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Dustin

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Posts posted by Dustin

  1. Just now, siouxweet said:

    They look disinterested in these settings.  Frozen Faceoff, destination games and regionals.

    "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.

    • Upvote 1
  2. 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.

    • Upvote 1
  3. 1 hour ago, cberkas said:

    How UND can get a 1 seed still, doesn't matter what happens with the ECAC

    • CCHA Championship: Bemidji State def. Michigan Tech
    • ECAC Semifinal #2: Cornell def. Dartmouth
    • ECAC Championship: Cornell def. St. Lawrence
    • Hockey East Semifinal #2: Boston University def. Maine
    • Hockey East Championship: Boston University def. Boston College
    • Atlantic Hockey Championship: RIT def. American Int'l
    • Big Ten Championship: Michigan def. Michigan State
    • NCHC Semifinal #2: St. Cloud State def. Denver
    • NCHC Championship: Omaha def. St. Cloud State

    image.png.28546ad4370f1dff7fe54569d7983aaa.png

    Impressive reconnaissance. 

  4. 11 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

    I'm ok with going anywhere as the #2 and Michigan St as the #1. The bigger issue is who's the #3???

    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.

  5. 1 hour ago, fightingsioux4life said:

    UND over UNO: Put the Mavs out of their misery.

    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.

  6. 12 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

    Congrats on your Sisyphean task (until Saturday night at the X is over). 

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

  7. 1 minute ago, siouxweet said:

    I know they avoid inter conference first round matchups when possible however is it when a conference has 5 in the tournament does that go out the window? 

    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.

  8. 1 hour ago, AJS said:

    No way to know. 

    This year versus Omaha.

    • Persson: 11 Goals on 60 shots (0-3)
    • Hedquist: 1 Goal on 22 shots (1-0)

    I'm probably the minority, but I actually feel more comfortable when Hedquist is in net. It's at least worth a deeper look. I'm sure it'll be Persson and hopefully we'll see that guy that can steal games for the stretch. I also hope that Hedquist is getting a fair look, based on play and it's not just pre-determined that Persson gets the net. 

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

  9. Just now, Dustin said:

    Providence: 1. BC v 14. CC, 7. Q v 10. Michigan

    Springfield: 2. BU v 13. W Michigan, 5. Michigan St. v 12. UMass

    Sioux Falls: 3. UND v 15/16.AHA/CCHA, 8. Minnesota v 11. Omaha

    Maryland Heights: 4. Denver v 15/16. AHA/CCHA, 6. Maine v 9. Wisconsin

    I added the current pairwise as seeds.

  10. 5 minutes ago, Dustin said:

    I'm not sure if a conference matchup in the first round is avoidable.

    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

     

  11. 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.

  12. 1 minute ago, Dustin said:

    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.

    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.

  13. 18 minutes ago, Dustin said:

    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.

    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.

  14. 8 minutes ago, SiouxFanatic said:

    I’m sure UNO loves the opportunity to possibly make UND have to travel to a different regional not named Sioux Falls.

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

  15. 17 minutes ago, Kab said:

    So if UND can secure a 1 and UNO a 3 would they throw gophers in that region as a 2?

    my spell check had gophers as goners, hope that’s true 

    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.

  16. 2 minutes ago, BusinessSiouxt said:

    I think you’re underestimating Omaha

    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.

    • Upvote 1
  17. 7 minutes ago, Dustin said:

    As long as UND wins the semi-final game, that should solidify their 1 seed?  I guess they it depends on who they play in the championship (and whether they lose), and maybe a little bit on what happens to Michigan State.

    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.

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