Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

[Chris Clark Fan Club]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

I don't know what it is but the Gopher's power play is always in the right position! Never really scrambling or trying too hard which leads to fantastic goals like Warning's last night. I have always feared the PP unit when the Mavs played them.

Good win, Gophers do it again to help the Mavs out on Sunday!!

[mnstate0fhockey]

I don't know what it is but the Gopher's power play is always in the right position! Never really scrambling or trying too hard which leads to fantastic goals like Warning's last night. I have always feared the PP unit when the Mavs played them.

Good win, Gophers do it again to help the Mavs out on Sunday!!

Your team is having a fantastic season too. Your team is relentless. Really excited for you guys

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

Minnesota's best hope is to have some of QU's TUC opponents fall out of TUC status. Most of their TUC wins ca,e against teams close to the borderline.

It would actually help QU for some of their "borderline" teams to fall off. The only losses that QU has suffered (to date) against TUCs came against those borderline squads. For example, the lowest TUC that QU has played is Colgate. They went 2-1-0 against the Raiders. Take them out, and QU's numbers actually improve from 12-2-2 (.8125) to 10-1-2 (.8461). If say the bottom three teams that they've played fall off (SLU, Ohio St., and Colgate), their record would go from 12-2-2 to 8-0-1. This would mean that the TUC wouldn't come into play (10 game min). However, given that QU is scheduled to play Yale (#11 in RPI) and Dartmouth (#18 in RPI), they would jump over the 10 game number and be back in contention. Now, if QU would say lose out in those games, then the TUC comparison could get real close, especially if Minnesota keeps playing like they have been.

In reality, most of QU's TUC wins came against teams that are currently not all that close to the borderline (.5000 RPI). The result of that, is that it is unlikely that teams falling off will adversely affect QU, and it could very well help the Bobcats. Anything can happen with 4-5 weeks left in the regular season/tournaments, but QU is in a dominant position when it comes to the #1 overall seed. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, this year (if Niagara wins Atlantic Hockey) could be very different, and there will likely be no discernible advantage for the #1 overall seed in comparison with the #2 overall seed, which Minnesota has a Quinnipiac-like stranglehold on over everyone else.

[mnstate0fhockey]

It would actually help QU for some of their "borderline" teams to fall off. The only losses that QU has suffered (to date) against TUCs came against those borderline squads. For example, the lowest TUC that QU has played is Colgate. They went 2-1-0 against the Raiders. Take them out, and QU's numbers actually improve from 12-2-2 (.8125) to 10-1-2 (.8461). If say the bottom three teams that they've played fall off (SLU, Ohio St., and Colgate), their record would go from 12-2-2 to 8-0-1. This would mean that the TUC wouldn't come into play (10 game min). However, given that QU is scheduled to play Yale (#11 in RPI) and Dartmouth (#18 in RPI), they would jump over the 10 game number and be back in contention. Now, if QU would say lose out in those games, then the TUC comparison could get real close, especially if Minnesota keeps playing like they have been.

In reality, most of QU's TUC wins came against teams that are currently not all that close to the borderline (.5000 RPI). The result of that, is that it is unlikely that teams falling off will adversely affect QU, and it could very well help the Bobcats. Anything can happen with 4-5 weeks left in the regular season/tournaments, but QU is in a dominant position when it comes to the #1 overall seed. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, this year (if Niagara wins Atlantic Hockey) could be very different, and there will likely be no discernible advantage for the #1 overall seed in comparison with the #2 overall seed, which Minnesota has a Quinnipiac-like stranglehold on over everyone else.

Good point. Forgot they had a few losses to some of those same teams. Though, I disagree with the notion that most of QU's wins haven't come against lower rung TUC and non-TUC teams. They most certainly have.

TUC Ranking of their opponents:

Non-TUC (13 games), 24th, 24th, T27th, T27th, 23rd, T27th, T17th, T17th, T20th, T20th, T17th, T17th, T10th, T27th, 23rd.

One game against a Pairwise Top 15 team. That means only one game against a team in the top half of TUC right now.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

I have no need for the Gophers to catch the Q in the PWR. So what does it mean? We play in W MI. And being #1 in sports is never really a plus until after the last game.

From my experience "slower" ice makes everyone slower so I still discount the concept as an "equalizer".

I know where you're going with this...but I'm not sure about the outcome.

Sure both teams skate slower. But what matters is the puck. When you're moving at high speeds the margin for error for the puck getting caught up is much slimmer. So it wouldn't surprise me if in fact the slower team had a slight...slight advantage.

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

Good point. Forgot they had a few losses to some of those same teams. Though, I disagree with the notion that most of QU's wins haven't come against lower rung TUC and non-TUC teams. They most certainly have.

I was referring to their TUC wins...not overall wins.

[mnstate0fhockey]

I was referring to their TUC wins...not overall wins.

I edited above. They only have one win against a Pairwise Top 15 team. Only one win against the Top half of the TUC field.

Sorry, not impressed.

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

I edited above. They only have one win against a Pairwise Top 15 team. Only one win against the Top half of the TUC field.

Sorry, not impressed.

I don't really care if you're impressed or not. I'm not a QU fan. I was just trying to help some of your fans out by showing that the RPI comparison is unlikely to flip the pairwise comparison between QU and Minnesota.

Interestingly enough, or at least I find it interesting, North Dakota might be the best bet for Minnesota to get the #1 overall seed. Of course, I can't imagine many Minnesota fans cheering on North Dakota.

[gopheritall]

I edited above. They only have one win against a Pairwise Top 15 team. Only one win against the Top half of the TUC field.

Sorry, not impressed.

Devil's advocate...they also have not lost to a PWR top 15 team. So the teams that can beat them won't make the tournament.

I think the reffing in the WCHA right now is not doing any favors to the WCHA teams. The calls in the NCAAs always seem tighter. Our teams could get penalized into losses if they get used to the current, "let them play" style.

[mnstate0fhockey]

I don't really care if you're impressed or not. I'm not a QU fan. I was just trying to help some of your fans out by showing that the RPI comparison is unlikely to flip the pairwise comparison between QU and Minnesota.

Interestingly enough, or at least I find it interesting, North Dakota might be the best bet for Minnesota to get the #1 overall seed. Of course, I can't imagine many Minnesota fans cheering on North Dakota.

Not attacking you man. I appreciate your insight

Not too worried about getting #1 overall seed. More concerned with team playing great hockey down the stretch and going into the tourney with momentum.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Devil's advocate...they also have not lost to a PWR top 15 team. So the teams that can beat them won't make the tournament.

I think the reffing in the WCHA right now is not doing any favors to the WCHA teams. The calls in the NCAAs always seem tighter. Our teams could get penalized into losses if they get used to the current, "let them play" style.

They haven't lost to a Pairwise Top 15 team because they have only played one game against one. Can you imagine if UMN or UND had that schedule? Agree on the officiating.

[Steve_MN]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

Good point. Forgot they had a few losses to some of those same teams. Though, I disagree with the notion that most of QU's wins haven't come against lower rung TUC and non-TUC teams. They most certainly have.

TUC Ranking of their opponents:

Non-TUC (13 games), 24th, 24th, T27th, T27th, 23rd, T27th, T17th, T17th, T20th, T20th, T17th, T17th, T10th, T27th, 23rd.

One game against a Pairwise Top 15 team. That means only one game against a team in the top half of TUC right now.

I was referring to their TUC wins...not overall wins.

I edited above. They only have one win against a Pairwise Top 15 team. Only one win against the Top half of the TUC field.

Sorry, not impressed.

While I am similarly unimpressed at this point, the assertion earlier was that most of QU's wins vs TUCs were against teams that weren't close to falling off the cliff at .5000 RPI, so it's highly unlikely that QU will drop out of the #1 overall seed.

[gopheritall]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

They haven't lost to a Pairwise Top 15 team because they have only played one game against one. Can you imagine if UMN or UND had that schedule? Agree on the officiating.

I imagine that if UMN or UND had that schedule we would have a similar record, people would say we were no good, hadn't played anyone, and we might not be fully prepared for the NCAAs. It wouldn't change who we have on the team or their skill.

Edit: I personally think the Gophers are better than Q. I also think they give up too many shots against and when they run into a high powered offense they will lose. I am very happy for their success thus year though.

[Steve_MN]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

Not attacking you man. I appreciate your insight

Not too worried about getting #1 overall seed. More concerned with team playing great hockey down the stretch and going into the tourney with momentum.

Completely agreed. #1 overall vs #2 shouldn't make much difference IF the Gophers are playing well through the WCHA tourney. Given how they're playing now, I'm thinking they will be, but that's still a month and a half out.

They haven't lost to a Pairwise Top 15 team because they have only played one game against one. Can you imagine if UMN or UND had that schedule? Agree on the officiating.

Yeah, it's a pretty weak schedule. To their credit, they HAVE been ripping it up, but I think there will be a lot of disappointed QU fans come NCAA time.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Minnesota @ Wisconsin : 02/15 - 02/17

*snicker* *chuckle* BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Of course I was being a bit facetious regarding burying the gofers on Sunday, but I'm not all that sure what all the snickering is about. We get caught on a long, long shift and Labate takes 2 minors. How often do you see that? Bucky kills 3.5 minutes of the 4 min pp, if Labate gets one minor, it's perhaps a different game. (Not saying he didn't deserve both, just that it doesn't happen often.) Maybe Bucky ties it late or maybe Eaves doesn't pull Rumpel with enough time left, (scored with 1:04 left, I think.) who knows? Still, you guys seem a little excited for all your vaunted firepower being shut out 5 on 5, while the lowly Badger offense managed a score.

Bucky played pretty good, not our best, but certainly far from our worst, and Rumpel was strong in the net. The goofs are a much better team, but just keep leaving us chances on Sunday like you did last night and we'll see how badly we get buried.