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Originally posted by ZedLeppelin
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USCHO standings page appears correct (unlike the CHA website) with Mercyhurst at 0.750, Syracuse at 0.700, and PSU at 0.688 (5 wins & 1 tie in 8 conference games --> 11/16 points). -
Boy those two cancelled games can come into play! At any rate it will be a nail biting finish for Mercyhurst, Syracuse and PSU. It's a little sad RMU is not in the mix also.Comment
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The rest of the conference misses having a competitive Robert Morris, too. They're back in 2023-24, thankfully, but now they need to create an entire team (and staff), when they had already built the program up to where it was. I think it was a good idea to not just bring them back next season, but instead give them a year to recruit and set the program back up before they hit the ice. This year and next year are a CHA with five teams, and then that's over, but it does change the CHA tournament a bit.Originally posted by Reddington View Post
With the CHA being down to five teams, now the top three all get a bye on the first day and will play a two-game tournament - only Lindenwood or RIT will play on three consecutive days. If the tournament started tomorrow (going with standings as they are right now), the tournament would look like this:
February 24 (Thursday) - #4 Lindenwood vs #5 RIT
February 25 (Friday) - #4 Lindenwood or #5 RIT vs #1 Mercyhurst, and #2 Syracuse vs #3 Penn State
February 26 (Saturday) - CHA championship game
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I'm not sure where the tournament is this year. The CHA website can't even get the dates right. One part of the tournament page says February 24-26, and the same page also says March 24-26...well, it also says it's the 2022 tournament, and the 2002 tournament in March...on the same page...and this same page says the tournament is at the top seed school, but it's the CHA website, so who knows? If you went strictly by the CHA website, there will be two tournaments, a 2022 tournament in February and a 2002 tournament in March (after the national tournament?). I really wish they would hire somebody whose only job is the website.
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From what I understand the tournament will be hosted by whoever finishes in first place. But who knows if this is accurate as things change daily.
This could be hard to plan logistically (hotels etc). At least with it in Buffalo the past while, teams would know right now where they were going to be tournament weekend and plan accordingly.
First place might not get decided until the weekend before and then teams might have to scramble to make travel plans.Comment
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Penn State and Mercyhurst go at it this weekend at Penn State in a critical series for both teams. Game time tomorrow and Saturday is 2:00 (Eastern) for both games.
Both games will be streamed on the BTN+ network (subscription required), and tomorrow's game is here: https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1170985
It's crunch time - after this weekend, Penn State only has one series left with Syracuse and one with RIT, and that's it for conference games...and points. After this weekend, Syracuse will have Penn State and Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst will still have a series against Syracuse, one with Lindenwood, and one with RIT, so two more conference games than Penn State and Syracuse to work on points/percentage.
When Penn State and Mercyhurst played in late October, they split the series. Key for Penn State will be stopping Mercyhurst's freshman Vanessa Upson, who is an easy lock for CHA Freshman of the Year. In October, Upson had a goal and two assists in the first game, and Mercyhurst won, but she didn't score in the second game and Penn State won.
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And head coach Jeff Kampersal will be on tonight's Penn State Coaches Show at 6:00 (Eastern) here: https://gopsusports.com/watch/?Live=1345&type=LiveComment
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If you didn't catch Jeff Kampersal on the Penn State Coaches Show earlier, here it is...it starts at the 7:15 mark and goes to 26:55.
https://gopsusports.com/watch/?Archi...4&type=ArchiveComment
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Zed you make it so easy to follow even when you really don't want to by scouting out the times. Thanks. Kampersal is right on that Mercyhurst does not like PSU and he hinted on his big roster causing problems for him and the girls. However, it is now down to 19 skaters which seems manageable to me and more hopefully to him. It now goes to a percentage to determine the CHA winner apparently because of the two Lindenwood cancellations.
But, that interview guy serves up softballs to his guests. I was waiting on a line ? and it never came.Comment
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The interviewer is Steve Jones, who calls the Penn State football games on radio (and I think he does the basketball games, too). You can tell he's a football guy more than a hockey guy, especially women's hockey, but I'm glad they do spotlight the women's hockey team. I kind of smile when he tries to "sound hockey", but again they're putting the women's team out there, so kudos to them for that.Originally posted by Reddington View Post
I just listened to the Inside College Hockey America interview with Mercyhurst freshman Vanessa Upson (posted on the Mercyhurst thread here), and it sounds like Mercyhurst is focused on coming out of the gate at 100 MPH and getting early goals. They don't want to be on their heels early...but neither does Penn State. This should be a really good series this weekend, and it's going to be huge for both teams as opportunities for conference percentage points start coming to an end.
Game time is at 2:00 (Eastern) today, with BTN+ video stream here: https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1170985Comment
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After one very fast period, it's 0-0 vs Mercyhurst. No penalties in the period, and Penn State leads the shots on goal by 10-6. Both teams came out fast, but Penn State is doing a good job of keeping play in the Mercyhurst zone, especially the top line of Heising, Zanon, and Machado. Neither team is really getting anything set up, and both are just sort of ping-ponging with the puck, but it's a fast pace so far. As usual, the Penn State defense isn't very good with the puck in the defensive zone, but when it gets out the pace is quick. It's only one period into the game, but both goalies look to be on their game, so this is shaping up to be a really good one.Comment
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After two it's still scoreless, and Mercyhurst took the only penalty of the period. More of the same in the second, but Penn State had the better chances. Shots on goal are 20-11 for Penn State. It looks like both teams prepared really well for each other, as neither of them are getting to set much up. Good, fast hockey so far.Comment
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After three, it's going to 3-on-3 OT with the game tied 1-1. Thank goodness for Natalie Heising keeping Penn State in this one with a very late goal to tie it up - otherwise, Mercyhurst absolutely owned the third period.Comment
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And Penn State takes this one 2-1 on the OT goal from...who else...Natalie Heising. Penn State led the shots on goal 32-23, but Mercyhurst also blocked another 30 shots, too, so it was busy (Penn State blocked seven). This was a great game from two teams who came ready to play. Mercyhurst was all over Penn State in the third, and scored in the first minute of the period to lead 1-0 until inside two minutes to play, when Penn State pulled Josie Bothun and got the tying goal from Heising. Man, this one could have gone either way, so tomorrow (2:00 Eastern) should be another good one.Comment
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That is a team win led by a special player, Natalie H. It was someone else's turn to get punked in Ot without even touching the puck. Great play by Gangarosa and should have scored and the shot was square off the post and goalie got caught flat footed and then Heising cleaned up the change on a sprawled Nystrom. The rivalry has been intense since Kampersal arrived at PSUComment
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