stickboy1956

We hosted the NCAA in 83. Wisconsin upset us in the WCHA finals in GF. Back then the series were 2 game/total goal series and the second game went to 3 ot before Wisconsin beat us and went on to beat Providence and Harvard in the F4

Also lets remember Jones has been 5/6 D in the rotation since Jan. The pressure point isn't Fienhage being our #6 D, its moving Jones/Blood into the 3/4 slot that's more precarious.

To be fair to Jason, his bit is to predict the bracket if the season ended today, not project the final bracket in March. While the teams will change, it is still interesting to look at factors like host teams placed in their own region (currently Yale, NH, UMTC) and what that does to the brackets. Over the last few years, his final Bracketology has been pretty accurate.

http://www.uscho.com/blogs/uscho/bracketology Good analysis by UCHO regarding the RPI formula and how tweaking it effects this year's PWR. The bottom line is that the PWR doesn't change much even if you tweak the RPI formula. We are outside looking in right now because we lost 2 neutral site games to bad teams and lost to the 9th place team in our league at home. Flip those games, and flip another bad loss (Wisco or Duluth) from earlier this year and we are 20-7-3 and playing for a number 1 seed, which the top team in the WCHA should be doing this time of year.

Classic from GPL http://www.gopherpucklive.com/forum/viewto...art=200#p245232 Love the photo

True - they have the talent to turn this around. Recent history suggests otherwise.

It's not a development/tactics issue, it's a focus/grit/attitude issue. It seems they never have all their oars rowing together when it counts.

You are correct, sir - it still shows how close we are and also how we cannot afford an average performance down the stretch.

Someone else do the math but isn't our win % in the WCHA better than DU/Wisco? If so, UCHO will put us in the tournament as a projected auto-bid when they do this week's PWR Predictions. Amazing - the WCHA's best team (win %) is ranked 17 in RPI/PWR.

7 teams are .005 apart in RPI (UMD, OSU, NH, UMTC, Wisco, BC, UND) 11-17. IMO we need 6-2 + 2-0 + 1-1 to get in for sure - anything less is iffy.

My scout says he will go the college route - doesn't know which one though.

After the start they had, I thought this was their (UMTC) season for "no drama." They have had their share recently (Tyler Hirsch, Okposo, Frazee, Blarneys, EJohnson/Espn.com). It seems that any kind of adversity for this team is overdramatized/exaggerated, which seems to get them off their game. One team tends to come apart down the stretch, one team comes together. Coaching, anyone???

Here's a site that lists this exeption for determining the TUC comparison. http://slack.net/~whelan/tbrw/tbrw.cgi?2009 Here's a link to this site's do it yourself pwr http://slack.net/~whelan/tbrw/tbrw.cgi?2009

It would make sense not to count the head to head meetings twice in a comparison - that's why they throw our head to head meetings when deciding the TUC comparison.

Any doubt which team gets the first penalty of the 3rd period?

Elite teams are usually ahead of their competition and WCHA officials feel the need to call more penalties on the team that's winning (5 in row on us v. Denver as an example).

INCH 4x4 February 4, 2009 The INCH 4x4 represents how we think the NCAA Tournament field will look WHEN THE BRACKET IS ANNOUNCED Sunday, March 22 http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/5Polls/0809/44_0719.htm They have us a 3 seed. Note: we will avoid having to face the Gophs in Minneapolis if we land in the same seeding band - Inch has both projected as #3 seeds. Personally, I always love ending their season

A UMD sweep helps us in the league standings but a split probably would help us more in the PWR.

My scout predicts he will play in more than a handfull of games next year - he's going to push BE for playing time next year.

Are you sure a bc win flips this comp? We currently lead BC in RPI and TUC, but we are tied in COP. I know a BC win gives them the COP but their RPI would need to move past our's to flip this comparison. Would that happen with a BC win over Mass?

BC plays UMass Friday - this game effects the COP vs. BC. However, a UMass win could jump them to a TUC, which would give us 1 more TUC loss. I say, Go UMass!!!

Tomorrow is a must game?? Our margin for error (in PWR) is slipping away.

I think SC has had more quality scoring chances.

Looks like October.

Good to see Kozak is full strength. We are better when he is in the lineup. It made a difference last Sat.