Goon Posted February 24, 2002 Share Posted February 24, 2002 Ok, I wil start this one off, it poses an interesting quesiton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted February 24, 2002 Share Posted February 24, 2002 Does anyone know how tiebreakers are handled, if there is more than a two way tie. Assume two way is head to head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 24, 2002 Author Share Posted February 24, 2002 Does anyone know how tiebreakers are handled, if there is more than a two way tie. Assume two way is head to head. Sprig if we don't beat out UAA, UofWisc, MSU we are screwed they have the tie breakers... UAA by head to head a (0-1-1) records, UW (3-1-0) MSU-Mankato (2-1-1)... UND is like so screwed. I wish we could play C.C. or UofW... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdahl Posted February 24, 2002 Share Posted February 24, 2002 Apparently there's a lot of optimism here about getting 2 points off Denver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 24, 2002 Author Share Posted February 24, 2002 Apparently there's a lot of optimism here about getting 2 points off Denver. I think if UND could get 3-4 points they could be set. DU is not God either they are very vulernable and beatable. DU however is a very good hockey team... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdahl Posted February 24, 2002 Share Posted February 24, 2002 No, they're certainly not God, but to get more than 2 points off them would require UND's best play of the season and Denver's worst. Denver's only conference losses have come against Minnesota, St. Cloud, and CC (though note that Denver doesn't have a losing record against any of those teams). Against more UND-like teams (UW, AA, Mankato) they are not only 8-0, but outscored those opponents 37-12 in those games. UND facing opponents of Denver's caliber (only SCSU is currently close in points, but I'll throw in Minnesota) is 1-6. Having gotten only 2 points off Duluth last weekend, I'm not sure I see what A-game the Sioux are bringing to the Denver games that will overcome those trends and bring about 2 points, let alone more than 2. One bright point -- the teams I listed as being "like UND" are very close in conference standings, but UND actually outscores them by about 20%. Here's hoping I'm wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 This team is capable of playing well enough right now to beat anyone. They are also capable of laying an egg against anyone. That said, Duluth is playing very well. The Sioux wore them down on Sat and outplayed them at the end to take the game. Duluth has beat a lot of very good teams lately. I hoped for a sweep but it didn't happen. As for Denver, it is beyond reason to think the team will sweep. There has been little indication the team can sustain that caliber of play long enough to do so. But I am eternally optimistic, and as has been pointed out before, they did it to us in 1997. But I don't see more than 2 being realistic. jimdahl's stats scare me. But I think 2 points is possible. However, they are meaningless points. We need 3 minimum this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 25, 2002 Author Share Posted February 25, 2002 Dean Blais brought this up this morning on KKXL 1440 that I thought was really interesting. Against the team that UND that are currently behind (UAA and MSU-Mankato) UND got a total of 1 out 8 possible points at home that is why UND is in this pickle they are in now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 Jim, Your stats are daunting. I think it's probably safe to say that if both teams play poorly, Denver wins, because the Sioux's "poor" this year is pretty much as bad as it gets. If the Sioux play well and Denver struggles, the Sioux can win. If both teams bring their top games? I'm not sure it's automatically Denver. The Sioux can really play when they're on top of their game. Some mitigating factors to consider: USCHO posts indicate that Denver's Dora and MacKenzie were hurt Saturday. Their availability for this weekend is unclear, but people are wondering whether they will be out for the year. Sophomore forward Dora's 13-13-26 in 33 games is fifth in team scoring. Junior D MacKenzie is Denver's top scoring defenseman at 5-15-20 in 34 games. I haven't seen Denver play so I don't know if either of these players are among the handful that Gwoz puts on the ice with the game on the line. Since starting 23-2-0, Denver is 4-4-1 in its last nine games. This may be the time to get them. All that said, 27-6-1 is a heck of a record. Earlier in the year, they didn't just beat the middle and bottom teams, they beat the he** out of them. Is this the same team? I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdahl Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 I have to agree that looking at Denver's recent games alone can provide a glimmer of hope. Certainly UMD's 3-3 tie is the biggest cause for hope. The recent losses are pretty tight games against CC/MN/SCSU. It's worth noting that Denver also split with MN in their December meeting and that the SCSU series were the first meetings between Denver and SCSU this season. Though Denver did drop two to CC recently, the games were tightly fought 2-3/2-4 losses. In the previous meeting this season, Denver won equally tight games 3-2(ot)/3-2. I'm not sure the recent string of losses actually reveals a change in the Denver team, rather a really difficult stretch of the schedule. That said -- I no absolutely NOTHING about the Denver injury situation which could certainly change things dramatically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 25, 2002 Author Share Posted February 25, 2002 Jim, Your stats are daunting. If the Sioux play well and Denver struggles, the Sioux can win. If both teams bring their top games? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaneA Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 It's so obvious I don't even need to say it. To beat a defensive-minded team like Denver, you have to shoot the puck, shoot the puck and shoot the puck. The Sioux will need at least 40+ shots on goal each night. Pepper the DU goalies and we'll get lucky. Shot placement is important, of course--doesn't do any good to hit 'em where they can stop 'em. Also necessary to be in position to bang home rebounds--Bochenski, are you listening?. Outskate, outshoot, outscore. C'mon Sioux, we know you can sweep the Pioneers even though, with the MacNaughton Cup on the line DU should be on fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 FWIW, I traded e-mails with someone from the WCHA office regarding the procedures for breaking a 3-team tie. He said they are going to review that on Tuesday and he would get back to me after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 From a Denver newspaper: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 - The University of Denver's medical staff had bad news Monday for the hockey program. While the report could have been worse, two key players will be out of the lineup indefinitely. Junior defenseman Aaron MacKenzie and sophomore forward Lukas Dora won't be making this weekend's regular-season ending trip to North Dakota. Their status for the playoffs is uncertain. MacKenzie, DU's highest-scoring defenseman, has a broken left wrist and will undergo surgery today. Doctors said he might be able to return for the March 15-16 Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament in St. Paul, Minn., if the Pioneers make it that far. Dora, who is fifth on the team in scoring, has a badly sprained left knee. He will be re-evaluated next week. The Pioneers are hopeful he will be available for the March 8-10 first round of the WCHA playoffs, a best-of-three series at Magness Arena against either No. 9 seed Minnesota-Duluth or No. 10 seed Michigan Tech. MacKenzie and Dora were hurt in Saturday's 4-2 loss to No. 2-ranked St. Cloud (Minn.) State. The WCHA title will be decided on the final weekend of the regular season. While first-place DU visits the eighth-place Fighting Sioux on Friday and Saturday, second-place St. Cloud plays a home-and-home set against No. 4 Minnesota. Juniors Jason Grahame and J.J. Hartmann will vie to replace MacKenzie. Grahame has played in 16 games and Hartmann 12, but both were scratched last weekend as freshman Jussi Halme (shoulder) returned after missing 27 games. Senior James Armstrong, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, has not been cleared to play. Junior forward Matt Weber likely will replace Dora on the line with center Chris Paradise and Kevin Ulanski. Weber has played in 26 games this season. "You never want to see guys go down, especially two guys that have been so crucial to our success this year," DU coach George Gwozdecky said of MacKenzie and Dora. "But one of the things that has really helped us this year is our depth." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forecheck Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 I don't like to hear about injuries, but this may give our team a little more glimmer of hope. Thanks for the link jk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhninca Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 Well, DU is missing a few players and UND is finally healthy. That has to give a little more confidence to the home team this coming weekend. My hope is that David Lundbohm has his best weekend of the season and that Skarperud-Bocheski-Bayda do not come up short. If we can get a few other guys to contribute, like Massen, Canady, R. Hale, Spiewak, or Notermann, we just might pull off a win or two vs this injured Denver team. Here's to being optimistic! Maybe, just maybe, this team is finally ready to step it up for a big series AT HOME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 28, 2002 Author Share Posted February 28, 2002 One-Goal Games As testimony to the intense degree of competition in the WCHA this season, 89 conference games thru Feb. 23 have been decided by one-goal or less. To date, UAA has played in 15 one-goal games, CC has played in 11, DU in 8, MTU in 9, UM in 12, UMD in 9, MSU in 10, UND in 10, SCSU in 7, and UW in 11. Talk about stats I was not aware of these, talk about a tight race. Think if UND could have won a maybe three more of these games. Fifth place would probably be sowed up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhninca Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 Heard a rumor from a pretty reliable source today that 2 or 3 of the underclassmen will NOT be returning next year due to Blais being unhappy with their performance. I'm intensely curious to find out if that is true, since my "source" is usually correct about unpublished pending issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 28, 2002 Author Share Posted February 28, 2002 Heard a rumor from a pretty reliable source today that 2 or 3 of the underclassmen will NOT be returning next year due to Blais being unhappy with their performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuhninca Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 He didn't say who would not return. I sent a follow up email to see if he knew anything more specific. If names are given, I'll post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 28, 2002 Author Share Posted February 28, 2002 He didn't say who would not return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaneA Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 Faul has appeared in only 7 games--that makes his point production a fairly useless stat, I'd say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 28, 2002 Author Share Posted February 28, 2002 Faul has appeared in only 7 games--that makes his point production a fairly useless stat, I'd say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiork Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 Considering that there are talented people coming in, Colby Genoway becoming elegible, and only one forward graduating, it should be no surprise that 2-3 won't be on the team next year. It happens nearly every year. However, if those players are named while there are still games to play this year, I would give the rumor little credibility because it would negatively affect the effort of both the players that made it and those that didn't. Even if the info is legitimate, don't be spreading it. We have eleven games to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 28, 2002 Author Share Posted February 28, 2002 Considering that there are talented people coming in, Colby Genoway becoming elegible, and only one forward graduating, it should be no surprise that 2-3 won't be on the team next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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