Nescac 2010-11

[doncheery]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Interesting week-end in the NESCAC. Midd-Norwich with Midd looking at a deep hole to start the season if they lose again. Even deeper if they get blanked in the Primelink.
#10 Amherst against #11 Manhattanville in what should be a physical game as both teams are big. Manhattanville ( 17 roster players 6 foot or over ) with a good number of western Canadian junior guys that typically play hard. Amherst with a largish D core and possibly all 6 D starters veterans. Recruited bigger up front.
Williams- Babson in an interlock match-up which should go a long way to determining whether Williams is worthy of the #8 ranking.
#4 Bowdoin exhibition against the U.S.U-18 Team. Would love to see Hardy against the kids. Dl or Dlll Hardy is one of the more entertaining and unique players in the NCAA.
Amherst with a rare travel day after Manhattanville at home on Friday night to Utica Sat. night. Long trip. Bus legs? Utica close score losses to Oswego and Neumann with the shots on goal relatively even. Interesting out of conference match up.
Also on the Sunday Manhattanville and Williams. Another great out of conference match. As much hype as the Primelink gets some of these out of conference games seem to have equal if not more significance with Midd and Platty stumbling into the tourney week with losing records. ( Jeez I enjoyed writing that sentence) One of the more interesting and possibly season defining week-ends in the season for the NESCAC ranked teams.

 

[doncheery]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

One would be hard pressed to find a more competitive division in Dlll. Seemingly anyone of 5 or 6 teams have a legit shot at winning the league.
All in all shapes up as a dogfight.

Since the beginning of the season seemingly anyone can beat anyone on a given night. With teams Nationally ranked losing to teams hard pressed to make the playoffs.

Standings to date

2010-11 Men's Ice Hockey Standings
  	  	Conference 		Overall
		GP 	Record 	Win % 	GF 	GA 		GP 	Record 	Win % 	GF 	GA
1 	Bowdoin 	9 	7-2-0 	0.778 	48 	29 		12 	10-2-0 	0.833 	65 	39
2 	Williams 	8 	6-2-0 	0.750 	36 	14 		12 	9-2-1 	0.792 	51 	20
3 	Amherst 	9 	5-1-3 	0.722 	32 	20 		14 	7-3-4 	0.643 	46 	32
4 	Hamilton 	9 	5-2-2 	0.667 	31 	23 		14 	8-4-2 	0.643 	50 	34
5 	Connecticut College 	9 	4-4-1 	0.500 	23 	31 		13 	4-6-3 	0.423 	31 	42
6 	Colby 	9 	3-5-1 	0.389 	35 	31 		13 	4-8-1 	0.346 	47 	46
7 	Middlebury 	8 	2-4-2 	0.375 	24 	23 		12 	4-5-3 	0.458 	35 	33
8 	Tufts 	9 	3-6-0 	0.333 	23 	36 		12 	4-7-1 	0.375 	34 	45
9 	Trinity 	8 	2-5-1 	0.312 	9 	22 		13 	4-6-3 	0.423 	21 	33
	Wesleyan 	8 	2-5-1 	0.312 	17 	26 		12 	3-6-3 	0.375 	25 	34

 

[doncheery]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Anybody can beat anybody in the NESCAC Interlock on a given night
Tufts 3 Midd 0
Wesleyan 3 Hamilton 2
Con Coll 5 Midd 3
Bowdoin 5 UMASS Boston 4 OT
Amherst 2 Norwich 2
Southern ME 3 Midd 2
Skidmore 7 Bowdoin 6
Midd 3 Hamilton 3
Amherst 4 Williams 2
Hamilton 4 Amherst 4
Williams 3 Wesleyan 2 OT
Hamilton 6 Williams 3
Midd 4 Amherst 1
Wesleyan 4 Midd 3
Trinity 2 Amherst 2
Trinity 2 Skidmore 1
Conn Coll 2 Amherst 2

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

You are right doncheery, the last few years the operative word has been PARITY. This year it seems like the key word is INCONSISTENCY. Where will it end?

 

[doncheery]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

In the same vein
Williams 2 At Anselm 2
Wesleyan 5 Norwich 2
Skidmore 3 Amherst 2

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Castleton over Amherst I expected, but Conn College over Bowdoin?

 

[doncheery]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

So did I....yet Amherst out shot them and was leading with 2 minutes left in the game. Very easily could have gone the other way. Williams barely getting by NEC 4-3, Hamiliton losing to Skidmore ( Has to be Skidmore's best team in years ) and Norwich squeaking out a 1-0 win against 2nd to last place Trinity were other very tight Interlock games.

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

The next two weekends should be very interesting with only 3 points separating the top 6 teams, and only 2 points between the top 5.! Middlebury and Williams have a game in hand over the rest of the 6 which will be settled day after tomorrow. If the game is a tie there will be a three way tie for second (Midd, Will, and Ham) with Bowdoin remaining in first, but the team that wins would be tied with the Polar Bears for first.
It looks like the NESCAC standings may sift down into pretty much the usual order by the time the playoff seeding comes about.

 

[5IslandsWildcat]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Middlebury and Williams have a game in hand over the rest of the 6 which will be settled day after tomorrow. If the game is a tie there will be a three way tie for second (Midd, Will, and Ham) with Bowdoin remaining in first, but the team that wins would be tied with the Polar Bears for first.
It looks like the NESCAC standings may sift down into pretty much the usual order by the time the playoff seeding comes about.

And Middlebury and Williams tied on Tuesday, so they and Hamilton are each one point behind Bowdoin. To host the conference tourney Bowdoin probably needs to win all 4 games. If it gets only 6 or 7 points it needs four teams (Amherst is only 2 point back) to stumble against noncontending teams, and Middlebury and Williams play all remaining games at home. Those tie-breaking rules could become useful.

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

I think that Castleton will play a role in the playoff seedings. All of the top teams have a game or two that they could easily lose left to play. It's the same way at the bottom of the standings. Nothing is settled yet. And who knows, having a higher seed may not necessarily be an easier match-up. I'm predicting a couple of upsets in the quarterfinals!

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

And Middlebury and Williams tied on Tuesday, so they and Hamilton are each one point behind Bowdoin. To host the conference tourney Bowdoin probably needs to win all 4 games. If it gets only 6 or 7 points it needs four teams (Amherst is only 2 point back) to stumble against noncontending teams, and Middlebury and Williams play all remaining games at home. Those tie-breaking rules could become useful.

It's pretty well guaranteed now that the tie-breakers will come into play. As it stands now MIDD would be the top seed, besting Hamilton at the fourth level (head to head results against the top eight teams). BUT we have one big weekend against ECACE teams remaining, and anything can happen. It's my opinion that the Panthers and the Ephs have the tougher schedule facing Castleton and Skidmore, but Mass-Boston, and Babson will challenge Hamilton and Amherst as well.
It's looking like Conn College and Tufts will be sitting out again this year, however if Wesleyan loses to Trinity on Tuesday there would be a chance that Conn College could get in with wins over Norwich and St. Mikes.

 

[Brian C]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Jimmy ,was curious as to tiebreakers ,i knew h2h was 1st but not sure after that i thought #2 may have been record against top 4 teams . i hope you are correct thanks brian

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

The first is head to head against the tied teams, Williams looses out here, the second is number of conference wins, the third is head to head against the top four teams, and the fourth is head to head against the top eight teams in the NESCAC standings. It goes on from there, but hopefully these four comparisons will do it.

 

[WillieC]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

The first is head to head against the tied teams, Williams looses out here, the second is number of conference wins, the third is head to head against the top four teams, and the fourth is head to head against the top eight teams in the NESCAC standings. It goes on from there, but hopefully these four comparisons will do it.

From the NESCAC site:

If teams tied during the regular season, or there is a 3-way or more tie, the following tie breaking procedure will be used:

•Best record among tying teams, against one another (head-to-head).
•Most conference wins (in games that are part of the conference schedule and count toward league standings).
•Comparison of results of conference games played against top 4 teams (including all teams at the 4th spot).
•Comparison of results of conference games played against top 8 teams (including all teams at the 8th spot).
•Comparison of results of conference games played against conference teams in rank order.
•Comparisons shall be made one team at a time starting with the highest ranked team.
•If the tie remains after comparing results against the highest ranked team, the results against the next team in rank order shall be used. This process is continued until a winner is determined.
•Coin flip (or similar random action involving all tied teams).

My read, using the first criteria, is that Hamilton is the current top seed since they have the best record against against the 3 tied teams head-to-head.
Hamilton (3 pts): 1-0-1
Middlebury (2 pts): 0-0-2
Williams (1 pt): 0-1-1

If, big if, everybody wins both this weekend the NESCAC Championships will be at Sage (assuming Hammy wins its q-final on 26th)

 

[jimmy d]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

My read, using the first criteria, is that Hamilton is the current top seed since they have the best record against against the 3 tied teams head-to-head.
Hamilton (3 pts): 1-0-1
Middlebury (2 pts): 0-0-2
Williams (1 pt): 0-1-1

If, big if, everybody wins both this weekend the NESCAC Championships will be at Sage (assuming Hammy wins its q-final on 26th)

You are right, Will, I stand corrected Somehow I mistakenly thought that Hamilton also had two ties.
Oh boy, Sage that's a pleasant thought! GO MASS-BOSTON! GO BABSON!

 

[CornwallAce]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Will be at the Castleton @ Williams hockey game Friday night. (Tigers jacket) Have no way to post updates, but will recap the game about an hour after the game.
It looks like I will also be at the Skidmore @ Williams game on Saturday.

 

[The Real Georgia Peach]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

It would be ironic if the New England Small College Athletic Conference held it's tournament in New York. ...Has it ever happened before?

 

[AldenPartridge1819]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

You are right, Will, I stand corrected Somehow I mistakenly thought that Hamilton also had two ties.
Oh boy, Sage that's a pleasant thought! GO MASS-BOSTON! GO BABSON!

Actually I think everyone is mistaken. If all three (Midd, Ham, Wil) win out and it remains a tie, Midd would be the champions. You have to read the fine print at the bottom of the NESCAC tie-breaking info. It says:

"Note: In case of ties among three or more schools, the criteria above will be applied in order until a team is (or teams are) separated. At that point, the process begins anew (returning to the first criteria) with the remaining teams."

So Hamilton wins if all three are looked at, but they aren't. The tie-breaker first eliminates Williams, and then goes back to work with Midd and Hamilton, which Midd wins.

 

[puxrex]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Here's another view of how the tie-breaker would work out: http://nescachockey.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/what-if-there-is-a-tie-for-first-place/. I don't have the time (or interest) to study all the permutations, but there's a lot to be settled between now and Saturday evening. I don't see both Middlebury and Williams winning out with Castleton (and Skidmore) in the way. I like Hamilton's chances for a weekend sweep, but any stumble and Amherst walks away with the #1 seed. Or there could be a 7 way tie for first.

 

[NUProf]

Re: Nescac 2010-11

Actually I think everyone is mistaken. If all three (Midd, Ham, Wil) win out and it remains a tie, Midd would be the champions. You have to read the fine print at the bottom of the NESCAC tie-breaking info. It says:

"Note: In case of ties among three or more schools, the criteria above will be applied in order until a team is (or teams are) separated. At that point, the process begins anew (returning to the first criteria) with the remaining teams."

So Hamilton wins if all three are looked at, but they aren't. The tie-breaker first eliminates Williams, and then goes back to work with Midd and Hamilton, which Midd wins.

The first tie breaker is record among the tied teams. If Midd, Williams, and Hamilton are tied, the records are Ham 1-0-1. Midd 0-0-2, Williams 0-1-1. That separates everybody. The separates clause means that in a multiple way tie, if you get something that divides the field, but doesn't resolve everything, then you go back with the teams still tied. If you had a four way tie, you would go until either one team is on top or somebody is on the bottom, or the group is split.