WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

WCHA Standings (Points, Games Played)

1 Minnesota State 42 18
2 Bowling Green 34 16
3 Northern Michigan 31 16
4 Bemidji State 30 16
5 Michigan Tech 28 18
6 Alabama Huntsville 21 18
7 Alaska 20 16
8 Ferris State 19 16
9 Lake Superior State 12 16
10 Alaska Anchorage 9 14

Conference Schedule remaining:

Mankato: at Alaska, Anchorage, at Huntsville, Ferris, Bemidji
Bowling Green: at Northern, Anchorage, at Lake State, Michigan Tech, at Anchorage, at Huntsville
Northern: Bowling Green, Lake State, at Anchorage, at Huntsville, Alaska, home and home with Tech
Bemidji: at Ferris, at Huntsville, Lake State, at Tech, Alaska, at Mankato
Michigan Tech: Alaska, at Ferris, at Bowling Green, Bemidji, home and home with Northern
Huntsville: at Anchorage, Bemidji, Northern, Mankato, Bowling Green
Alaska: Mankato, at Tech, Ferris, at Northern, at Bemidji, Anchorage
Ferris: at Lake State, Bemidji, Tech, at Alaska, at Mankato, Lake State
Lake State: Ferris, at Northern, Bowling Green, at Bemidji, at Alaska, at Ferris
Anchorage: Huntsville, at Bowling Green, Northern, at Mankato, Lake State, Bowling Green, at Alaska

 

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

2017-18 WCHA Non-Conference Schedule

25 NCHC Games (3-14-4)
15 Big10 Games (5-10-0)
4 Hockey East Games (3-0-1)
7 Atlantic Hockey Games (2-4-1)
5 ECAC Games (2-3-0)
7 Independent Games (2-3-0)
5 Interleague Games (Not counted in league total)
8 Exhibitions (Not counted in league or team total)
TOTAL: 17-34-6

So we went 3-0-1 against BU and BC, but have a losing record against Atlantic Hockey? Weird year.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

So we went 3-0-1 against BU and BC, but have a losing record against Atlantic Hockey? Weird year.

It is. I thought the WCHA would get to at least 20 wins this year, but now I am not so sure. BSU has two against North Dakota this weekend (hoping for a Beaver Split), Mankato has St. Cloud and Duluth left, and Tech has two with Arizona State, which has a winning record against the WCHA right now. Those teams will have to go a combined 3-3 to get to 20.

The next question is, will BSU, Tech and Mankato end up with winning records out of conference???? The only way this league is getting more than one bid this year is Mankato winning the regular season and maintaining their high Pairwise ranking, but then getting knocked off in the Championship game.

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

The only way this league is getting more than one bid this year is Mankato winning the regular season and maintaining their high Pairwise ranking, but then getting knocked off in the Championship game.

True dat. The only other team that's close is BG who is sitting at 17 in the pairwise -- but that's all the higher we're climbing. Going 0-3-1 against the Nacho's will never get us past Miami State who is currently sitting at 16. Only hope is for us to win out (not gonna happen given the 2nd half conference road schedule) then have help from lower teams beating higher teams (Michigan beating ND this weekend would have helped). But that only goes so far (Maine beating Northeastern helps Maine more than us).

Bottom line: I agree Mankato has to stay strong then blow a tire in the playoffs. Can't believe that to pocket two bids for the conference I have to root for those guys.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Looks like we need to schedule the ECAC and HE more often.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

It's just my opinion but I think the League and the NCAA needs to do more to encourage scoring, in our league and in College Hockey in general.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Minnesota State can clinch a playoff berth this weekend with two wins as long as at least one of them is in the first 65:00 minutes.

GFM

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

It's just my opinion but I think the League and the NCAA needs to do more to encourage scoring, in our league and in College Hockey in general.

I guess I am not sure how much more they can do to accomplish that. They already have put rules in place to eliminate a lot of clutching and grabbing, and I think it has made a difference in the last few years. Teams are still playing a defensive game, but I cannot see a way of legislating that out of the game.

You could shrink goalie gear, but would that make a difference? Would the equipment companies have a fit due to having to have a different set of standards for different levels? And goalies have gotten bigger and more athletic, so smaller pads just may make them that much more mobile and make even more saves on shots they may not get to now?

I know there was a push a while back on legislating out blocking shots, but I don't think anything ever became of that. And that would put another level of decision making on the officials, ie, did the player block it on purpose or were they merely in the way of the shot?

Make the nets bigger? That push has been out there recently, not that I am in favor of that.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

I guess I am not sure how much more they can do to accomplish that. They already have put rules in place to eliminate a lot of clutching and grabbing, and I think it has made a difference in the last few years. Teams are still playing a defensive game, but I cannot see a way of legislating that out of the game.

You could shrink goalie gear, but would that make a difference? Would the equipment companies have a fit due to having to have a different set of standards for different levels? And goalies have gotten bigger and more athletic, so smaller pads just may make them that much more mobile and make even more saves on shots they may not get to now?

I know there was a push a while back on legislating out blocking shots, but I don't think anything ever became of that. And that would put another level of decision making on the officials, ie, did the player block it on purpose or were they merely in the way of the shot?

Make the nets bigger? That push has been out there recently, not that I am in favor of that.

I think the NHL is considering making the net a little bigger, and I think going straight to 3 on 3 might also help in OT. But you're right otherwise.

 

[Bill]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

I think Bob Gainey proposed quite a few years ago that a player couldn't leave his feet to block a shot, but that proposal didn't get much traction. With today's technology, it seems that they could significantly reduce the size of goalie gear while still keeping them safe.

 

[MTUHuskies]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

I think the NHL is considering making the net a little bigger, and I think going straight to 3 on 3 might also help in OT. But you're right otherwise.

Hockey - at any level - doesn't need more scoring. Each goal in a 2-1 game is much more valuable than a goal in a 6-4 game. Scoring chances make the game more exciting, not goals. One of the best games I watched was the 2007 GLI championship game between Tech and some team from Ann Arbor. It ended 1-0 in double OT. From the beginning of the 3rd period you knew that the first goal could win the game and it got more intense as each minute passed.

I'm sick of this argument that hockey needs more scoring. If you want to see a lot of points, go watch basketball.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

I think Bob Gainey proposed quite a few years ago that a player couldn't leave his feet to block a shot, but that proposal didn't get much traction. With today's technology, it seems that they could significantly reduce the size of goalie gear while still keeping them safe.

While I agree with there being technology available, would it make goalies even more agile? They are already athletic as h*ll right now, and would the smaller pads free them up to make even more saves that they can't get to right now? That is one of the arguments I have heard about going to smaller pads in the NHL.

I can see leg pads staying the same. How about shrinking the size of the catcher? Look back at clips from the 80s and early 90s, those catchers look to be almost the size of baseball mitts, now they are laundry baskets (in comparison). I believe they have made some size reductions in the size of the chest protector recently, but could it be reduced some more?

I am not a goalie gear expert, but if my seven year old son has his way (as of right now), I may have to become one.......

 

[Deman]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

While I agree with there being technology available, would it make goalies even more agile? They are already athletic as h*ll right now, and would the smaller pads free them up to make even more saves that they can't get to right now? That is one of the arguments I have heard about going to smaller pads in the NHL.

I can see leg pads staying the same. How about shrinking the size of the catcher? Look back at clips from the 80s and early 90s, those catchers look to be almost the size of baseball mitts, now they are laundry baskets (in comparison). I believe they have made some size reductions in the size of the chest protector recently, but could it be reduced some more?

I am not a goalie gear expert, but if my seven year old son has his way (as of right now), I may have to become one.......

I think one of the arguments, at least at the NHL level, is fixing the goalie jersey, since in a lot of cases there is a ton of material that hangs down on the arms, arm pits and sides.

You could say it's for mobility, and I would tend to agree, but then you have extra material making stops, or slowing pucks rather than the player himself. If they could fit the jerseys onto their pads better, I think that would go a long way to help scoring. Not dramatically, since goalies are so athletic

 

[Bill]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

While I agree with there being technology available, would it make goalies even more agile? They are already athletic as h*ll right now, and would the smaller pads free them up to make even more saves that they can't get to right now? That is one of the arguments I have heard about going to smaller pads in the NHL.

In my opinion, reducing the size of goalie gear would result in far more goals than the increased freedom of movement by goalies with smaller gear would decrease goals. There may be some tradeoff there, but if more goals are desired, I think reducing the size of goalie gear (pads, jersey's, whatever) would give you that.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Smaller goalie gear isn't going to happen in NCAA hockey. Maybe in the NHL, but not college. You're talking about reducing protective gear in one of the few organizations that requires full face masks for all players. If they do start talking about about smaller gear, then I recommend whoever is on that committee will also be the ones wearing the smaller gear on the ice taking shots from NCAA players.

"Here Mr/Ms Committee member. Put on this smaller gear and let us know if any of these 80mph slapshots hurt more, or increase your chance of injury, now that we've reduced the size of your protective gear by 10%..."

I see zero chance that smaller goalie gear comes to college hockey before composite sticks are banned. (And that's not going to happen either.)

In summary, anyone who is in favor of smaller goalie gear has never played the position.

Ryan

 

[mmf]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

How about allowing for longer puck possession in the o-zone.

After a team crosses the blue line and retains possession as normal, they don’t lose the zone until the puck crosses back over the red line. A half rink to work with. Would benefit higher skilled, faster, and more offensively minded teams, open up room for more exciting play, and could encourage fewer interference, holding and stupid penalties because being a man down would even be more problematic. There would probably be substantially more turnovers in the expanded zone, resulting in more quality scoring chances (in both directions). Less playing time wasted clearing the zone. Might help reduce endless neutral zone play. I never played the game, so maybe there are some real downsides to this.

 

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Minnesota State can clinch a playoff berth this weekend with two wins as long as at least one of them is in the first 65:00 minutes.

GFM

Did you have to go mentioning it? Those who believe in jinxes will now blame you for any lost points.

 

[BGDrew]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Bigger nets, enforcing icing on penalty kill clears, ban non-skating shot blocks (if you aren't on two skate blades when blocking a shot, penalty), penalty for shooting the puck out of play in your own defensive zone...

 

[manurespreader]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Hockey - at any level - doesn't need more scoring. Each goal in a 2-1 game is much more valuable than a goal in a 6-4 game. Scoring chances make the game more exciting, not goals. One of the best games I watched was the 2007 GLI championship game between Tech and some team from Ann Arbor. It ended 1-0 in double OT. From the beginning of the 3rd period you knew that the first goal could win the game and it got more intense as each minute passed.

I'm sick of this argument that hockey needs more scoring. If you want to see a lot of points, go watch basketball.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I'm not advocating more scoring. I'm advocating we don't continue to decline any more than we already have.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: WCHA Season Thread 2017-18: In Which We Try For Two Bids

Did you have to go mentioning it? Those who believe in jinxes will now blame you for any lost points.

I mean, I think they're going to get five more points this year. If I have the ability to sway the standings, wouldn't UAH be #1?

GFM