WCHA 2020-21: We Can Do Better than Two Bids and Eight Teams Exiting

[LSSULaker889294]

Sad to hear Nmu's longtime PA announcer retire. He did a great job and his Willllldcat goal announcements were cool despite them coming against my Lakers.

[Hammer]

I wonder if Bob Daniels is on the hot seat at Ferris State?

He's been there long enough that he can call his own shot.

Truthfully, I think he will before too long.

[BSUBeavs]

Congrats Beavers on your 4-3 OT win at #6 Bowling Green. :-)

Much needed win. Thus far it has been a bit of a disappointing season but hopefully this can get it back on track.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Much needed win. Thus far it has been a bit of a disappointing season but hopefully this can get it back on track.

This season is going to be hard to guage and there is no real time to "find" yourselves. Against BG, they hung in both games with a top 10 ranked team that had five extra games under their belts.

Up next is Huntsville at home, who just swept Ferris in Huntsville. Not sure what that says about Ferris....

[manurespreader]

I've watched all of Huntsville's games I can and most of the Ferris games. I'd say they are both better than the bottom teams last year. Ferris has some work to do to get out of the basement. Lake State is a mature team with a lot of upperclassmen and will be tough for everyone. The top of the league is better than last year with the exception that Mankato might not be quite as good. Looking at college hockey as a whole, Minnesota and Michigan stand out as top teams, the NCHC is good but not unbeatable at all, and HE, well they haven't played a ton of games. Just my two cents. If we had the top 3 teams get in they would do just fine IMHO.

[Laker Dude]

Much needed win. Thus far it has been a bit of a disappointing season but hopefully this can get it back on track.

Missing Rosen and Zmolek for most of the year has probably led to some of BSU's struggles so far, especially on the power play. I say Rosen was back in for the games at BG.

[beaverhockeyfan]

This weekend's UAH at BSU series has been postponed to March 5 and 6.

[John J. MacInnes]

I've watched all of Huntsville's games I can and most of the Ferris games. I'd say they are both better than the bottom teams last year. Ferris has some work to do to get out of the basement. Lake State is a mature team with a lot of upperclassmen and will be tough for everyone. The top of the league is better than last year with the exception that Mankato might not be quite as good. Looking at college hockey as a whole, Minnesota and Michigan stand out as top teams, the NCHC is good but not unbeatable at all, and HE, well they haven't played a ton of games. Just my two cents. If we had the top 3 teams get in they would do just fine IMHO.

Not willing to call the skunks a "top" team yet.

Considering they have so many losses and sit tied for 5th in the Big Ten with a sub-.500 record in conference, they may (at times) pass the eye test but the proof is in results. With so many young players as the core of their team, they are inherently susceptible to inconsistent performances (like a 9-0 win followed by a 3-2 loss). They are of course capable of stepping up against any team - but in their last 8 games they're 2-6.

I'd favor the Mavericks or the Falcons in a matchup against them. They're a toss-up against other WCHA teams just because you never know what you're going to get.

[manurespreader]

I have to say I am THOROUGHLY sick of all the holding, grabbing, and general interference that teams get way with in our league. If you didn't see it, Mel Pearson had something to say about it in the B1g last week as well.

[pdt1081]

I have to say I am THOROUGHLY sick of all the holding, grabbing, and general interference that teams get way with in our league. If you didn't see it, Mel Pearson had something to say about it in the B1g last week as well.

Would make for some wild games if they started calling by NHL rules. The unfortunate part is some teams are able to compete in D1 simply because it's allowed. Some of them still aren't very competitive. It may result in the resurgence of the Division 2 level.

[net presence]

Would make for some wild games if they started calling by NHL rules. The unfortunate part is some teams are able to compete in D1 simply because it's allowed. Some of them still aren't very competitive. It may result in the resurgence of the Division 2 level.

The WCHA has been either 1st or 2nd in average number of penalties called per game for at least the last 5 years. I think we need to acknowledge the simple fact that, outside of Mankato, the rest of our teams are simply lacking in the high-end talent that is the norm for the NCHC, Big, and Hockey East. Especially in the are of skating. This obviously diminishes the ability for the players to create separation from each other. Which in turn, makes it seem like there's more incidental contact and scrums down low. If our officials are leading Div. I hockey in penalties per game as long as they have, I don't think we can blame them for our perception of reduced quality of play (e.g. we're allowing so much more obstruction to occur).

[pdt1081]

The WCHA has been either 1st or 2nd in average number of penalties called per game for at least the last 5 years. I think we need to acknowledge the simple fact that, outside of Mankato, the rest of our teams are simply lacking in the high-end talent that is the norm for the NCHC, Big, and Hockey East. Especially in the are of skating. This obviously diminishes the ability for the players to create separation from each other. Which in turn, makes it seem like there's more incidental contact and scrums down low. If our officials are leading Div. I hockey in penalties per game as long as they have, I don't think we can blame them for our perception of reduced quality of play (e.g. we're allowing so much more obstruction to occur).

We can and we can't. Coaches coach game plans to give themselves the best chance to win. And they are allowed to coach that plan, and I'm sure it's even said in practices, because "they're not going to call every penalty." This leads to a problem with the consistency of penalty calls throughout a game. How many times have of checked the box score after a game and saw the number of penalties was equal? Even though you know there is a large gap in talent level between the two teams. And how many of those are retaliations?

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Mel Pearson had something to say about it in the B1g last week as well.

Who?

[Sol Diablo]

Who?

Ha! Good one!

[manurespreader]

This next weeks BGSU vs MTU series is BIG! Let's hope covid doesn't get in the way. Tech will have to play a lot better than they have been and be able to withstand that aggressive forecheck Bg uses so effectively. I do think Tech's goaltending is better.
Tech has games monday, Friday, Sat, and Tues of the following week. So 4 games in 7 days and 7 games in 16 days looking out further.