stickboy1956

Who has said they turned a corner - just observations regarding their current NCAA status. Also - RPI is just one component of the PWR comparisons. The reason their post season will be important will be they will be playing teams that are just ahead/behind them in the PWR. Unless they finish 8th, they will probably be playing a WCHA team that is on the bubble with them. If they win the series, they will move up the PWR ladder. The same is true in the F5 play-in game. A win would probably improve their PWR. What is also true is that UMTC does have enough talent to win a few games at the end of the season. Anyone who saw the 4 meatgrinder games they played with us shouldn't be surprised if they win a series at MSM and win a play-in game vs St Cloud or Wisconsin. I don't think that anyone on the board is rooting for this, but it is just an observation/analysis.

Currently UMTC is 13 in the PWR, which would put them in the tournament if the season ended today (probably playing either CC or UND in the first round! ) Even if they split their next 4 games (at UAA, home v. UMD), they could probably get in the tournament by winning their 1st round WCHA series and winning the play-in game of the final 5. Each of those victories could have the effect of knocking out their opponent. I predict 6/7 reg season finish for them, having them going to either SCSU or MSM in round 1. Read this for more PWR/Bracketology. http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008...atournament.php http://www.collegehockeynews.com/info/?d=pwcrpi

Let me know if you have tix for sale for Thur, Fri, or Sat. Thanks.

Sioux vs Gophers in Albany ... it could happen

And unless Clarkson wins the ECAC tourny, that would change the bubble to 13, currently dropping Wisco out of the tournament.

As I said before, I wouldn't be bothered to play Wisco at Madison the way they are playing now. Also, if we would drop 1 seed we get UMD instead. Then we could play the WI/Miami winner - bring it on. At 14, WI is definately in danger of dropping out.

We could also flip CC if we keep winning and beat them at the F5. - It would be great to be/stay in the same seeding band as CC - that would keep us out of Colo Springs for the regional. We probably won't be sent to Wisco as a 1 seed. The way they are playing, if they do get in it could be as a 4 seed. I couldn't see the NCAA having a 1 v 4 all-WCHA 1st round game. If they did, I say bring it on - the Badgers are slumping.

And their next chance to play a TUC would be at CCHA tourny, probably Mich State. They play Ohio State and then probably Lake S St., 2 non-TUC's

Yes ... and no. Teams are then ranked by PWR point total, with ties broken by looking at the Rating Percentage Index (RPI). Note: this tiebreaking procedure is used solely for convenience in displaying the PWR, and will not necessarily match the committee's process. This is especially true near the end of the top 16, where the committee looks more closely at head-to-head comparisons when selecting the last few teams. PWR Explaination

Which is why you are not an NHL scout ...

Your are correct - Sat nite at BIG. The best website to follow the section results is this: Follow the Puck

I bet if Kato holds on for 4th, but loses in the 1st round of the WCHA tourny, their PWR would probably be still good enough to get in.

Personally, I think the 82 team would be hard to beat: Sykes, Eades, Murray, Shervin, Tippett, Archie ... Ludwig, Patrick, Zombo, Stoney ... Casey and Jensen in goal

I don't see either Princeton or Providence getting in the tournament, though. UMinn has just as good a chance as either of those teams.

The Boys tournament actually starts Wed Mar 5 with 4 Class A games, Thur Mar 6 the AA tournament starts. TV coverage starts Wed at 11 am.

I don't think Wisco is good enough to beat Mich, even at Kohl.

Ask Jake Prosser of CC if he thinks Oshie is "undersized." Undersized TJ Oshie Ironically, one of St.Louis top scouts had to live with this label his entire career - I think that's why he likes TJ so much.

If Mich ends up #1 overall, they will try to keep them close and try to say as close to a 1-16/8-9 bracket for them. Wisco is currently 12 which doesn't fit the bracket for them. Since there is no home team in Albany, I predict they go there, if the current #1 seeds remain (Mich/NH/UND/CC). What would make it interesting is if Wisco moves up to the 8-9 position. I'm sure Mich fans would scream if they had to play in Wisconsin.

RE: UND is a bunch of goons ... Usually a team of thugs will decide to mix it up when they are behind to try to get the other team off their game. Correct me if I'm wrong but the incidents this year involving Wisco/MSM/Denver all happened when we were ahead, didn't they. Could it be the other team's were frustrated and decided to start something, not us. The incident at the John happened after an overtime tie - which team do you think was more frustrated. Actually, the cheapest thing a Sioux player has done this year happened when UMinn played at the Ralph on Sat, when Kozek went after a Gopher at center ice after a Gopher goal at the end of the period. Actually, he should have went after a couple of his teammates who were sleepwalking that series.

I think you are half right - the Sioux are the most talented team in the league (ironically, this year's squad is one of the least intimidating in years). Because the rest of the league is so talent-less, they are forced to hook/hold/slash to try to stop us. Because the league officials won't crack down on the above, at some point in the game/series the monkey business starts. We don't start it - we know how to finish it. This is how fignting actually makes the game better - players would think twice about the extra slash/jab if they knew they might have to back it up with a fight. They might not be so brave - it's easy to hide behind the facemask now, right Gophers/Badgers/Pioneers/Mavericks.

What about Ed "Bop" Schultz!! How many of you remember Wally Shaver broadcasting Sioux games for a FM station based in Crookston?

We're #2 uscho.com

I know it's not likely but I wonder what would happen to the PWR/RPI if Minn sweeps Wisconsin this weekend. Minn is currently 17 in the PWR, Wisco 12.

We are now tied for 3rd with CC and NH in the PWR. Good news - If we can keep winning, our RPI could go up enough to win the CC comparison, putting us ahead of them and getting us 3 overall. Bad news - flipping that comparison probably drops them to 5th, behind NH (NH sweep of CC is huge), putting CC in band of #2 seeds. If that happens, a trip to Colo Springs is very likely for the Sioux. The big ice would be good for us - potentially having to play the best #2 seed on their home rink is not.