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WCHA 2020-21: We Can Do Better than Two Bids and Eight Teams Exiting

I was afraid of something like this. NMU was on a high after taking out Bowling Green, and the Mavs had looked lackluster last weekend against Ferris. Maybe this will be the wake-up call they needed.

This team isn't as good as last year's squad. Any team that lost Marc Michaelis (has gotten time with the Canucks, currently on their taxi squad) Connor Mackey (time on the Flames, currently on the AHL Stockton Heat) Charlie Gerard and Ian Scheid (both regulars with the AHL Colorado Eagles, Scheid getting first-defensive-pairing minutes and power-play time) and Parker Tuomie (back in his native Germany, playing on a German Elite League team after being on the German national team) would have a hard time replacing them. Last year's squad I expected to make some noise in the NCAA tourney. This year, I just don't know, what with no inter-conference comparisons.

They're not as good as last year, but better than they've been looking lately.
 
MavsFan said:
I was afraid of something like this. NMU was on a high after taking out Bowling Green, and the Mavs had looked lackluster last weekend against Ferris. Maybe this will be the wake-up call they needed.

This team isn't as good as last year's squad. Any team that lost Marc Michaelis (has gotten time with the Canucks, currently on their taxi squad) Connor Mackey (time on the Flames, currently on the AHL Stockton Heat) Charlie Gerard and Ian Scheid (both regulars with the AHL Colorado Eagles, Scheid getting first-defensive-pairing minutes and power-play time) and Parker Tuomie (back in his native Germany, playing on a German Elite League team after being on the German national team) would have a hard time replacing them. Last year's squad I expected to make some noise in the NCAA tourney. This year, I just don't know, what with no inter-conference comparisons.

They're not as good as last year, but better than they've been looking lately.
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Agreed. I first started noticing it with our penalty kill, and how it had dropped off from last year. Then I started thinking, who drove the kill last year? Rivera and French were the first two forwards over the boards, and then Michaelis (the school's all time shorty leader) would come on the ice. And of course, Mackey led the kill, and the power play as well. Tuomie and Scheid were our biggest power play scorers. That's a lot to replace.

We had a very good weekend against BGSU, and it might have fooled us into thinking we have more here than we do, and that's shown up over the last couple weeks.
On the other hand, we're definitely better than we showed yesterday. Just play hard next weekend, guys, and let the chips fall where they may.
 
purpleinnebraska said:
Agreed. I first started noticing it with our penalty kill, and how it had dropped off from last year. Then I started thinking, who drove the kill last year? Rivera and French were the first two forwards over the boards, and then Michaelis (the school's all time shorty leader) would come on the ice. And of course, Mackey led the kill, and the power play as well. Tuomie and Scheid were our biggest power play scorers. That's a lot to replace.

We had a very good weekend against BGSU, and it might have fooled us into thinking we have more here than we do, and that's shown up over the last couple weeks.
On the other hand, we're definitely better than we showed yesterday. Just play hard next weekend, guys, and let the chips fall where they may.
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I'm one of those who stated they were as good as last year, and I said that after the Bowling Green sweep. Think I'll amend that to "they can play as good (well?) as last's year's team. " They sure looked like they were sleepwalking yesterday.

Anyway, I agree with Purple about the wake-up call. They'll get a number two seed somewhere and hopefully be mindful that there will be no more embarrassing performances this season.

Can someone tell me: Has there ever been a worse Mavs loss under Mike Hastings, or is my memory just too short?
 
Back to the playoffs: Good luck to both Yooper teams tonight. I'm now believe the WCHA will get three teams into the tournament, just not sure who'll they'll be.
 
Double Major said:
Back to the playoffs: Good luck to both Yooper teams tonight. I'm now believe the WCHA will get three teams into the tournament, just not sure who'll they'll be.
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Knowing that my Mavs are already in, it will be strange to be a dispassionate hockey fan for tonight's championship game. Sadly, Bemidji fans won't have this luxury. I'm sure they'll be sweating it out, praying for an LSSU win.
 
Double Major said:
Can someone tell me: Has there ever been a worse Mavs loss under Mike Hastings, or is my memory just too short?
Click to expand...

Just last year, against St. Cloud in the Mariucci tournament. St. Cloud has been the one team that has pretty much had our number under Coach Hastings. He has a pretty decent record against everyone else.
 
Double Major said:
...the WCHA will get three teams into the tournament, just not sure who'll they'll be.
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Mankato, LSSU and pending the result of tonight's game:
  • If NMU wins, NMU is in via autobid
  • If LSSU wins, Bemidji is in
A few weeks ago BGSU looked likely to make it but they played themselves right out of the NCAA tourney. NMU will only make the field as the autobid, too many regular season losses to make the field at large.
 
JohnsonsJerseys said:
Mankato, LSSU and pending the result of tonight's game:
  • If NMU wins, NMU is in via autobid
  • If LSSU wins, Bemidji is in
    [/LIS.
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  • Absolutely agree. Maybe Bemidji still gets in with an NMU victory, but they'll need a miracle and a couple of Covid cancellations to do it. Gonna be a nervous evening for their fans.
 
Double Major said:
Absolutely agree. Maybe Bemidji still gets in with an NMU victory, but they'll need a miracle and a couple of Covid cancellations to do it. Gonna be a nervous evening for their fans.
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I don't see any chance of that happening now regardless of the WCHA game result. St L just earned a spot in the NCAA tourney by winning the grueling 3-team ECAC conference tourney. If the ECAC gets two teams in and the NCHC ONLY gets four teams, NCHC fans are going to riot.
 
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Well, here we are after an convincing win by LSSU. Glad to see them get in after so many dismal or mediocre years. Also, the Bemidji fans must be feeling a lot better today.

I noticed both USCHO pundits have got three WCHA teams in, and that all five Minnesota teams will make the tournament. If it turns that way, that will be a first!

We'll see how this all shakes out tonight. Looking forward to seeing all the reactions to the committee selections. I'll post mine here as well.
 
Well just saw that St. Lawrence is out after a positive Covid test. How sad for the team! Feel bad they can't move on.

However, two words for the committee: Bemidji State
 
Not just kind of. To me, the only reason the league is folding is the political climate in hockey where other leagues were not willing to step up and help out with the Alaska schools issues.
If the Ncaa or anyone else would have either helped financially or been willing to take in one of the two schools I don't think this would have happened.
 
manurespreader said:
Not just kind of. To me, the only reason the league is folding is the political climate in hockey where other leagues were not willing to step up and help out with the Alaska schools issues.
If the Ncaa or anyone else would have either helped financially or been willing to take in one of the two schools I don't think this would have happened.
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We were left in a situation where the schools least able to afford Alaska and Alabama trips were forced to make more of those trips. It was unsustainable. The NCAA had two choices - Step in and help out (or get its members to help out), or stay out of it and let things run their natural course. I'm not saying which they should have done, but I also don't think they can just wash their hands of the whole thing and say, "Hey, don't look at us. It's those greedy WCHA schools' fault!"
I suppose if you're the NCAA, you're happier that you added LIU (geographically a better fit) and ASU (financially a better fit), so you can live with killing off the WCHA and possibly the Alaska programs.
 
purpleinnebraska said:
We were left in a situation where the schools least able to afford Alaska and Alabama trips were forced to make more of those trips. It was unsustainable. The NCAA had two choices - Step in and help out (or get its members to help out), or stay out of it and let things run their natural course. I'm not saying which they should have done, but I also don't think they can just wash their hands of the whole thing and say, "Hey, don't look at us. It's those greedy WCHA schools' fault!"
I suppose if you're the NCAA, you're happier that you added LIU (geographically a better fit) and ASU (financially a better fit), so you can live with killing off the WCHA and possibly the Alaska programs.
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Personally it no one's fault but when your state is financially strapped you cut unnecessary things. Had their hockey teams been good and drawing packed crowds I'm sure things might have been different. It's a tough situation for those schools but I'm not sure it could have been avoided.
 
manurespreader said:
Not just kind of. To me, the only reason the league is folding is the political climate in hockey where other leagues were not willing to step up and help out with the Alaska schools issues.
If the Ncaa or anyone else would have either helped financially or been willing to take in one of the two schools I don't think this would have happened.
Click to expand...

With all due respect to those schools, they didn't actually do much to help themselves. The constant state of unknown future was detrimental to the rest of the league. Huntsville seems to be finally doing something positive to help their future outlook. Anchorage is taking next season off, but planning on playing the following one. Fairbanks seems to be in a better place than Anchorage, but that may just be because the situation in Anchorage overshadows them, and they've been the better team on the ice.
 
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