Re: USCHO.com Poll - January 7th
The way I see it: SUNYAC needs to start winning some out of conference games and quickly. I think that they need to win 2 out of 3 against Middlebury, Williams, and Adrian. Plattsburgh and Oswego has been abused by the other eastern conferences this year, and a win against Williams in particular might be key. OtherwisePlattsburgh's 5 losses plus remaining schedule against the SUNY teams are going to probably be too much, and they will have to win the SUNYAC to get in.
Meanwhile, at the bare minimum either of Utica or Hobart are getting in, or possibly both if they finish strong.
If Williams wins v. Plattsburgh, I don't see how Bowdoin and Hobart don't get in, or at least the top two NESCAC teams.
Obviously the top two NCHA teams will be in.
So while there is an incredibly prediction, and there is a ton of hockey to play, it looks like the following teams are vying for the three at large bids:
Bowdoin, Williams, Trinity, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, St. Norbert, Hobart, Utica.
The following need to win a lot of games, but are on the outside looking in:
The loser of Plattsburgh/Oswego
Manhattanville
Middlebury
Castleton
W-Superior
MSOE
Basically everyone else needs to win their conference at this point, and if that happened it would make a lot of this moot.