Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2022-2023

[robertearle]

Quinnipiac losing to Princeton will help, too, though it probably helps Minnesota and Ohio State both host quarterfinals more.

That's where you get into the wonders of "opponent's record" and the wonders of the RPI/NPI. Quinnipiac is a 2x opponent of Wisconsin's, so a win by them might net UW 0.0002 or some such. If UW has a chance of catching them, then their loss is good; if you can't catch 'em, maybe you'd rather have them win.

[Still Eeyore]

Quinnipiac losing to Princeton will help, too, though it probably helps Minnesota and Ohio State both host quarterfinals more.

[robertearle]

Yes, 11 teams make the tournament. But two of those 11 spots will go to automatic bids to the winners of the CHA and NEWHA; right now none of the teams in those two conferences are in the top 11 in the Pairwise, so their autobid will go to a team from outside the top 11. That means UW will have to be in the top 9. And the team sitting at #9 during the conference tournaments has to worry about an 'upset winner' in one of the tournaments. Right now Northeastern is the only HE team in the top 11; if, say, Vermont were to knock them off and win the HE autobid, then the team sitting at #9 in the Pairwise gets bumped out of the tournament. So a team needs to shoot for the top 8 to be at all 'comfortable' in getting an at-large NCAA bid. (And right now, #8 is exactly where UW is.)

(Adding: we're big Colgate fans this weekend! :-)

We were talking about what it would take to make or not make the NCAA field a couple weeks ago. Since then, things have gone quite well for Wisconsin, and not just the wins over Mankato and St Thomas.

Wisconsin had been sitting in 8th in the Pairwise and the NPI (no longer the RPI). At that point, the teams closest to catching them in the NPI and pushing them down to the 'bubble' spot of #9 were Cornell and Clarkson. While UW was winning four games, Clarkson lost one and tied one along with two wins, and Cornell lost three of four. As a result, Cornell has dropped all the way to 13th, while Clarkson moved UP to #9 - other teams also lost ground, Duluth, eg, dropped from 7th to 8th with their losses to Minnesota (UW moving up to #7).

Of course, Wisconsin still has tough games ahead. So how safely ahead are they in front of Clarkson (and Penn State and Vermont)?

Well, in the NPI. the lead Wisconsin has over Clarkson is 0.0316 (with bigger leads over PSU, Vermont, Cornell, etal). How big a lead is that. Duluth dropped two games this weekend to Minnesota, and their NPI dropped by 0.0074. And their 'position' in the NPI - won-loss record, strength of schedule, etc - is pretty comparable to Wisconsin's. So it's reasonable to expect that Wisconsin dropping a pair to Minnesota, or Ohio State, would cost them a similar amount.

That is, there is a reasonable expectation that Wisconsin could lose both games to Minn, and both to Ohio State, and lose their WCHA tournament semi-final, and STILL maintain a lead over Clarkson and the others for 8th place in the NRI and Pairwise.

Nothing set in stone yet, but it would take a whole lot of bad for Wisconsin to not make the NCAA field.

(Thanks to Grant for publishing the numbers so one can do such quick-and-dirty comparisons.)

[Timothy A]

Gervais in goal today. Interesting.

[Still Eeyore]

So in the middle of the 2nd period Johnson takes the time out and he is very animated on the bench. Very animated. His message must have been heard aloud and clear. They scored 2 goals right off the timeout and they were absolutely dominating for the balance of that period.

My all time favorite timeout in a hockey game came while Mike Babcock was coaching the very good Red Wings teams a decade and a half ago. The Wings got out to a 2-0 lead against Chicago, then, midway through the second, gave up four goals in about six minutes. Babcock called timeout. He didn't say a word, just looking at the players for the full minute. The Wings ended up winning 6-4.

The story became less funny once it came out what a martinet Babcock was.

[Timothy A]

And I managed to unhex Compher haha. I now declare SS hexed.

[Gargoyle]

So in the middle of the 2nd period Johnson takes the time out and he is very animated on the bench. Very animated. His message must have been heard aloud and clear. They scored 2 goals right off the timeout and they were absolutely dominating for the balance of that period.

That's exactly what my husband and son and I were saying. Whatever Coach Johnson said, it was fiery enough to get their attention. He certainly looked more "animated" than we usually see him on the bench!

[Timothy A]

So in the middle of the 2nd period Johnson takes the time out and he is very animated on the bench. Very animated. His message must have been heard aloud and clear. They scored 2 goals right off the timeout and they were absolutely dominating for the balance of that period.

[Gargoyle]

No Enright tonight. Bummer she was on a little hot streak.

I wonder why? I hope it's something fleeting, not long-term. That fourth line was doing good work when called upon.

[Timothy A]

No Enright tonight. Bummer she was on a little hot streak.

[Timothy A]

The article that Mark Stewart wrote from the presser for Jsonline is fantastic. He does seem to have a grasp of the game. Super excited.

[Gargoyle]

I think it's fantastic what JSonline is doing and Mark is doing as commendable job. I do believe he's also covering women's BB. Conversely, shame on Madison.com for moving Todd to men's BB and not replacing him. No beat writer for hockey in Madison is unfathomable, especially in light of them launching Badger extra which is really Badger lessstra.

I believe JSonline is behind a paywall and I have no reason to subscribe other than to get Badger news. I already pay for Wisconsin SJ but we are rethinking that. All-in-all, it's a frustrating situation.

[Timothy A]

I was just listening to it myself. Awful news for Buchbinder.

Mark Stewart was also the newly appointed UW volleyball reporter for the JS this past - first one they've had there as well. Good for him for taking on the tasks; I'll be charitable and say he was 'learning on the job'. But he got better as the season wore on. And he certainly put in the effort, often sitting on the floor courtside, camera in one hand and notebook in the other.

I think it's fantastic what JSonline is doing and Mark is doing as commendable job. I do believe he's also covering women's BB. Conversely, shame on Madison.com for moving Todd to men's BB and not replacing him. No beat writer for hockey in Madison is unfathomable, especially in light of them launching Badger extra which is really Badger lessstra.

[robertearle]

Buchbinder is done per the presser today. MJ said that her injury right before the game really kinda threw the team for a loop. He also mentioned that he liked the way the team played in the last 2 periods of the weekend in that they played a really free style. Mark Stewart was asking some really good questions from JS online. You can tell he's not a hockey guy per se like having knowledge of defensive pairs and forward lines, but still asked more pointed questions than Todd seemed to ask. He couldn't get MJ to come right out and say the Kronish is the 1, but he did ask. I think MJ implied by the Minnesota series he'll have a number one goalie picked out.

I was just listening to it myself. Awful news for Buchbinder.

Mark Stewart was also the newly appointed UW volleyball reporter for the JS this past - first one they've had there as well. Good for him for taking on the tasks; I'll be charitable and say he was 'learning on the job'. But he got better as the season wore on. And he certainly put in the effort, often sitting on the floor courtside, camera in one hand and notebook in the other.

[Timothy A]

Buchbinder is done per the presser today. MJ said that her injury right before the game really kinda threw the team for a loop. He also mentioned that he liked the way the team played in the last 2 periods of the weekend in that they played a really free style. Mark Stewart was asking some really good questions from JS online. You can tell he's not a hockey guy per se like having knowledge of defensive pairs and forward lines, but still asked more pointed questions than Todd seemed to ask. He couldn't get MJ to come right out and say the Kronish is the 1, but he did ask. I think MJ implied by the Minnesota series he'll have a number one goalie picked out.