sprig

Fox North will have the Minneapolis regional on Saturday, and tape delayed Sunday. No word on the other regionals, but game times at Worcester and Grand Rapids overlap, so if they show one of the regions I'd guess it will be Grand Rapids. It would seem the only chance in NoDak would be ESPNU/directtv or hope that FSSN picks up the feed on cable.

Here's a good printable bracket with dates and times for all games.

What's going on; is this elite 8 bb week at the REA? Stinks that an NCAA hockey team can't use their ice to practice.

Right, it gets them goals and wins, so why not. Running someone from behind, now that's another story, not that I'd suggest that's being coached. But the real reason I don't like Gwoz is that tackling team of two years ago. That was ugly hockey, but again, if you can do it and there are seldom if ever calls, everyone may as well do it, and it will truly be the WWF.

Right, it gets them goals and wins, so why not. Running someone from behind, now that's another story, not that I'd suggest that's being coached.

He can't get his wish since there are no HE teams in Grand Rapids. That leaves it to the Sioux to take out 2 of them, MN to take out one, and, I'm sorry, I'll be favoring UNH over Denver in the Amherst region. Denver will forever be the team I want virtually anyone else to beat from now on.

You don't run frequent picks to let a guy get a wide open shot without it being coached. On the other hand, if it continues to work with the WCHA officials, why not continue to do it. Denver ran picks that led to goals both nights at the REA, sending one of their forwards in alone to score. And we wonder why Denver was able to score so quickly after the Sioux scored.

Moy's article explaining what happed with the selections. Interesting to note that just the one change made (swapping the Denver/CC seeding) caused all the changes from predicted. Essentially with the new seeding, the Sioux were lined up to play Harvard at Amherst, with the chance to play Denver (more than likely) in the regional final. However, UNH was lined up against BU in the first game at Worcester, so ND/UNH were exchanged to avoid the conference first round matchup. Wisco was in Minneapolis, but was swapped with OSU to avoid a Michigan/OSU first round game in Grand Rapids. At any rate, the Denver/CC seeding change took the Sioux out of Grand Rapids.

Actually not; that's the way the pairwise ended.

It's still here

That is the problem. FOXN will no doubt show the Minneapolis and Grand Rapids regionals, which don't overlap. The Worcester regional overlaps with Grand Rapids, so FSSN picking it up will be the only chance for anyone in ND without directtv.

Do you think we could get along as well as the CC/DU teams?

YOu are, of course, right, there is little love lost between the two teams and their fans.

A possible explanation, I just have trouble giving Gwoz any credit due to the open tackling hockey they have played over the last couple years.

Super goal, reminded me of Bo-Ballard also. Nice to end up winning this time, however. Guess the downplaying the game goes with the Lucia style, downplay the early season when it's not going well (nothing is important until March), downplay the second half when it's not going well (it's not important until the playoffs start), and downplay the WCHA tourney when you lose 2 (we weren't trying anyway). Guess the important game is next week. Hard to turn it on when it gets to one and done, if you haven't done it before that.

That is true, Parker knows very well how the Sioux have been playing over the last month as opposed to how his own team has played, and the relative competition each has faced. I like the Sioux' chances of beating BU and BC. At least the NCAA has given the chance for an all WCHA FF. Didn't think I'd live to see it. Some USCHO posters have given some reasonable sounding explanations for the committee decisions in reversing CC/DU but not MN/Cornell. Too bad someone with a brain didn't coach Dean before he went on to show off his hair piece.

A question for chrisl@theralph.com

It's not surprising, and actually funny, that ESPN and the whole eastern contigent has BU/BC in the final. Even funnier that many are mad that the two teams are placed in the same regional. So, does one assume the look on Parker and BU players faces when they were placed in that region were because they had to face BC, or they had to face ND first? As far as TV, the Worcester, Grand Rapids regional game times do overlap. Guess finding directtv with ESPNU is going to be the only chance for watching the Worcester regional, no matter if Fox gets the games or not. They will not show BU/BC/ND over Wisco/Mich/CC.

The schedule does not show the Wisco/Mich game on ESPNU. Do the game times overlap?

The TV schedule shows all regionals on ESPNU, available only on directtv (609), not on dish. Have no idea whether ESPN will sell some rights to Fox regionals. Wish I still had directtv, the $12 sports pack addition would be a no brainer for next week.

On the selection show they said ESPNU would carry the Worcester regional, not surprising with BC and BU there.

CC got the real screw job, because the objective criteria have been used virtually every year until this one, when the committee went subjective and bumped Denver ahead of them. With the same subjective reasoning used in changing CC and Denver, Cornell should have been given a 1 seed (switched with MN), yet the committee didn't do that. They've opened a big can of worms in throwing subjective decisions into what was supposed to be an objective process. Cornell gets a bit of a screw job having to play in MN on the large ice sheet, which does not fit their team. I'd expect OSU to take them out rather easily. They didn't discuss it, but would guess the Sioux end up in Worcester because the committee decided to keep Michigan in Michigan. There is precedent set that that could happen, but I much prefer the original objective brackets. CC is in a nasty region, MN appears to have the easiest regional, and, with BC, BU, and ND in the same region, that's a good one too. Of course ESPN in already up for a BC/BU final. Unfortunately, the Sioux get to screw over the ESPN planning once again The process was well set up for MN, in spite of their recent struggles, since they are the only team playing in their own arena, and they didn't need take attendence issues into account when selecting the other 3 teams to send there. The Sioux will have that advantage next year as long as they make the tourney. The Worcester region is on ESPNU, have no idea whether Fox Sports will be able to pick up these games for western fans or not. We may be once again screwed (like Victory Sports last year) for seeing the Sioux on TV. Does anyone have ESPNU yet, other than maybe those with directtv or dish?

After the Spirko goal, however, Harrington was playing "lighter" due to the undressing. Kinda like parts falling off a car and improving gas mileage. And a shining example that very few offensive dmen are in the Leopold/Martin class. Thought Frank and Doug were more "even-handed" than they have ever been when the Sioux are playing. Credit for the defensive side of dmen's game; I fell out of my lazy boy. Would like FSN to show replays of Gopher penalties and potential penalties like they do the opponent penalties and potential penalties. Can't say I've ever understood that, although I guess it's keeping with the Gophers "clean" image as opposed to the Sioux's "thug" image that they prefer to potray.

I like a potential CC/ND matchup, always have. The Sioux looked better than CC in all 4 games they played (although CC won 3). PLus, in Grand Rapids with those 4 teams, I think the Sioux fans travel the best, and a potential "Sioux crowd" could be there. Nice. Plus BIGMRG can be there and bring along a contingent of GVSU "closet" Sioux fans. Better take along extra jerseys for those boys. OSU is not real big but have good speed and a high percentage PP. But we all know the relative competition in the WCHA as opposed to the CCHA. As good a first round draw as the Sioux could expect. MN, as the last #1, gets the toughest #4 (Maine), and Maine has been playing well lately. Wisco (playing poorly) gets Cornell (playing well). Again, competition for MN/Wisco has been a step above Cornell/Maine, but this seems to be an evenly matched region, albeit MN getting home ice advantage. THe first round games that appear to be outmatched 4 vs 1's are CC, BC, and Denver, as they should be. I think CC gets the potentially toughest of the 3 as Bemidji will probably give them a good game. THe way the Sioux have been playing, I can see them going to Columbus. Hope Prpich is back, doubt that we'll see Murray again this year however.

USCHO breakdown this morning: Final Brackets (3-2-1 bonus) Minneapolis Maine vs. Minnesota Wisconsin vs. Cornell Grand Rapids Bemidji State vs. Colorado College Ohio State vs. North Dakota Amherst Mercyhurst vs. Boston College Harvard vs. New Hampshire Worcester Colgate vs. Denver Boston University vs. Michigan Edit: I did use the wrong tiebreaker last night.