split

North Dakota at Neb Omaha: Split

Three great series this weekend.

[gwiff100]

GO DOGS!!!

Its great to see the canadians doing well, axiously waiting to see how they play against the sconies and goofs,

Anyone else suprised at UNO?

That is all from this UMD Alum.

[fishingMN4eyes]

If the Gophers don't sweep, the season is over.

Looking forward to seeing the results of tDogs vs sconnie and UNO/sue. Both should be fun series.

[cbrooks]

I will predict

Sweeps for Minnesota, SCSU, and UMD.

I'm also a little surprise by UNO. Wish they had that game on TV

[solbes]

Had a great time last night watching the Bulldogs slug it out with the Badgers on FSN. Switched over to the Wild in HD on 45. Two overtime wins! Tough win for the Sioux it sounded like too.

[scsavre]

What is with that UND TV schedule. I was in the center of the state 2 weeks ago and couldnt find a game. Now I will be there over the hoiliday weekend. What channel do they play on? Ill be in Harvey pheasant hunting, they have FSN and a UND channel, but i never find the games.

Sounds like UMD and UND both had awesome series against WIS and UNO.

[cbrooks]

UND is on channel 27 in Grand Forks. I think they carry UND games on a Bismarck station atleast they did a year ago.

[Shorelunch]

"]What is with that UND TV schedule. I was in the center of the state 2 weeks ago and couldnt find a game. Now I will be there over the hoiliday weekend. What channel do they play on? Ill be in Harvey pheasant hunting, they have FSN and a UND channel, but i never find the games.

UND has been on the road the past few weekends (WI and Omaha). They were Fox College Sports Central Friday vs. WI. Omaha doesn't broadcast their games on TV.

UND broadcasts all home games, like this upcoming weekend vs Notre Dame. You can find them on the Fighting Sioux Sports Network (FSSN) and Fox College Sports Central. I'm sure you can Google whatever cable system Harvey, ND has and find out the channels.

[solbes]

I wish you could watch more college hockey on cable/dish. Or I wish there were more deals like Charter has where you can buy a package. It would help get more exposure to the sport.

5 teams are starting to separate from the pack. UNO has surprised everyone I think. So has Denver to a lesser extent. The Gophers are putting together a solid start to the season with Patterson in goal. I'd like to see them stay on track, as I think the whole state benefits when the Gophers play great hockey.

I can no longer hold back my enthusism about UMD's season. A split in UND was great, but taking 4 from Bucky on State Street was awesome. I won't knock the end results, but it sure seems like it would be easier to put teams away than to keep playing these crazy overtime games.

[cbrooks]

In my opinion. The teams that face UND the last two weekend(Wisconsin and UNO)are over rated. UND should have sweep UNO. It sounded like they outplayed them the one game they lost. They did everything but scored that game. Denver is not that good. I'm waiting for SCSU to come around. I'm confident it will happen sooner or later. The two teams thats been surprising me is Minnesota playing better than I expected and I thought BSU would do better.

The game I really want to see next week is the BSU/UNO. I want the Beavers to sweep. I don't think it will happen.

I'm not surprise that UMD and UND success. I see UMD has the #1 ranking in the NCAA. How many games has UMD won in overtime this year? I know they took one from UND. The problem with UND is there goaltending. They had a problem with Mono on the team as well. It started when they went to Maine which explains why they played so poorly that weekend. I know that UND and UMD wouldn't be the leaders in this league if Wisconsin and Denver wouldn't have lost alot of there underclassmen coming in this year. Overall this is probably one of the weaker WCHA conferences in recent years.

[scsavre]

UND and and Gopphs must be sharing sweethearts, Gophs lost a guy to mono too.

I am a little surprised about UMD, I didnt think their games would be so close. 7 OTS, with all that scoring power. They are doing real well, hopefully they improve as the year goes on. WHich I am sure they will.

I thought UND would be a little more unstoppable, too. Hard schedule early should lead to a pretty good team down the stretch.

I agree Brooks, I thought Bucky was just average at best. Gophs were terrible when they played.

Gophs have been a pleasant surprise, I think they should have a better record though. Get rid of Lucia, Patterson hasnt lost, but they still try to play Kangas. I hope that trend is over.

Brooks who do I cheer for this weekend. Sioux or Dame. I hate the Sioux, but I am not a fan of a bunch of spoiled Irish kids either.

I might as well cheer for the Sioux, I will be in ND pheasant hunting so there is a chance that I will have my UND sweatshirt handy, to wipe my hands and knife after cleaning birds of coarse.

[OnAFly]

UND or ND, that is a tough one for me too. I also have a never ending hate for the Sioux, but my cousins wife went to ND and her bragging about ND makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit . I guess I'm forced to go for ND, as UND is in the WCHA. The fewer wins they have the better.

[solbes]

Duluth's problem is not scoring. And it's not the defenseman giving up scoring chances either. They have 2 problems. Giving up goals in the last 3 minutes of regulation. And goaltending kicking out ridiculous rebounds. Seems like nothing is swept or kicked to the boards, it's all straight back out. Crandall is playing better than Reiter right now, but I think we need both of them to pick it up a little. Crandall's GAA is great, but I think the Dmen are propping him up a bit. And yes the overtime games are getting pretty excessive. I think they already have set their own record for overtime wins in a season before Thanksgiving. And gotten their first ever overtime sweep in Wisconsin.

Gopher's problem is not scoring either. Why the Gophers continue to play Kangas is beyond me. Someone's drinking some KoolAid there.

I keep saying Denver is not that good, but they keep winning. I wasn't that concerned about playing them in Duluth, but now I think it'll be a tough series. Last series ever at the old DECC, so they have some things planned for that weekend. They are honoring the all Decc squad on Saturday night which will include the 4 Hobey winners. Some good names in there from the past:

Matt Christensen, Keith “Huffer” Christiansen, Dan Lempe, Mark Pavelich and Derek Plante, wingers John Harrington, Brett Hull, Walt Ledingham, Junior Lessard, Chris Marinucci, Shjon Podein and Bill Watson, defensemen Curt Giles, Guy Gosselin, Brett Hauer, Jim Johnson, Tom Kurvers and Norm Maciver and goaltenders Bob Mason, Glenn “Chico” Resch and Alex Stalock.

[cbrooks]

]

Brooks who do I cheer for this weekend. Sioux or Dame. I hate the Sioux, but I am not a fan of a bunch of spoiled Irish kids either.

.

Don't have to jump on the band wagon yet. You and Bear be doing that at the end of the year . Don't think I forgot. Let us know how the pheasant hunting went.

[archerystud]

I hope some of you are right and that SCSU turns it around. I had high expectations but gave up my season tickets only because the other parties we share them with backed out. Having a kid already in youth hockey doesn't open up my schedule to make many games anymore.

I also agree that I wish there was more college hockey on TV. It is just a funner game to watch with the open ice and the speed. I can't stand the neutral zone trap of the NHL (thanks Mr. Lemaire). When I'm at my parents I usually get a choice between MSU/SCSU (charter cable) and whoever the Gophs are playing. Last weekend it was nice to watch UMD vs Bucky.

Dogs do look good, although that last goal maybe shouldn't have counted. It was a close call.

[Bear55]

Don't have to jump on the band wagon yet. You and Bear be doing that at the end of the year . Don't think I forgot. Let us know how the pheasant hunting went.

Ha ha its a long season my friend, the Sioux will lay an egg in the WCHA soon. Like I said before, it will probably come when you least expect it against AA or Tech. Those darn Sioux keep ruining my fun by winning on Friday but I am feeling a mid-season slump coming.

[cbrooks]

UND has nine more serious to go. This month has been tough. Every week is a grind in this league but UND has the depth to do it. I don't want to get too cocky but I'm more concern about there pairwise ranking. A sweep would have been better this weekend. It will be tough to get a #1 ranking(because of there serious against Maine)for my team. I think they settle on a goaltender now. Hopefully Aaron Dell is the same goaltender the rest of the year as he's been the last few weekends. This past month they had alot of tough losses and ties. Some calls that could(should)go the other way but it will make them a better team down the road. There is no midseason slump. There's only minor adjustments from here on.

[solbes]

Still some sweep chances for UND left on the schedule 9 series left, but you have 2 against St Cloud (who will play better), 1 against Minnesota, and 1 against UNO.

As for pairwise #1, I don't think UND is out by any means. Losing to Maine didn't help, but it's not a nail. In fact I think the top 5 teams in the WCHA are all very much alive for it depending on how they finish out their seasons. Getting the number 1 seed used to be a big deal because of the easy first game, but there are no easy first games anymore (e.g. Holy Cross, RIT, Air Force just to name a few).

I see Kangas had the hot hand against the CCHA this weekend. Just when a coach thinks he has it figured out, they switch. Nice win for the Gophers over Michigan. I still hate those stupid Wolverine helmets.

[cbrooks]

Solbes, I will predict that UMD will be #1 pairwise at the end of the year. They will be a lock if they beat UND in the nonconferance Hall of Fame game in one month. Disclaimer on that game as well;). Those loses to Maine really hurts there chances. I guess it depends on how Maine does the rest of the season. I'm sure UMD will sweep Clarkson this weekend in there only other remaining noncoferance games. I hope your right though. I see UMD winning alot of there remaining games. BTW I'm not impress by UNO. I predict they will fall apart the second half of the season.

[solbes]

I like your prediction, but I will keep my hopes at making the NCAA's for now. And for that, the Dogs are looking good right now. As to the non-conference play, the only game that will likely contribute to UMD's pairwise ranking at the end of the year will be the one UND game on Dec 30th.

Their previous wins against Northern Michigan, Providence, and the possible wins against Clarkson will likely be meaningless because they are not a TUC (team under consideration). To be a TUC, you need to have an RPI in the top 25, and I seriously doubt any of those will finish there. So they essentially are meaningless games except for their contribution to UMD's record and own RPI. That's how I intrepret it anyway, I could be wrong. When you get down to the nitty gritty of NCAA selection, a headache is often the result. Take care of business in the WCHA and it all falls into place come March. And hope that the WCHA fares well against quality opponents.

Here's one that will really make your head spin. You can actually drop your own pairwise ranking by beating an opponent. For example, your team has a flawless record against an opponent on the TUC cliff. In the last game of the season series against that team you knock them from 25th in RPI to 26th or lower. Your

pairwise comparison against that team is now removed and your overall rating drops because of it. Losing or tieing would have kept that comparison alive, resulting in a better pariwise. Kind of a crazy scenario but it can happen.

[cbrooks]

I didn't even realize the pairwise could turn on you like that. I never took it as gospel anyways.

[scsavre]

Hockey was decent, the Gophs are very unpredictable, as usual. I darn near went to the Sioux game, had tickets but couldnt get myself to do it. And it was a 3 hr drive to get there.

With a record of 9-5-2 would the Sioux even be a #3 seed right now. I guess they have beaten 4 ranked teams.

Hunting was good. Lots of birds, bunched up. with the snow they were pushed to the shelter belts. you see 50 of them at a time from the road, but of coarse you cant get to them before they see you. Limited out pretty early each day though.

[Bear55]

Here's one that will really make your head spin. You can actually drop your own pairwise ranking by beating an opponent. For example, your team has a flawless record against an opponent on the TUC cliff. In the last game of the season series against that team you knock them from 25th in RPI to 26th or lower. Your

pairwise comparison against that team is now removed and your overall rating drops because of it. Losing or tieing would have kept that comparison alive, resulting in a better pariwise. Kind of a crazy scenario but it can happen.

This is why I am a fan of the KRACH system, its pure math, no TUC cliff or other comparisons that may or may not matter in the big picture. Its based more on wins/losses/strength of schedule. Every time you win it helps you, every time you lose it hurts you.

[cbrooks]

I like your idea of the Krach system. That would make more sense that having a win against a team TUC and then having that hurt your ranking. The system needs to be fix.

[solbes]

Back to a full WCHA schedule this weekend.

1) Colorado College at Mich Tech: I'm going split

2) Denver at Minn Duluth: 3 points for Bulldogs

3) Wisconsin at Alaksa Anch: sweep for Badgers

4) Minnesota at Mankato: 3 points for Gophers

5) Saint Cloud at North Dakota: sweep for Sioux

6) Nebraska Omaha at Bemidji: sweep for Mav's

[Bear55]

solbes looks like a solid weekend prediction, except the Sioux will be swept this weekend, right cbrooks.

[cbrooks]

I think you have it the other way around bear

For sweeps I have UND and UNO the rest are splits.

[Bear55]

I've predicted the Sioux getting swept every WCHA weekend and I have been wrong every time. The good news is I only have to be right one time.

[cbrooks]