Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

Enter the weekend with the real possibility of winning the B1G (winning all 4 games) from 3rd, and exit in 5th, one point from 4th. Reminds me of last year, sadly.

Rough weekend. Close loses reminds me of the beginning of the season. I thought we'd stay on the roll we'd been on since it started with a sweep at Notre Dame.

Looking at the standings, Penn State has a bye week and will finish with 41 points. aOSU plays Wisconsin, I'm gonna predict that's 2 wins for the *eyes and they end up with 42 points. If somehow we sweep at Minnesota this weekend...39 points, would put us ahead of Minnie and however things shake out with Notre Dame/MSU we'd finish ahead of at least one of them.

So, win out and we can still get 3rd or 4th in the conference and home ice. Lose one and we're on the road (there is the MSU takes 5 points, ND gets 1, we get 3, we all tie for 4th with 36 points possibility...but I don't want to figure out how that tiebreaker works out)

 

[UCfan30]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

Wow! Never expected to be swept at Yost in the biggest weekend of the season, so far. Thought those scoring woes were behind us. Gotta pick it up and win two at Minny and let the chips fall where they may.

Yeah I agree with you. That was a tough weekend to watch, especially for the seniors. Friday was a close one, Saturday...different story. Basically have to win-out for the best possible playoff scenario. I hope they can pick themselves back up after this weekend and get some momentum going towards the playoffs. Anything's possible come playoff time!

 

[owslachief]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

Anybody here see that movie about a human centipede?

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

I hope it doesn't sound too self serving wishing you guys luck this weekend but it would benefit us both for you to get the wins this weekend.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

So the two goal lead is still the most dangerous. Given how they played in the 2nd, thank god that it ended in a tie- had Mann not been still on his game, there's no way we win that.

HAVE to win tonight.

If we lose, either MSU or ND will pass us. Even if it's a tie in any way for that game.

If we tie, and the above game ends in some kind of real win, we also lose out- two points does not give us enough against either teams if they win- ND would pass us in points, MSU has us with wins. (and two points would not make us pass OSU if they lose, I think).

Three points would be interesting- as we would pass Minnesota- who still has a possibility of tying PSU, and getting the 2nd seed. Winning the game would move us from 4th to 3rd regardless- possibly 2nd if Wisco can pull off the upset sweep.

Funny how close the standings are, though- a win and we are 2nd or 3rd, a loss puts us 5th for sure. And the announcers were talking about MSU being in first place not to long ago, and now are in 6th fighting for 4th.

 

[umichjim]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

HAVE to win tonight.

Offense has to find its scoring touch again. Team that averaged over 4 goals a game after beginning of the new year has scored 3 goals in the past 9+ periods. Hope they get some offense tonight. Cannot expect Mann to be the super star every night.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

Offense has to find its scoring touch again. Team that averaged over 4 goals a game after beginning of the new year has scored 3 goals in the past 9+ periods. Hope they get some offense tonight. Cannot expect Mann to be the super star every night.

Didn't quite get the scoring touch like we want, but the offensive play was pretty effective in keeping the shots down for Minny. Nice win, and we get a home game next weekend! Now we have to wait to see if we are 2nd or 3rd.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

So the CHN app says we finished 2nd, but whereas the B1G site says 3rd. Given the w-l-t of it all, 3rd makes more sense- right?

 

[JoeZ]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

So the CHN app says we finished 2nd, but whereas the B1G site says 3rd. Given the w-l-t of it all, 3rd makes more sense- right?

I've given up trying to figure out all the tiebreakers when it gets to be more than two teams.

At this point I am more confident playing Li'l Brother than the leprechaun. I was very disappointed a week ago dropping both games, especially with the run the team has been on since the calendar turned to 2020. Take away those two games and the record would be 9-1-2 over that span of time. Like the old saying goes - "Don't bet against a Jeff Jackson coached team this time of year." That goes back to his Lake State teams.

Then looking forward (I know, don't jinx them) the winner of Wisconsin @ Minnesota will be next. As a reminder, we were 3-1 vs. Wis. for the season, 1-1-0 in Nov, 2-0-0 in Feb. Against Minn. it was 1-1-2 for the season, 0-2-0 in Nov and 1-0-1 in Feb. Counting the shoot out win as a win (which it would be in a tournament) it would be 2-2-0 for th season and 2-0-0 for Feb.

 

[SteveO]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

So the CHN app says we finished 2nd, but whereas the B1G site says 3rd. Given the w-l-t of it all, 3rd makes more sense- right?

Yep. Michigan is the #3 seed because of the second tie breaker which is determined by the team with the best regular season winning percentage against the other tied team(s). OSU was 3-1-0 (.750) vs Mich. 1-3-0 (.250) during the regular season.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

I've given up trying to figure out all the tiebreakers when it gets to be more than two teams.

At this point I am more confident playing Li'l Brother than the leprechaun. I was very disappointed a week ago dropping both games, especially with the run the team has been on since the calendar turned to 2020. Take away those two games and the record would be 9-1-2 over that span of time. Like the old saying goes - "Don't bet against a Jeff Jackson coached team this time of year." That goes back to his Lake State teams.

Then looking forward (I know, don't jinx them) the winner of Wisconsin @ Minnesota will be next. As a reminder, we were 3-1 vs. Wis. for the season, 1-1-0 in Nov, 2-0-0 in Feb. Against Minn. it was 1-1-2 for the season, 0-2-0 in Nov and 1-0-1 in Feb. Counting the shoot out win as a win (which it would be in a tournament) it would be 2-2-0 for th season and 2-0-0 for Feb.

I'm pretty sure Wisconsin plays OSU (for the second weekend in a row). OSU is the 2nd seed, who plays 7. Minny is the 4th seed and plays ND. Beating MSU would have us either travel to OSU (2-3 seeds) or host Minny/ND (if Wisco beats OSU) the week after.

I think.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

I'm pretty sure Wisconsin plays OSU (for the second weekend in a row). OSU is the 2nd seed, who plays 7. Minny is the 4th seed and plays ND. Beating MSU would have us either travel to OSU (2-3 seeds) or host Minny/ND (if Wisco beats OSU) the week after.

I think.

I'm surprised that the semifinals aren't both at the home of the regular season champion. No need to stretch it over three weeks.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

I'm surprised that the semifinals aren't both at the home of the regular season champion. No need to stretch it over three weeks.

The place would be empty of fans. Plus. do you know how frigging awful a drive it is to Penn State from ANYWHERE? Only on the home ice of the higher seeds will you get any attendance.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

I'm surprised that the semifinals aren't both at the home of the regular season champion. No need to stretch it over three weeks.

Long story why. But one can just quickly say that the B1G as an organization does not care about hockey, and thus the championships in Detroit and Minneapolis were not once promoted. The failure of that lead to this pretty crappy set up we now have. Had it worked, we would have one more week of regular season. But no, after a normal best of 3 weekend, we have single elimination games two weeks in a row. dumb.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

Long story why. But one can just quickly say that the B1G as an organization does not care about hockey, and thus the championships in Detroit and Minneapolis were not once promoted. The failure of that lead to this pretty crappy set up we now have. Had it worked, we would have one more week of regular season. But no, after a normal best of 3 weekend, we have single elimination games two weeks in a row. dumb.

The only thing that comes to mind is either they think the fans will enjoy a chance of 3 games in a weekend or simply a money grab. I'm betting it's a money grab.
I think the reason it changes to single elimination is that the teams that make the NCAA's will be less beat up and have a better chance.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

The place would be empty of fans. Plus. do you know how frigging awful a drive it is to Penn State from ANYWHERE? Only on the home ice of the higher seeds will you get any attendance.

So if you're trying to maximize home attendance, why would you only play a single game semifinal? That seems like the worst possible option.

And knowing State College, there wouldn't be anything else happening there so people might even go (in that case).

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

The only thing that comes to mind is either they think the fans will enjoy a chance of 3 games in a weekend or simply a money grab. I'm betting it's a money grab.
I think the reason it changes to single elimination is that the teams that make the NCAA's will be less beat up and have a better chance.

Thing is- even the CCHA tournament sold more tickets than the home two next weekends, and that wasn't as popular as the WCHA was. The B1G could have had a huge money grab had they really promoted the championships, I thought. I even sent notes to them all complaining that there was zero promotion of either locations.

I really think it was a cop out by the B1G and official notice that they didn't give a crap about hockey, regardless of the formation thanks to PSU.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

Thing is- even the CCHA tournament sold more tickets than the home two next weekends, and that wasn't as popular as the WCHA was. The B1G could have had a huge money grab had they really promoted the championships, I thought. I even sent notes to them all complaining that there was zero promotion of either locations.

I really think it was a cop out by the B1G and official notice that they didn't give a crap about hockey, regardless of the formation thanks to PSU.

I can't really disagree with you. The CCHA sure did it right with the awards show and banquet (although White Castles were the main course at the final one!) and all the events at the Ren Center as host hotel, promotions and discounts.
the B1G was like here it is, come if you want, we don't care.
I was at the Joe for the last Wings/Avs game there and the B1G title game was that evening and it was circulating around that they were going to give out free tickets to those there there that wanted them so it wouldn't be embarrassingly empty on TV. I didn't ask if it was true as I wasn't sticking around.

 

[klbaum1077]

So if you're trying to maximize home attendance, why would you only play a single game semifinal? That seems like the worst possible option.

And knowing State College, there wouldn't be anything else happening there so people might even go (in that case).

I hate this format. The #1 seed is put in a disadvantage by not being allowed a loss. Everyone that plays in round 1 gets a chance to lose once and play again. The semifinal should be 2 of 3 like round 1. Your best team or #1 seed hasvto be treated like the other 6.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Michigan Hockey 2019-2020- a big fresh start, again.

I hate this format. The #1 seed is put in a disadvantage by not being allowed a loss. Everyone that plays in round 1 gets a chance to lose once and play again. The semifinal should be 2 of 3 like round 1. Your best team or #1 seed hasvto be treated like the other 6.

Add one more team, and we are all set on that. Even if we add two more teams, just don't let the bottom team in. It would be nice if there were 4 home series this weekend...

Keep hearing rumors, but they never get off the ground.