I'm really looking forward to next week. UMass (currently in 7th place in Hockey East) is hosting Northeastern (currently tied for 9th place). There are four points that separate the two teams and whoever wins gets the tie breaker. It's a huge game because only the top 8 make the playoffs. If UMass wins, there's plenty of breathing room. UMass will have the tiebreaker over at least two teams behind them (NU and UVM). If Northeastern wins, it has the tiebreaker and only 2 points separate the two. It might be the biggest game of the year up to this point.
For similar reasons, I've circled the two games Maine comes to Mullins Center at the end of the year. I'm eagerly anticipating them.
In the future, it won't be a huge game. Both teams will be out of home ice contention and every team will make the playoffs anyway, so who really cares if you are the 7th seed or 9th?
With the exception of a year or two, UMass hockey has been mediocre to bad since I've been following them. Each year, people predict UMass will miss the playoffs, and so far, every year since I've been following, they've made it anyway. I'm proud of that. I have lots of good memories of winning the last weekend to get into the tournament. Last year, they beat Merrimack on Senior night to clinch a spot. I believe it was two or three years ago where UMass went up to Maine and Justin Braun put the team on his back and the Minutemen swept the Black Bears to get the last spot. Another year, UMass tied Maine on the last night and that extra point got them into the tournament. The players celebrated like they had accomplished something, cause they had. They got into the post season. They earned that right.
As a fan of a team who is usually in the bottom half of Hockey East, I hate that every team will make the playoffs from now on. It takes away meaning from the regular season. I live in Boston and have season tickets to UMass hockey. I only make about half of the home games, but I have them to support the program. I will be at the NU game this Friday and both those Maine games, cause they are huge this year. Next year? I don't know. Maybe I only go to 1 or 2 of them.
For similar reasons, I've circled the two games Maine comes to Mullins Center at the end of the year. I'm eagerly anticipating them.
In the future, it won't be a huge game. Both teams will be out of home ice contention and every team will make the playoffs anyway, so who really cares if you are the 7th seed or 9th?
With the exception of a year or two, UMass hockey has been mediocre to bad since I've been following them. Each year, people predict UMass will miss the playoffs, and so far, every year since I've been following, they've made it anyway. I'm proud of that. I have lots of good memories of winning the last weekend to get into the tournament. Last year, they beat Merrimack on Senior night to clinch a spot. I believe it was two or three years ago where UMass went up to Maine and Justin Braun put the team on his back and the Minutemen swept the Black Bears to get the last spot. Another year, UMass tied Maine on the last night and that extra point got them into the tournament. The players celebrated like they had accomplished something, cause they had. They got into the post season. They earned that right.
As a fan of a team who is usually in the bottom half of Hockey East, I hate that every team will make the playoffs from now on. It takes away meaning from the regular season. I live in Boston and have season tickets to UMass hockey. I only make about half of the home games, but I have them to support the program. I will be at the NU game this Friday and both those Maine games, cause they are huge this year. Next year? I don't know. Maybe I only go to 1 or 2 of them.
..............and jjmc85, there should be more like you
Silly Lowell fan. Even if they did that, there are still 11 teams and they'll still let everyone in the tournament.