No one in NCAA hockey wants Northeastern to get hot. Not with Levi in net. Good news is that RIT lost a pair last weekend so it looks like the #1 overall seed will play the Atlantic winner and not a nightmare Northeastern 16 seed. More motivation for the team to keep the 1 seed.
Yeah I don’t think it’s stressed enough how important it is to get the #1 overall seed for this exact reason.
I get preferring to play the Atlantic winner but since RIT is currently 20th in the Pairwise there are many teams behind them that could get in as a conference champion from another conference and end up as the 16th seed for the NCAA. It only takes one team below RIT to get in and make RIT the 15th seed (and play the #2 team) if they win the Atlantic tournament.
It is definitely a possibility.
But, what are the realistic odds that RIT wins their conference tournament? I’d say there is a pretty good chance one of the other AIC teams wins it and then they become the 16th seed.
The format of Atlantic tournament I think definitely increases their chances.
Both the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Atlantic are best of three at the higher seed so a team like the 8th seed or 4th seed is going to have to win two games at RIT to keep them out the conference title game. If they make the title game it's better than 50/50 they win it as the best team in the conference.
Since we have no way of knowing what seed the Atlantic winner will have (most likely the 15th or 16th seed although if RIT wins there is a chance they end up as the 14th seed with two auto bid teams behind them) we don't know if the #1, #2 or possibly the #3 overall seed will play the Atlantic winner.
I'm not focusing that much on the need to finish as the number #1 overall seed.
I like to talk about Pairwise scenarios and possible match ups but #16 seeds have beaten #1 seeds multiple times in the NCAA tournament so in the end all 16 teams are dangerous especially in a one and done tournament.
RIT if they make the NCAA is a dangerous match up they are a good team (#20 Pairwise).
No one in NCAA hockey wants Northeastern to get hot. Not with Levi in net. Good news is that RIT lost a pair last weekend so it looks like the #1 overall seed will play the Atlantic winner and not a nightmare Northeastern 16 seed. More motivation for the team to keep the 1 seed.
Yeah I don’t think it’s stressed enough how important it is to get the #1 overall seed for this exact reason.
I get preferring to play the Atlantic winner but since RIT is currently 20th in the Pairwise there are many teams behind them that could get in as a conference champion from another conference and end up as the 16th seed for the NCAA. It only takes one team below RIT to get in and make RIT the 15th seed (and play the #2 team) if they win the Atlantic tournament.
Yes theoretically but then I look at who realistically could win their conference tournament and also is worse than 20 and the list is pretty small. Pretty much all Hockey East teams that aren’t BU and Northeastern. That conference is a jumble. Toss Duluth into that conversation, they always seem to get hot this time of year.
I think the two most likely are like you mentioned Hockey East and the CCHA. There are three teams from each those conferences that are currently between #25 and #33 that could get hot in the conference playoffs and get an auto bid.
I'm not including the teams just below RIT (#21 - #24) because if any of them win their conference tournament they have a good chance of passing RIT in Pairwise.
Which is the more fun scenario: North Dakota runs the table and makes it as a 16 seed only to get slaughtered in their own back yard by the 1 seed Gophers.
Or
Holy Cross wins the Atlantic tournament, gets sent to Fargo with the Gophers and gets pounded in front of thousands of sad Nodak fans
Another fun scenario is St. Cloud matching up with North Dakota in the NCHC best of three quarter finals (which could definitely happen) and Jan sweeps them to end their season.
No one in NCAA hockey wants Northeastern to get hot. Not with Levi in net. Good news is that RIT lost a pair last weekend so it looks like the #1 overall seed will play the Atlantic winner and not a nightmare Northeastern 16 seed. More motivation for the team to keep the 1 seed.
Yeah I don’t think it’s stressed enough how important it is to get the #1 overall seed for this exact reason.
I get preferring to play the Atlantic winner but since RIT is currently 20th in the Pairwise there are many teams behind them that could get in as a conference champion from another conference and end up as the 16th seed for the NCAA. It only takes one team below RIT to get in and make RIT the 15th seed (and play the #2 team) if they win the Atlantic tournament.
It is definitely a possibility.
But, what are the realistic odds that RIT wins their conference tournament? I’d say there is a pretty good chance one of the other AIC teams wins it and then they become the 16th seed.
The format of Atlantic tournament I think definitely increases their chances.
Both the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Atlantic are best of three at the higher seed so a team like the 8th seed or 4th seed is going to have to win two games at RIT to keep them out the conference title game. If they make the title game it's better than 50/50 they win it as the best team in the conference.
Since we have no way of knowing what seed the Atlantic winner will have (most likely the 15th or 16th seed although if RIT wins there is a chance they end up as the 14th seed with two auto bid teams behind them) we don't know if the #1, #2 or possibly the #3 overall seed will play the Atlantic winner.
I'm not focusing that much on the need to finish as the number #1 overall seed.
I like to talk about Pairwise scenarios and possible match ups but #16 seeds have beaten #1 seeds multiple times in the NCAA tournament so in the end all 16 teams are dangerous especially in a one and done tournament.
RIT if they make the NCAA is a dangerous match up they are a good team (#20 Pairwise).
All valid and good points. Can’t really disagree with any of that. I still want to play the Atlantic winner, and I believe getting the 1st seed gives us the best chance at that matchup. Fun conversations to have for sure.
I don't watch a lot of non-Gopher hockey, but I watched tOSU/ Michigan last night, and it reinforced everything I thought was true about Michigan.
My sense about them is that they're a hyper talented group of undisciplined individual hockey players. Couldn't have been more evident than last night. I would be so disappointed if I were a Michigan fan... They have enough skill to be the best team in the country if they just played a sound brand of hockey.
They're a team I could see winning it all or losing in the first round.
Which is the more fun scenario: North Dakota runs the table and makes it as a 16 seed only to get slaughtered in their own back yard by the 1 seed Gophers.
Or
Holy Cross wins the Atlantic tournament, gets sent to Fargo with the Gophers and gets pounded in front of thousands of sad Nodak fans
Oh, them. But, why would someone ask them a question here? I know we've got a fan of UM-Lake Superior here, and a couple Purple Cow fans, but don't recall seeing any of that batch around.
Oh, them. But, why would someone ask them a question here? I know we've got a fan of UM-Lake Superior here, and a couple Purple Cow fans, but don't recall seeing any of that batch around.
Apparently GPL security is working in keeping out Jan fans. ?
Their #1 focus is playing better hockey, not strategizing nor angling for a specific seed.
The only strategy I see necessary is avoiding Northeastern in the first round. It’s very likely one 1 seed is going to have to face Devon Levi in the first round. Don’t want that to be us.
Red is a good choice, blends better with the seats.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Their #1 focus is playing better hockey, not strategizing nor angling for a specific seed.
The only strategy I see necessary is avoiding Northeastern in the first round. It’s very likely one 1 seed is going to have to face Devon Levi in the first round. Don’t want that to be us.
eh we’re head and shoulders better than that team. Any goalie can get hot. Would also take us playing poorly to lose to them. Play a good 60 min and they’re not losing in the 1-16 game
Red is a good choice, blends better with the seats.
You would think since the powers to be want the crowd and seats to wear read. They would have the team wear red. Or is that thinking outside the box?!?!?!
Their #1 focus is playing better hockey, not strategizing nor angling for a specific seed.
The only strategy I see necessary is avoiding Northeastern in the first round. It’s very likely one 1 seed is going to have to face Devon Levi in the first round. Don’t want that to be us.
eh we’re head and shoulders better than that team. Any goalie can get hot. Would also take us playing poorly to lose to them. Play a good 60 min and they’re not losing in the 1-16 game
Just don’t want us to get hot goalied in the first round. That would suck. Levi could definitely do it. Agree that we’re obviously the much better team.
If you took the bad traits from last couple years of Wooger's tenure and combined those with the bad habits of the final Lucia years you'd get wisco.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Lesser dakota doing lesser dakota things - players and fans (flipping the double bird!) both.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So a few more folks have shown up at the badger game. They don’t follow directions well. Or are colorblind.
Or....
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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North Dakota just isn’t North Dakota this year. That Molenaar goal never happens if they’re their usual selves. He’s on his butt before the second attempt occurs, let alone the third.
I suspect MSU is going to be a very good B1G team in the next few years. They've found a very good coach, I like they way they play and as if talent level improves they will be dangerous.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I suspect MSU is going to be a very good B1G team in the next few years. They've found a very good coach, I like they way they play and as if talent level improves they will be dangerous.
The Gophers are currently on a 13 game winning streak against Sparty. Will Sparty beat the Gophers before it hits 17 games? ?
I suspect MSU is going to be a very good B1G team in the next few years. They've found a very good coach, I like they way they play and as if talent level improves they will be dangerous.
The Gophers are currently on a 13 game winning streak against Sparty. Will Sparty beat the Gophers before it hits 17 games? ?
MN has definitely been their kryptonite.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Presently 6 B1G teams are in the Top 16 for PWR and to illustrate the strength of the conference even further this season even UW is at #40 with a horse-bleep record.
CHN's probability matrix hasn't been updated since Tuesday, but it has us, Michigan, and PSU as locks while OSU is 99.7% in. ND and MSU are each in the mid 40s, so it might be tough to get both of those last two in, but even getting just one would be huge as it would mean 5/7 teams are in.
I usually don't watch non-Gopher games with the same intensity, but so happy for MSU that they got the win tonight after what they've been through this week. Sounded like there were questions about whether they should play this weekend and I was concerned when their social media went silent until today.
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Michigan's Luke Hughes is out with a lower body injury suffered during Thursday's game. They hope to have him back "shortly" per Grant Potulny's "buddy" Bill Muckalt.
