Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

[sterlippo1]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

You're aware they didn't rank BU there, right?

I don't think that matters

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

Minnesota, North Dakota, SCSU and Denver.

Denver is usually littered with question marks due to their top players leaving after one or two years, but after last year I am not going to predict them for lower than a top 4 finish until they actually finish a year outside of the top 4. That hasn't happened in at least 10 years.

I don't believe SCSU is littered with question marks. Wisconsin may return 85 goals, but 20 of their goals last year came in 4 games against Mercyhurst and RIT. Their number of goals in conference play, which I believe is a more accurate comparison, was 76 for UW to 86 for SCSU. UW loses Schultz, we lose Festler, Eddy, and Novak (Reid and Macmillan left halfway through last season). We get back Leblanc, who scored 39 points in 10-11. I haven't seen Rumpel play outside of the series' against SCSU and Minnesota. He played well the last weekend against Minnesota and did not look good against SCSU. He may be better than Faragher, but not by much. Their save percentages are pretty similar. SCSU lost one inconsequential player (Zabkowicz) from their D-core last year. UW lost Justin Schultz. UW gave up 83 goals in conference play vs. 74 for SCSU. So I think SCSU will have more than a slightly better defense than UW.

So there is my 4. I think people are overrating UNO and UW for next season.

20 of SCSU's goals came against New Hampshire and Anchorage. When you play bad teams, you will score more goals than normal. It wasn't just Wisconsin who had those types of games. Against the league's top teams, Wisconsin scored 9 goals to SCSU's 7 against Minnesota. They each scored 5 against Duluth, and SCSU scored 7 to Wisconsin's 5 against DU. Wisconsin scored 15 against North Dakota, while SCSU scored 10. So, against the top 4 teams in the conference last season, Wisconsin scored 34 goals in 12 games, while SCSU scored 29 goals in 12 games. Both squads went 5-6-1 in those 12 games. In other words, SCSU feasted on teams with losing records scoring nearly 60% of their goals against the bottom half.

As for next season, IMO, Denver will struggle to score, but their goaltending should keep them in most games. That being said, I think the WCHA as a whole is quite a bit better than last season, and I think Denver will find themselves on the shortside of 3-2 type games more often than not. I do think the Pioneers are a 5th or 6th place WCHA team though because of Gwoz and their goaltending. The Pioneers also have a decent freshman class coming in that should help. As for SCSU, I think they are probably the favorites to take that 3rd spot, and could inch up a spot if either Minnesota or North Dakota flounder. SCSU is good enough to win the league next season, and I have them in my top 10 at this point for next season. I agree with you that UNO is probably overrated, but they have a very young squad and a coach that has proven he knows how to lead that type of squad to great things. I also think Michigan Tech will have a strong squad. That being said, I think Wisconsin lands in at 4th. They have an easier conference schedule than Denver (DU is in a pod with CC, UND, and SCSU, while Wisconsin is in a pod with MN, Anchorage, and Mankato), and have more talent and firepower than either UNO or Tech. Wisconsin should be able to score goals at or above the league average, and they will be just fine defensively (they almost always are). That is a formula for a winning record in league play. If all goes well for Wisconsin, I could see them climbing as high as 2nd or 3rd, but realistically 4th is probably where they land. FWIW, I see Denver coming in 5th and Tech 6th, narrowly edging UNO for home ice.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Minnesota, North Dakota, SCSU and Denver.

Denver is usually littered with question marks due to their top players leaving after one or two years, but after last year I am not going to predict them for lower than a top 4 finish until they actually finish a year outside of the top 4. That hasn't happened in at least 10 years.

I don't believe SCSU is littered with question marks. Wisconsin may return 85 goals, but 20 of their goals last year came in 4 games against Mercyhurst and RIT. Their number of goals in conference play, which I believe is a more accurate comparison, was 76 for UW to 86 for SCSU. UW loses Schultz, we lose Festler, Eddy, and Novak (Reid and Macmillan left halfway through last season). We get back Leblanc, who scored 39 points in 10-11. I haven't seen Rumpel play outside of the series' against SCSU and Minnesota. He played well the last weekend against Minnesota and did not look good against SCSU. He may be better than Faragher, but not by much. Their save percentages are pretty similar. SCSU lost one inconsequential player (Zabkowicz) from their D-core last year. UW lost Justin Schultz. UW gave up 83 goals in conference play vs. 74 for SCSU. So I think SCSU will have more than a slightly better defense than UW.

So there is my 4. I think people are overrating UNO and UW for next season.

Well said. I certainly think SCSU will be right there in the mix as well. I mentioned Kerdiles for UW, but Benik has to be in any early discussion for freshman of the year front runner as well. He should have an immediate impact.

I hear what you're saying about Denver, but I am convinced they'll finish outside the top 5 this year. Yeah, it hasn't happened in years, but that just makes me think it will happen even more. They should be solid in net, but I think they'll struggle offensively.

I think UNO will take a step forward and be a home ice team this year, but I think they are another year from really contending. I think they'll be a tournament bubble team.

My top four are Minnesota, North Dakota, SCSU, and Wisconsin. After that I would group Denver, UMD, UNO, MTU in the next tier (no particular order).

[The Exiled One]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

Well said. I certainly think SCSU will be right there in the mix as well. I mentioned Kerdiles for UW, but Benik has to be in any early discussion for freshman of the year front runner as well. He should have an immediate impact.

I was thinking that Benik and Kerdiles should be the frontrunners from the forward position as well, but Blueger and Khaira could stand out on their respective teams. I don't think he's the next Rau (though I didn't think that Rau would start off so strong either), but Kloos will be another one to keep an eye on.

Lots of defensemen to consider though, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a blueliner take down FOTY. Zajac, Reilly, Skjei, Welinski, Schmaltz, etc.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

I was thinking that Benik and Kerdiles should be the frontrunners from the forward position as well, but Blueger and Khaira could stand out on their respective teams. I don't think he's the next Rau (though I didn't think that Rau would start off so strong either), but Kloos will be another one to keep an eye on.

Kerdiles and Benik will be a lot of fun to watch. That award could go to a bunch of different players including any of the Reilly brothers at Minnesota, and Gothberg or Schmaltz at UND. Denver has a few players that could bring home that award as well. Also, I'm curious if Grimaldi is eligible for the award if he received a redshirt. I'm not sure if Blueger will put up the numbers at Mankato to be in the running, but Khaira could definitely be in the mix if he can help Tech into the upper half. Needless to say, I doubt there will be a clear pick for Rookie of the Year in the WCHA this season.

[Slap Shot]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

I think SCSU should be a team to watch if it all plays out right. Still not convinced about Motzko but you never know.

UncleRay - I believe there is one primary "ZOMGMINNESOTA!!" bobo here, the rest are fairly equal fan for fan with the rest of USCHO.

Apparently Piotrowski scored that OT goal.

[state of hockey]

Apparently Piotrowski scored that OT goal.

He also scored the one to tie it. How he wasn't the first star is beyond me.

[css228]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

Championships won with only in-state players

Minnesota: 2
Every Other Team (Including Yours): 0

And every team traps, including the Gophers. I really wonder if you even understand what the trap is.

History. Tradition. Respect.
Deal. With. It.

So from what I can tell of your posts, it is simultaneously an advantage and a disadvantage to have Minnesota players. This post seems to insinuate it is a disadvantage to use only Minny players. Because God forbid a kid from the Sun Belt plays college hockey. Yet from other things you have said, Minnesota is the greatest hockey state ever and its players are superior to all else. So which is it, are Minnesota players not good, making it impressive you won without outside help, or are they so amazing that perhaps we should only count championships without a single Minnesota player on the roster?

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

watch the game.
watch when Todd Jackson was NEAR Hauser and watch what Piotrowski was watching.
you can say bs all you want.

I suppose the soviets won in '72?

The only reason the penalty was called in OT is because it was knee to knee and there was no choice. The idiot Maine player who attempted to injure someone during a title game is at fault. No one else.

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Inch top 10 for 2012/2013

The only reason the penalty was called in OT is because it was knee to knee and there was no choice. The idiot Maine player who attempted to injure someone during a title game is at fault. No one else.

One good thing now that we're far away from the Walsh era is that the Maine players and their fans don't have any expectations of their team cheating and getting away with it like they often did under Walsh. While 2002 was coached by Whitehead, you can be sure the residual effects Walsh left on those kids lingered strong. It was a cultural thing there that he cultivated. The previous year, Maine was eliminated by BC in the regionals and the players and Walsh (ejected from the game FWIW) were absolutely flabbergasted that the officiating crew would enforce the rules of the game, particularly late in the game, because they so often got away with it previously (see 2000 HE final vs. BC for a good example). Find the old articles from that 2001 regional game with Maine quotes - it still is unreal to read.

edit - and of course that was Piotrowski, which obviously caused a lot of temper tantrums in Orono the next year when he also officiated Maine's elimination in 2002 to MN.