Dustin

Not sure who the 4 seed will be, but this is my prediction as well.

"Disinterested" is a good work to describe it. The team looked like they were going through the motions for a lot of the game, not playing to control their playoff destiny.

Historically, the 3 biggest fan bases in college hockey are North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. When all three of them were in the same conference and the conference tournament was easily accessible to all 3 (MSP), plus sprinkle in other Minnesota schools' fans, you had a recipe for success. When the conferences split those teams into the Big Ten and NCHC, both conferences tried (unsuccessfully) to replicate the WCHA Final Five with big venue, neutral site conference tournaments. Geography was definitely part of the problem for both conferences, with fewer teams spread over a larger area. I also think Wisconsin having down years right after the 2014 split, and UND having some down years after the national championship, contributed to the demise of both conference tournaments. The Big Ten saw the writing on the wall first, with the NCHC still counting on UND to make the event successful. But now, having watched Big Ten home site playoff games, I have no doubt this is the right direction for the NCHC. Someone posted earlier about buying out the Xcel contract for 2025, and that's a viable option, I'm in favor. Another thing about 2024, in particular. Until last night, UND's path to the National Championship went through St. Paul, Sioux Falls, and back to St. Paul. I personally know fans that decided not to go to the Frozen Faceoff, saving for the potential Frozen Four appearance at the same venue. I think a lot people were also excited for the Sioux Falls regional, which also probably contributed to last night's dismal attendance. Not everyone can go to a hockey tournament 3 out of 4 weekends, as much as we'd maybe like to.

Had multiple chances in the last few weeks to take care of this, too. Failed every time.

Somewhat, yes.

Impressive reconnaissance.

This televised locally at all?

I think we’ll end up in Missouri with Michigan State. The 3 seed would probably be a big ten team, Michigan or Wisconsin. Denver and Minnesota go to Sioux Falls.

My 3 takes: start Persson in the NCAA we won’t be in same regional as Omaha the home site NCHC playoffs can’t come soon enough

The only way this pays off is if the new assistants make him look better than the old ones did.

Probably had to be done for the new assistants not walking a plank with uncertainty. The Bubba situation should have been handled immediately after the season. Ask him to resign or fire him.

Won't put them out of their misery. They'll be right there in Sioux Falls the next weekend, perhaps meeting us in the final.

UND v Omaha early semifinal, Denver v SCSU late semifinal. https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/game-times-set-for-nchc-frozen-faceoff

if anything, I would say the final pairwise on Saturday night shouldn't make things any harder than the current pairwise do.

I heard on this site that 5 teams in the tourney an exception can be made. However, if you look at the non-UND hockey thread, I did find a bracket that includes 5 NCHC teams (based on current pairwise), and still avoids first round matchups.

If Persson is questionable at all for Friday, I would go with Hedquist.

I added the current pairwise as seeds.

I did find a possible solution that avoids all the intraconference matchups, but it would involve the AHA and CCHA champions playing the #3 and #4 overall seeds. Not sure how the committee views that. That set up goes as follows: Providence: BC v CC, Q v Michigan Springfield: BU v W Michigan, Michigan St. v UMass Sioux Falls: UND v AHA/CCHA, Minnesota v Omaha Maryland Heights: Denver v AHA/CCHA, Maine v Wisconsin

So, I keep looking at this, and it's kind of a mess! With natural bracketing, (1 v 4, 2 v 3), conference matchups abound because with current pairwise, Big Ten has 4 teams: (2) 2 seeds, (2) 3 seeds. The NCHC has 5 teams: (2) 1 seeds, (2) 4 seeds, and 3 seed who's hosting. I'm not sure if a conference matchup in the first round is avoidable.

Actually, with Michigan State at #5 currently, all of the 4 Big Ten teams are either 2 seeds or 3 seeds (at the moment). In that case, there will be a Big Ten team in every regional.

Because of the 3 Big Ten teams around the 8-9-10 mark (think 1st round match up conflicts), and both UMass and Omaha looking in good shape to play in the regionals they're hosting, one of the Big Ten teams will have to go east, and one of the eastern teams will have to west. As it stands now. There's some movement still available that could shape things differently.

That could be there motivation for that game. But UND losing to Omaha doesn't necessarily prevent them from being a 1 seed.

To me, it depends on how "regionalized" the committee wants to be. From the eye test (didn't actually count teams), it seems like there's about the right amount of teams with pretty even seed distribution from each region to be put into their closest (or maybe closer) regionals.

I wouldn't say I am underestimating them, just that what they have to play for this weekend has no bearing on the NCAA tournament. Not saying they wouldn't like to be NCHC champions, because I'm sure they do. But they have to be at a disadvantage compared to UND, since they traveled to Colorado Springs, played 3 games, and then will travel to St. Paul for a Friday game. All the while, UND played two games at home and will travel to St. Paul.

I played with every scenario (I think) with the NCHC and Big Ten, and as long as UND wins Friday, I didn't find a scenario where they finished lower than #4 PWR, even if they lost to SCSU in the final.