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BU '23-'24 Season: Pandomania

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BU93 said:
Interesting development in the Atlantic Hockey final. AIC is in the final vs RIT. AIC is a co-host with UMass in Springfield. If UMass and AIC are both in, they both have to be there. That means AIC is a 4 and UMass would be 3. That’s another way we stay in Springfield. (This hosting stuff has to go.)
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This was clarified somewhere - AIC would not get the auto-placement. They technically aren't the listed co-host, it's the Western MA Sports Commission.

https://www.ncaa.com/championships/icehockey-men/d1/future-info

But I 100% agree the host/seeding rules need to go, this is ridiculous.
 
Looking very similar to 2011 tournament where BC was #3 in PWR and one of two Eastern schools as #1 seeds. But due to UNH hosting in Manchester and making the tournament as a 4 seed, BC got sent out to St. Louis.

I'd also be very curious how coaches feel about this. BU hasn't played UMass since October! Let's say they don't meet this weekend and UMass makes it in as a 4 seed. Does anyone think Jay Pandolfo would care about having to play UMass even if it was in Springfield? Maybe one of you has that answer. Maybe he would prefer to get away. Seems doubtful though.
 
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J.D. said:
I'd also be very curious how coaches feel about this. BU hasn't played UMass since October! Let's say they don't meet this weekend and UMass makes it in as a 4 seed. Does anyone think Jay Pandolfo would care about having to play UMass even if it was in Springfield? Maybe one of you has that answer. Maybe he would prefer to get away. Seems doubtful though.
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I'd take a first round match-up vs. UMass all-day long and twice on Sunday.

It's already Monday and nobody has waxed poetic about legendary battles vs. Maine of years past... (Where are all the old farts? : ) )

I guess today is reserved for whining about the stupid-ass NCAA hosting system (it does suck) and gnashing our teeth over outcomes of games we can't control. (The universe will do what the universe thinks we deserve).

Will there be more Maine fans than BU fans on Friday?

And finally, can anyone ever remember going into a Hockey East Semi-final with ZERO stakes with regards to NCAA seeding for 2 of the teams involved?
 
J.D. said:
Looking very similar to 2011 tournament where BC was #3 in PWR and one of two Eastern schools as #1 seeds. But due to UNH hosting in Manchester and making the tournament as a 4 seed, BC got sent out to St. Louis.

I'd also be very curious how coaches feel about this. BU hasn't played UMass since October! Let's say they don't meet this weekend and UMass makes it in as a 4 seed. Does anyone think Jay Pandolfo would care about having to play UMass even if it was in Springfield? Maybe one of you has that answer. Maybe he would prefer to get away. Seems doubtful though.
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I don't think Jay cares who they play, but what the coaches want or don't want in the moment has no bearing on what the overall rules should be since that'd change all the time.

A very quick and easy fix to this is giving the committee the ability to move teams between seed lines to avoid unnecessary travel. So, if UMass was a 13 seed, the committee should be able to move them to the de facto 12 spot - just as they're able to move them to the 14, 15, or 16.
 
Bomber said:
And finally, can anyone ever remember going into a Hockey East Semi-final with ZERO stakes with regards to NCAA seeding for 2 of the teams involved?
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Make that 3 teams...and ahhhh BUSUX,.,..hows that for some old time BS ? Seriously it will be an epic game. I cant think of two teams more suited for an all out war than these two. May the best team score more goals than the other, aka win.
 
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brassbonanza said:
I don't think Jay cares who they play, but what the coaches want or don't want in the moment has no bearing on what the overall rules should be since that'd change all the time.

A very quick and easy fix to this is giving the committee the ability to move teams between seed lines to avoid unnecessary travel. So, if UMass was a 13 seed, the committee should be able to move them to the de facto 12 spot - just as they're able to move them to the 14, 15, or 16.
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Sure, it would have to be an across the board decision in the sport that if the current system remains in place nobody cares about playing a team from your conference if the alternative is the chaos that could ensue this season.
 
Was there ever any reason given why the NCAA didn't want intra-conference matchups in the first round? Could it be something as simple and asinine as money? Meaning they would lose half the gate for the second night if one local team was out? I wouldn't put it past the NCAA to use that as a reason.

Question - would regional sites be more acceptable w/o the intra-conference first round match up issue over moving these games to campus sites? Discuss.

Also, BU's allotment of tickets for this weekend is in the opposite corner from where the Beanpot seats usually are. I'm 99% positive that's where we were last year.

Will there be more Maine fans than BU fans on Friday?
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Yes.
 
Scarlet said:
Was there ever any reason given why the NCAA didn't want intra-conference matchups in the first round? Could it be something as simple and asinine as money? Meaning they would lose half the gate for the second night if one local team was out? I wouldn't put it past the NCAA to use that as a reason.
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It's a national tournament and I think they want to see interesting national matchups outside of the normal conference slate. I still think it's best to avoid them when possible but allow them where they screw teams badly or create absolute chaos like we could see this year.

These are problems not without solutions, they just need to choose.
 
Hockey East Player of the Year final three announced:

To no one's surprise
Macklin Celebrini
Cutter Gauthier

To the surprise of many:
Ryan Ufko from UMass

Hockey East Rookie of the Year finalists (no surprises):
Macklin Celebrini
Will Smith
Ryan Leonard

Coach of the Year
Jay Pandolfo
Greg Brown
Ben Barr
 
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Scarlet said:
Hockey East Player of the Year final three announced:

To no one's surprise
Macklin Celebrini
Cutter Gauthier

To the surprise of many:
Ryan Ufko from UMass

Hockey East Rookie of the Year finalists (no surprises):
Macklin Celebrini
Will Smith
Ryan Leonard

Coach of the Year
Jay Pandolfo
Greg Brown
Ben Barr
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Also, Mike Souza as a Coach of the Year Finalist.
 
My guess is that the conference commissioners are the ones behind avoiding first round match-ups. They don't want to automatically losing one representing member in the first round.

Bomber - there will be at least three times as many Maine fans as BU fans. Remember, Boston is actually a little closer to Portland than Orono is. And getting a ticket to Alfond this year has not been easy. This is the best chance for some Maine fans to see their team. I remember those 91 and 93 title games, just being floored by how many Maine fans were there. BU better be coming in with a road game mentality, or they could get knocked off their mental game quickly. Who do you think the BC/UMass fans will be rooting for? Not BU...

Pandolfo being nominated took me by surprise (though not as much as Ufko). He sort of got his recognition last year. Barr should win it easily IMHO.
 
Seems like you want UMass to beat BC so that UMass becomes a #3 seed and avoids an inter conference first round match up with BU in Springfield. So you rooting against BC will be natural enough. From a Maine fan perspective, I’d rather see UMass win because I don’t think Maine will get sent west either way. So this may be a weird situation where everyone other than BC cheers against BC the first game AND everyone but BU cheers against BU in the second game. So much for home crowd advantage at the Garden. Regardless of the outcome I am happy to be going to the postseason again for HE and NCAA playoffs. Good luck BU, you have a great squad.
 
defkit said:
Barr should win it easily IMHO.
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Well, not based off of last year's voting. Borek should have won last year but Pandolfo winning it is basically the same as Greg Brown winning this year. BC put together one of the best seasons in league history.
 
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