pairwise -- post jan 8th

[J.D.]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Wodon has the placement of quinnipiac and michigan as 50/50. A couple interesting calls to be made.

[Tater]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Wodon has the placement of quinnipiac and michigan as 50/50. A couple interesting calls to be made.

Hopefully Jason Moy finishes soon and we can compare. He has the advantage of reading Wodon's bracket and reasoning.

[Speed Kills]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Question as a BU fan. By your location I am assuming you are a North Dakota fan. Why to you think BU gets past 2 NCHC teams, #2 and #6 in both PWR and KRACH?

I'm actually a Minnesota fan, but that is beside the point. I think that Hokey East as a conference is much stronger than the NCHC. Also, Denver and St. Cloud both have a history of losing in the regionals even when they are seeded higher than their opponent.

[Tipsy McStagger]

I'm actually a Minnesota fan, but that is beside the point. I think that Hokey East as a conference is much stronger than the NCHC. Also, Denver and St. Cloud both have a history of losing in the regionals even when they are seeded higher than their opponent.

Whereas Minnesota had the glittering record of losing to 15 seeds twice.

[Arafel]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

wodon's guess from chn.com

Albany
1. Quinnipiac vs. 16. RIT
8. Lowell vs. 10. Yale

St. Paul
2. St. Cloud State vs. 15. Ferris State
6. Denver vs. 9. Boston University

Cincinnati
3. North Dakota vs. 13. Northeastern
7. Michigan vs. 12. Notre Dame

Worcester
4. Providence vs. 14. Minnesota-Duluth
5. Boston College vs. 11. Harvard

That's the one we came up with in the press room at the Target Center tonight. Think they'll do anything they can to have Michigan and Notre Dame in Cincy for attendance. Having NoDak there is a bonus because NoDak fans will fly anywhere

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

wodon's guess from chn.com

Albany
1. Quinnipiac vs. 16. RIT
8. Lowell vs. 10. Yale

St. Paul
2. St. Cloud State vs. 15. Ferris State
6. Denver vs. 9. Boston University

Cincinnati
3. North Dakota vs. 13. Northeastern
7. Michigan vs. 12. Notre Dame

Worcester
4. Providence vs. 14. Minnesota-Duluth
5. Boston College vs. 11. Harvard

I think that's probably what it will be as well, but I think that is a bit of a punishment for SCSU.

Has anyone ever won the NCAA Tournament by beating 4 conference tournament champions? North Dakota may have to do just that to raise their 8th title (Northeastern - Hockey East, Michigan - B1G, SCSU - NCHC, and Quinnipiac - ECAC).

[LTsatch]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

I think that's probably what it will be as well, but I think that is a bit of a punishment for SCSU.

Has anyone ever won the NCAA Tournament by beating 4 conference tournament champions? North Dakota may have to do just that to raise their 8th title (Northeastern - Hockey East, Michigan - B1G, SCSU - NCHC, and Quinnipiac - ECAC).

Can't be much harder than beating three number one seeds.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Can't be much harder than beating three number one seeds.

I suppose it depends on the year. Conference Tournament Champions are, arguably, playing their best hockey at tournament time. Not necessarily this year (and not necessarily in 2013 either ), but sometimes #1 seeds peak a bit too early and fade down the stretch a bit.

[LTsatch]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

I suppose it depends on the year. Conference Tournament Champions are, arguably, playing their best hockey at tournament time. Not necessarily this year (and not necessarily in 2013 either ), but sometimes #1 seeds peak a bit too early and fade down the stretch a bit.

Funny, in '13 Yale failed to get out of it's conference semis, ending up well rested for the trip west. They are well rested again! I can see Northeastern making a Cinderella run, but we will most likely see QU and Michigan in the final. Many great teams in the tourney this year with the exception of 30 and 36.

[The Rube]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

IMO: Cincy is the Region of Death this year, on first glance.

UND doesn't travel, they have fans that live EVERYWHERE. EVERY. WHERE.

(Why? Who the hell wants to live in NoDak?

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Funny, in '13 Yale failed to get out of it's conference semis, ending up well rested for the trip west. They are well rested again! I can see Northeastern making a Cinderella run, but we will most likely see QU and Michigan in the final. Many great teams in the tourney this year with the exception of 30 and 36.

Michigan is a dark horse. They played 2 games against tournament teams (split @ BU). Their offense is electric, but they play some pretty pitiful defense at times.

Northeastern...yikes...they are playing great hockey. Not looking forward to that matchup for the Sioux.

[The Rube]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Michigan is a dark horse. They played 2 games against tournament teams (split @ BU). Their offense is electric, but they play some pretty pitiful defense at times.

Northeastern...yikes...they are playing great hockey. Not looking forward to that matchup for the Sioux.

If Racine is on, good luck against MI. But, that is also the million dollar question.

Tonight, every time the Gophers touched the puck, they dropped 2 guys back, many times they dropped 3 back. No way an odd-man rush was happening. That's just the death shot for a team that is the Gophers' style. It all depended on Racine, and he played solid tonight.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

If Racine is on, good luck against MI. But, that is also the million dollar question.

Tonight, every time the Gophers touched the puck, they dropped 2 guys back, many times they dropped 3 back. No way an odd-man rush was happening. That's just the death shot for a team that is the Gophers' style. It all depended on Racine, and he played solid tonight.

It will be interesting to see how Michigan's attack stands up against teams that play solid Defense. Nobody in the Big Ten finished in the top half in the country in Team Defense. In contrast, Notre Dame finished 14th, Northeastern finished 20th, and North Dakota 3rd. That being said, the CCM line might just be the best line in college hockey, and if North Dakota and Michigan both advance, high-powered top lines have given the Sioux fits this season.

[MagnessMan]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Interesting that Moy and Woden's brackets are identical. I'm going to guess that they stick closer to bracket integrity this year. I like Jayson's second to last bracket. With the former Sioux in Cincy attendance is not an issue there. The two east regionals will be lightly attended no matter how you slice them, so why bother?

East Regional (Albany):
14 Minnesota-Duluth vs. 4 Providence
11 Harvard vs. 5 Boston College

Northeast Regional (Worcester):
16 RIT vs. 1 Quinnipiac
10 Yale vs 8 Massachusetts-Lowell

Midwest Regional (Cincinnati):
13 Northeastern vs. 3 North Dakota
12 Notre Dame vs. 6 Denver

West Regional (St. Paul):
15 Ferris State vs. 2 St. Cloud State
9 Boston University vs. 7 Michigan

[brassbonanza]

Re: pairwise -- post jan 8th

Interesting that Moy and Woden's bracket are identical. I'm going to guess that they stick closer to bracket integrity this year given the mess with PC last year--I like Jayson's second to last bracket.
East Regional (Albany):
14 Minnesota-Duluth vs. 4 Providence
11 Harvard vs. 5 Boston College

Northeast Regional (Worcester):
16 RIT vs. 1 Quinnipiac
10 Yale vs 8 Massachusetts-Lowell

Midwest Regional (Cincinnati):
13 Northeastern vs. 3 North Dakota
12 Notre Dame vs. 6 Denver

West Regional (St. Paul):
15 Ferris State vs. 2 St. Cloud State
9 Boston University vs. 7 Michigan

Michigan won't go to St. Paul - it's a flight for them where they can drive to Cincinnati. Not to mention they'll need MI for attendance in Cincinnati.