Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

[Jim]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

For the two service academies that play hockey, it has always been one of their "marquee" sports. At Air Force, it is probably second only to football in terms of both interest and success. The hockey team regularly outdraws the basketball team. I would say the same is probably true at Army.
Sacred Heart, like Mercyhurst and RIT, has had some success when it could tap into the Ontario pipeline, but has struggled to draw locally or regionally. They've had good teams in the past, but have never broken through with a NCAA bid. Holy Cross is undoubtedly the class of the east, and has a nice facility to go along with good support from a well-rounded athletic department. It doesn't hurt that they're almost within commuting distance of hockey-crazy Boston, either. Bentley could tap into that someday, but not until they stop playing in that Peewee rink. UConn is just waiting for their Big-16/BTHC invite to really start developing their program.
I guess, theoretically, the east could someday challenge the west, but unless they upgrade their facilities and shed their cost-containment model (which they have been loathe to do) I doubt they ever will.

I've said for a long time that the odd thing is that the cost containment model really sort of works. The real low cost programs that thought they could play D-1 hockey and not really make any effort have more or less gone by the wayside and been replaced by better programs. I think Bentley would have had a facility but for the econmic crash. I know they were looking at it. But in the early days of the MAAC, I think only UCONN, Mercyhurst and Holy Cross had their own ice. Now those without arenas are the minority by a long shot. But we've been thoruhg this before to a degree. In the early days of the league, Mercyhurst and Quinnipiac were really much better than everyone else. they had better recruiting. they had more and better scholarship money. Hurst had a rink. But over time, the others caught up. I fully expect that to happen again. Mercyhurst certainly doesn't dominate the original teams like it did. Not even close. And really if you look at it, nobody ran away and hid. Could Holy Cross have played in the western pod and been competetive. I think so. Could UCONN? Not quite as well as Holy Cross, but I think they'd have done as well as Mercyhurst and better than Canisius. I fyou really look at it, the league sets up pretty well for an East and a West. UCONN, Sacred heart, AIC, Holy Cross Army and Bentley are all within a couple of hours drive. Army to Bentley is probably the longest maybe 31/2-4 hours. Same in the west. RIT to Pittsburgh is probably the longest, I'd guess maybe 4 hours. Everyone else is in a pretty tight radius around Buffalo. So it really does make sense to organize the league like they are. Air Force is 2000 miles away from its nearest competitor. Even Mercyhurst, who used to complain that they had to travel a long way for almost all their road games now has a pretty sweet arrangement. While I like having them in the league a lot, it makes for a somewhat strange travel schedule and really makes it difficult for any 1 game playoff scenarios. It works ok for them coming east. They can play Mercyhurst and Canisius back to back for example, but its tough for anyone to go there for a single game.

[komey1]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

I certainly agree that Sacred Heart will be back sooner rather than later. I think Holy Cross is a program that could make some noise in the next couple years.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

For the two service academies that play hockey, it has always been one of their "marquee" sports. At Air Force, it is probably second only to football in terms of both interest and success. The hockey team regularly outdraws the basketball team. I would say the same is probably true at Army.
Sacred Heart, like Mercyhurst and RIT, has had some success when it could tap into the Ontario pipeline, but has struggled to draw locally or regionally. They've had good teams in the past, but have never broken through with a NCAA bid. Holy Cross is undoubtedly the class of the east, and has a nice facility to go along with good support from a well-rounded athletic department. It doesn't hurt that they're almost within commuting distance of hockey-crazy Boston, either. Bentley could tap into that someday, but not until they stop playing in that Peewee rink. UConn is just waiting for their Big-16/BTHC invite to really start developing their program.
I guess, theoretically, the east could someday challenge the west, but unless they upgrade their facilities and shed their cost-containment model (which they have been loathe to do) I doubt they ever will.

[Jim]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

On attendance I think you're right, as far as on ice play I'm not so sure. Sacred Heart has been pretty consistently solid, sometimes very good despite their lack of facilities and fan support. I think the University, though sees hockey as a potential success story. Bentley has been a middle of the pack team that can be dangerous. Just ask some of the Hockey East teams they've upset in recent years. I agree that facilities are a huge issue. I also think, though that for at least a couple of those western teams, hockey is their sport, if you know what I mean. RIT for example, is D-3 in everything but hockey, isn't it? Mercyhurst, too? UCONN and Holy Cross on the other hand, play hockey but it is second fiddle to basketball...well in UCONN's case 3rd fiddle to mens basketball and womens baksetball. I don't really know about Air Force, but the service academies are different animals altogether anyway. Except on occassion, AIC is always going to struggle. I don't think that is true of Sacred Heart, based on their history.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

this year at least the weakest teams were in the east.

Not just this year. In addition, if you look at attendance (as indicative of level of support from fans and therefore schools) you have:
32 Air Force 16-43,463
33 RIT 15-39,143
43 Army 16-28,471
48 Robert Morris 15-20,785
50 Niagara 17-19,271
52 Connecticut 12-10,879
53 Holy Cross 15-12,162
54 Canisius 15-10,702
55 Mercyhurst 18-11,813
56 Sacred Heart 15-5,759
57 Bentley 14-4,189
58 American International 13-3,212

which is again heavily skewed towards the west (4 of the top 5 and all 6 in the top 9) The bottom 3 and 4 of the bottom 5 are the schools with off-campus facilities. Until that changes, I don't think the eastern schools will consistently finish above those in the west.

[Jim]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

Yeah, but RMU should be playing the #12 seed at home, not the #7 seed. And I seriously doubt the east pod will ever be that strong.

That's an interesting question, but Sacred Heart is having a down season after going to the AHA finals last year, so I suspect they'll be better. Army is also struggling a bit this year after having a few good teams in years past. UCONN has 3 freshmen and a sophomore among its top 5 scorers. Probably the biggest difference is that this year at least the weakest teams were in the east. If I were designing hte league, I'd have either gone with a true seeding system or a total East-West divisional split. I understand the pod system, but I don't love it. It is niether fish nor fowl.

[mar7967]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

Correct final standings: AFHockeyFan led the week with 10 points to take the 1st place position!

1 AFHockeyFan.....149
2 MICZamboni......148
3 RITProf.............139
4 RITShockSquad...138
5 cplinford...........136
6 mdumont..........135
7 RITMRC Tiger.....133
7 komey1............133
7 XCTiger.............133
10 BC/HE..............131
10 Stompey5.........131
12 thunder97.........129
12 Loki.................129
14 Snively65.........128
14 mar7967..........128
16 eagle70............127
17 burgie12...........123
17 gounhwildcats...123
19 RIT Fan.............122
20 Bing.................121
20 21st Century Schizoid Man....121
22 TWEET..............119
23 tarp..................118
24 5hole ...............100
25 Rochester...........69
26 sunylong............57
27 Spydey629 .........49
28 RMUColonials......46
29 d4rksabre...........36
30 slewwwwwfoot!....32
31 CARDS_rule_the_Burgh...30
32 blazer777...........28
33 RIT Winters........24
34 Mania................18
35 HurstLakerHockey....12
36 UNHHurstFan......11
37 1Boston3.............7
38 Humanoid...........6
38 hockeyfan1216....6
40 hockeyenthusiast..4

[mar7967]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

mar7967 aren't these last weeks totals?
I believe they are ...

Yes they are. good catch. I was away all weekend and tried to remotely update and post, and it obviously didn't turn out too well. I will update and correct tomorrow. Thanks

[AFHockeyFan]

Niagara maybe has a beef, but not Robert Morris. They finished in 5th and would be playing under pretty much any scenario that gave 4 teams byes in the first round. If they keep this format, there will be years where a west pod team will get the advantage, too.

Yeah, but RMU should be playing the #12 seed at home, not the #7 seed. And I seriously doubt the east pod will ever be that strong.

[Jim]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

AIC game didn't matter, RIT won the league by 3. But the 12-0 outburst against AIC the next night did help AF lead the league in goals scored.
And (for the first time this year), I'm not complaining about the crappy, horribly biased playoff format. But RMU and Niagara should be. Loudly.

Niagara maybe has a beef, but not Robert Morris. They finished in 5th and would be playing under pretty much any scenario that gave 4 teams byes in the first round. If they keep this format, there will be years where a west pod team will get the advantage, too.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

Try not losing to AIC next year then

AIC game didn't matter, RIT won the league by 3. But the 12-0 outburst against AIC the next night did help AF lead the league in goals scored.
And (for the first time this year), I'm not complaining about the crappy, horribly biased playoff format. But RMU and Niagara should be. Loudly.

[tarp]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

mar7967 aren't these last weeks totals?
I believe they are ...

[mar7967]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

Post season pick'em will be in a different thread.

http://board.uscho.com/showthread.ph...Season-Pick-em

[mar7967]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

see correct standings below.

[CornwallAce]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Pick'em 2010-2011

Holy Cross is on a hot streak having played the #'s 9-12 teams in the league. Air Force did it against the top teams in the west.

While the standings look to have achieved some parity, with HC moving ahead of RMU and NU, and UConn over MH and Canisius, remember the two eastern pod teams had 4 extra games against the bottom feeders, while the western teams had 4 extra games against teams at the top. That's an 8-point swing. I still think RMU and NU would have no problem with either Holy Cross or UConn, but, if the seedings hold, they won't get a chance.

Still a crappy playoff format, but it is what it is.

Try not losing to AIC next year then