Having watched that game, it wasn't as lopsided as the shot score would indicate. Many of the shots, and the only goal came on a 5-on-3, then 5-on-4 power play in the middle of the second period. Hamilton plays the same kind of aggressive fore-checking defense that Middlebury does (and no wonder). And Utica never figured out how to get through it. The Pioneers first game back from break is against Williams, which should prove to be an interesting match up as well.
Side note:
is this the most parity and wide open D3 women’s hockey has ever been?
Seems like almost anyone can beat anybody in the top 15-20 and that has never been the case since D3 started having a championship in 2001-02.
This is the most parity there's been in the west among each other and western teams vs the east. I do think what we're seeing in the east is the NESCAC is currently at a level above the other east teams. A sub .500 NESCAC team just beat the leader of the UCHC who is ranked #9 nationwide. And Midd outskated both Endicott and Plattsburgh two of the top teams in their conference.
From the Midwest perspective, it seems like the NESCAC teams have a baked in head start every season in the Pairwise simply based on their conference affiliation.
There's no easy answer, the system is flawed and proximity makes it hard to get a true and fair ranking of the teams in question. I was going to say "I wonder why the NCAA makes it so difficult" but that is a stupid question....seemingly all the NCAA does is make things difficult. Would it be that hard to field an 8 team West bracket and an 8 team East bracket (and I understand the NCAA's ratios of active programs to post-season berths, but all of the math in this discussion seems flawed)?
Eight West teams would be easy...and most (if not all) of them could compete with the equivalent East Coast teams. If NESCAC gets more than two teams in - all of these 6 teams warrant a spot too.
This is the issue. The MIAC has proven itself to be damn near as good as/if not better than the NESCAC. And gets zero credit. NESCAC beats the **** out of horrendous programs that make up anywhere from half to nearly all of the UCHC/NEHC/CNE/MASCAC/MAC, and bottom of the SUNYAC. They earn that gaudy record. However the MIAC doesn’t play these teams (usually none at all).
I will say the NCHA has a problem with some of the teams in the bottom half of that league. They’re very bad, like most non-NESCAC East teams. But in the MIAC/WIAC, there’s only ONE Northland. That’s it. ANYONE can beat ANYONE. No one is an embarrassing program. But the MIAC/WIAC get none of the respect. In theory, they should be littering the Top 10-15.
But I know how the math works, and they’re not going to get this chance. It’s like the MLB pre-interleague and only 4 teams crossover and trying to seed the thing with math. It’s so so dumb and only ****s the west. I guarantee you if roles were reversed, the MIAC schools are winning +90% of their games against the non-NESCAC East leagues.
I do agree it's a huge issue. Perfect example of the math being extremely flawed. UWSP drops 4 spots in the RPI from yesterday, for.... losing on the road to #6 Augsburg. When I see many east teams play a strong opponent at the top of the RPI, the losing team doesn't drop at all many times, and sometimes their ranking goes up even, for playing a quality team. It just seems like the west is playing with much harder rules.
The very best of the NESCAC played even at best with Gustavus and River Falls the last few years. Guess depth within a conference doesn't translate into National Championships with any consistency. Hamline the 4th best team in the MIAC last year beat up on Bowdoin and Williams, granted both were at the bottom last year so not much of an accomplishment. Adrian beat Trinity this year, and put a beat down on Hamilton in the playoffs last year. While Adrian's a very good team if they were the MIAC this year or last they'd be far from a guaranteed conference championship.
The MIAC has just as much parity in the top 4-5 teams with GAC coming back down to earth. When that happens in the West however it translates to only one conference winner going on. I'd put my money on Augsburg against any NESCAC team this year in a one game series, they have good depth, great talent, and look set for a good run. They still have a few faults however, and that's how I view NESCAC teams. If one doesn't clearly stand out head and shoulders above can't say anyone in the West should be shaking in their skates.
Back to the MIAC, Gustavus is down a little but still has a solid team and will be there when it counts. St Mary's and Hamline both have the players and goaltending that can get it done, but not with week to week consistency. In the end the champ still has to get past UWRF team that will continue to gel and improve as the season goes on. Any West team would have rather traveled to play a NESCAC team last year in the playoffs, so your boasting is comical. Adrian was smiling for a round, I know that.
The NESCAC is a very good conference, but one championship in 12 years is all you have. That hardly merits an annual 2-3 teams in the playoffs every year, but guess they have to fill those remaining empty spots in the East.
Eau Claire gets a late empty-netter to beat the Auggies 4-2 at Hobbs. This comes after a massive, extended 5 on 3 penalty kill with the Auggies down 1 late. Really even game, and quite possibly the most physically grueling game I’ve seen at this level. Countless massive, and I’ll say it, dirty checks throughout this one. If you’ve watched these teams, it’s probably no shock to see these squads playing extremely rough.
I do agree it's a huge issue. Perfect example of the math being extremely flawed. UWSP drops 4 spots in the RPI from yesterday, for.... losing on the road to #6 Augsburg. When I see many east teams play a strong opponent at the top of the RPI, the losing team doesn't drop at all many times, and sometimes their ranking goes up even, for playing a quality team. It just seems like the west is playing with much harder rules.
It’s going to be incredibly interesting to see how both sets of pollsters vote on the current top 5 in the west:
-Augsburg has tied UWRF, split with GAC, Lost to UWEC
-Adrian has split with UWRF
-GAC has split with UWRF, split with Augsburg and lost to UWEC
-UWEC has beaten Augsburg and GAC, and lost to UWRF
-UWRF has beaten UWEC, split with GAC and Adrian, and tied Augsburg
