jk

This'll be an interesting experiment. Can you go from playing like hell to playing championship level hockey, competing all over the ice, in one week? Can you flip a switch and become great again? History and logic say no, but it's hockey so never say never.

Integrity, I don't even know what that means. If earnestness means aggressive and attacking, then sign me up.

If you can set aside the looking like hell part, I do prefer only playing one game this weekend, to maybe be just a touch fresher next weekend. But they have to use the energy for it to matter.

The "soft" thing is interesting to consider. UND is built quite a bit differently than it used to be. They take fewer penalties than almost everyone, and have the skill to win by winning the special teams battle. But the skill guys are pretty soft, Blake's wipeout of Rizzo notwithstanding. Do we need more grinders? Or skill guys with more of an edge? I don't know. Maybe they go on a run and this discussion is unnecessary.

I mean, Q lost 3-0 to #45 today. If UND plays this methodical game next week, they'll have a hard time against anyone. In the NCAA every opponent can beat you. Even UND could beat someone next week, hard as it is to imagine at the moment.

I had it in my head that they would come out having rediscovered their dominant game from January. I was wrong. Just not a lot of attack in their game right now, with or without the puck. Honestly I think their only hope is for Ludwig to steal a game and get them going.

I think UND breaks out as well. Omaha has led a charmed life lately and sometimes that bubble bursts suddenly.

When I think of destabilizing speed, names that come to mind are Brent Bobyck and Jeff Panzer.

Omaha is 100% in the tournament. They actually have the least to play for. My question is that if DU is the higher seed, and Omaha and perhaps another area team (MN?) is there, do they not need UND's money and can they put Denver, who earned it, there.

If UND slips behind Denver, both 1 seeds, does Denver get the Sioux Falls slot?

UND will likely end up in the 3-5 range, so a 1 or 2 seed. Omaha will likely be 11-14, so a 3 or 4 seed. It's very possible UND is a 1 and Omaha a 4, so UND would be elsewhere. Also very possible UND is a 2 and Omaha a 3, which also moves UND far away. The easiest solution is Omaha losing tonight, maybe slipping to 14, and then having an ECAC surprise winner move the cut line to 13.

In the grain of salt category, CHN still has OSU with a 7% chance of getting the Big Ten autobid. Interesting since the title game will be played by two other teams.

If you believe CHN's probabilities, the field is almost set. They have WMU, Omaha and CC at 99%, 93% and 84% to get in. There are three possible big bubble events left: SC winning the NCHC, UMass winning HE, and any school not starting with the letter Q winning the ECAC. If all three happen, you'd have to be in the top 11. The ECAC with Cornell is perhaps the most likely of those. There are only 23 teams left, and 41 done.

When Hastings left Mankato he left the conference autobid door open, and Bemidji will host MTU for the right to walk through it.

This weekend didn't do UND any favors, or Denver either for that matter. Whichever teams survive the other two series will arrive in St Paul battle tested and in playoff mode. UND will have to re-learn, in a hurry, what it's like to play a team that's just about as good as they are. I guess the couple good things they got were some confidence with the puck and added belief in their backup goalie.

I also like that Ludwig didn't have to stick the knife in his old team.

It's not rubbing it in when your third and fourth lines are scoring late.

More good news for the bubble teams as UNH is down big late.

Save some goals for the next few weeks. Guessing we see a lot of the Ness line in the last ten minutes.

Bubble teams breathing easier with OSU out.

CHN has MI at 99.8% to make it.

27 teams are golfing. 37 left. Tonight should be a big elimination night.

The last four weeks: Swept at CC. Sweep of bad UMD. Sweep at home over WMU, but needed to hot goalie them one night. Swept at Omaha. Definitely iffy. But they have an offensive punch and a goalie who can steal one, so they can beat anyone.

Just saw that also. Lovely even numbers. UNO probably playing for their season tomorrow. Western not much room for error either with their RPI. I would guess another loss would be enough to end them as well. UND's lead over Denver keeps shrinking. Beating Miami doesn't help at all.

With that goalie and their ability to play the tight checking game made for the playoffs, CC is a threat to beat anyone.