Latest pairwise rankings

[J.D.]

A St. Cloud/Harvard switch is logical but I am not sure it happens. Hasn't the committee avoided doing that recently even though it would in fact help attendance?

[Fighting Sioux 23]

I get Mich and Den swapping places also if CC wins. And, I like yours better than mine. Only difference is you and I have Ohio State and Minn State swapped. but, for travel, and also inter-Minnesota intrigue, Minn State at Fargo makes a lot of sense.

Yeah, they originally had Michigan at #3 even with a CC victory. They updated their standings at some point after that. Your breakdown is correct.

As for Minnesota State to Fargo, I did it for three main reasons:
1. Protect the #1 seed. No need to have the #2 two seed and #1 three seed for the overall #1.
2. Protect the #6 seed. Ohio State has to get swapped out somewhere. The logical swap is to flip the 9 with the 10. No need to "punish" St. Cloud.
3. Saves a flight / should help with atmosphere in Fargo. Heck, maybe DQ will be the Regional sponsor. : p

[J.D.]

If CC wins...

Fargo:

1. Minnesota (1)
2. SCSU (7)
3. Ohio State (9)
4. Canisius (16)

Allentown:

1. Denver (3)
2. Penn State (8)
3. Michigan Tech (10)
4. Colgate (14)

Bridgeport:

1. Quinnipiac (2)
2. Harvard (6)
3. Minnesota State (11)
4. CC (15)

Manchester:

1. Michigan (4)
2. BU (5)
3. Western Michigan (12)
4. Cornell (13)

[Numbers]

There will be no problem with the atmosphere in Fargo. The place will be packed with anti-Minnesota fans. St Cloud State is less than 3 hours from Fargo. There will be lots of cheering no matter what happens.

But, essentially swapping the 6/11 game with the 7/9 game gives Bridgeport a better chance of good atmosphere as well.

[J.D.]

Every year I think maybe they'll make a switch for attendance purposes and it never seems to happen that way.

[J.D.]

There will be no problem with the atmosphere in Fargo. The place will be packed with anti-Minnesota fans. St Cloud State is less than 3 hours from Fargo. There will be lots of cheering no matter what happens.

But, essentially swapping the 6/11 game with the 7/9 game gives Bridgeport a better chance of good atmosphere as well.

Is the rationale that you added Harvard to Bridgeport? Because sure it's nice for them to go there but Harvard adds nothing to any atmosphere anywhere. They could play it in their home rink and they'd be outnumbered.

[Numbers]

Is the rationale that you added Harvard to Bridgeport? Because sure it's nice for them to go there but Harvard adds nothing to any atmosphere anywhere. They could play it in their home rink and they'd be outnumbered.

That's part. So, thanks for the input.

Swapping those 2 full games also saves 4 flights.

No telling which way the committee falls, though, because it's a different committee every year.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

No telling which way the committee falls, though, because it's a different committee every year.

Speaking of, who is on the committee this year?

[John J. MacInnes]

Speaking of, who is on the committee this year?

Will be interesting to see how they deal with some issues in travel and attendance. They haven't seemed to care much about flights lately, mostly because they keep stacking regionals in the east with 11 teams from the West playing.

[MarkEagleUSA]

Speaking of, who is on the committee this year?

• East Region (Hockey East): Jeffrey Schulman, University of Vermont athletic director (chair)
• East Region (Atlantic Hockey): Rich Gotkin, Mercyhurst head coach
• East Region (ECAC): Tim Troville, Harvard senior associate athletic director
• West Region (NCHC): Scott Sandelin, Minnesota Duluth head coach
• West Region (CCHA): Bob Daniels, Ferris State head coach
• West Region (Big Ten): Josh Richelew, Michigan sport administrator

[Numbers]

Considering it's not much change from last year, and considering that this committee made the rule about how far they can move teams within a seeding band, I predict that the 7/9 and 6/11 swap will not happen.

[John J. MacInnes]

I'm rolling with this prediction.

Fargo
(1)Minnesota vs (16)Canisius
(6)St. Cloud vs (11)Mankato

Bridgeport
(2)Quinnipiac vs (14)Merrimack
(7)Harvard vs (9)Ohio State

Allentown
(3)Denver vs (15)Colgate
(8)Penn State vs (10)Tech

Manchester
(4)Skunks vs (13)Cornell
(5)Boston U vs (12)Western

[Fighting Sioux 23]

I'm rolling with this prediction.

Fargo
(1)Minnesota vs (16)Canisius
(6)St. Cloud vs (11)Mankato

Bridgeport
(2)Quinnipiac vs (14)Merrimack
(7)Harvard vs (9)Ohio State

Allentown
(3)Denver vs (15)Colgate
(8)Penn State vs (10)Tech

Manchester
(4)Skunks vs (13)Cornell
(5)Boston U vs (12)Western

Yep. That's what I have as well.

[J.D.]

So the baseline if SCSU wins?

Fargo:

1. Minnesota (1)
2. Harvard (7)
3. Ohio State (9)
4. Canisius (16)

Allentown:

1. Michigan (3)
2. Penn State (8)
3. Michigan Tech (10)
4. Colgate (15)

Bridgeport:

1. Quinnipiac (2)
2. St. Cloud State (6)
3. Minnesota State (11)
4. Merrimack (14)

Manchester:

1. Denver (4)
2. BU (5)
3. Western Michigan (12)
4. Cornell (13)

This is my final answer. Minimal changes needed by the committee and I don't see a glaring attendance issue anywhere. You could tweak it for attendance but based on what we have seen recently I think they are content with what they will get attendance wise.

[Numbers]

Yep. That's what I have as well.

Swap Skunks and Denver. SCSU wins, Michigan gets the #3