jimdahl Posted February 15, 2004 Posted February 15, 2004 First, what's clinched: UMD hosts 1st round game Mankato travels for 1st round game Denver, CC, AA, Mankato, MTech will not win the regular season What next weekend means? UND can clinch a home 1st round game with 1 pt Gophers drop out of the hunt for the regular season championship with fewer than 3 pts Remaining games? UND still looks to be in the drivers seat. Despite being down 2 pts to UMD, the schedules favor UND: UMD Feb 20/Feb 21 at Colorado College Feb 27/Feb 28 North Dakota Mar 5/Mar 6 at Wisconsin UND Feb 20/Feb 21 at MSU-Mankato Feb 27/Feb 28 at Minnesota-Duluth Mar 5/Mar 6 Michigan Tech Each team, however, completely controls its own destiny because the difference between them in the standings is less than the number of points available from the head-to-head in Duluth. Final standings Using my original (January) what if picks corrected with the actual results to date, I now predict UMD to take the conference. Obviously, the slightest shift in either team's performance would change that: UMD 40 UND 39 UMN 34 UW 34 SCSU 30 Quote
sagard Posted February 15, 2004 Posted February 15, 2004 I'd love it if the Gophers could still make third. They won't get there without SCSU getting at least two points in Madison next weekend. I think UMD is in the drivers seat. Reichmuth is playing very well. For the NCAA's, UND will still likely be the top WCHA team in the seedings. Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 The McNaughton is UMD's to lose, I think. They've played well and certainly do deserve it. I would like to see two (maybe 3?...if Minny plays well, and Mich struggles a little?) WCHA teams with top seeds. Show the Hockey Least, and the Eastern punks that we are THAT good. Quote
Mad Man Posted February 22, 2004 Posted February 22, 2004 UMD 28 43 UND 28 39 UW 28 36 UMN 28 33 SCSU 28 32 Denver 28 25 CC 28 24 AA 28 17 MTech 28 17 Mankato 28 14 After tonights results this is how I predict the season will end. I think the best chances for upsets in the first round would be CC at Minny and Denver could win two out of three at SCSU. Quote
Marty Posted February 22, 2004 Posted February 22, 2004 Next weekend the Sioux are the favorites in my eyes. With the sweep earlier in the season and holding the #1 ranking through a huge part of the season and now currently at #2 I am giving the Sioux the edge. Granted the Dogs have been very hott as of late and the Sioux have had hard times but after this weekend's beat down on MSUM I think the Sioux have gotten their groove back. With all of the playoff experience the Sioux have and with the little the Dogs have I think the Sioux will go to Duluth focused and ready to roll. It's going to be a great weekend in Duluth with two of the best teams in the country fighting for the WCHA title. I'm predicting a Sioux sweep. Quote
NorthDakotaHockey Posted February 22, 2004 Posted February 22, 2004 Damn straight Marty. I'm with you. No pussyfooting around this week. No talk of being satisfied with a split either. Sioux are going to the DECC to kick some hind end and take down a few names. However, after going 5-0 against the Dogs for the season, I sure as HECK hope that we won't see them the remainder of the year. Quote
fargosioux Posted February 22, 2004 Posted February 22, 2004 I'd love to see a Sioux sweep this weekend, but I really see a split coming. That wouldn't be the end of the world, as I think Wisconsin could easily take 2 points from Duluth at home the next weekend. Then with a Sioux sweep of Tech, we'd have the #1 spot, correct? If we end up tied in the standings with Duluth, do we share the McNaughton, or would the tie-breakers decide the champion? I thought we won a share of the title with Minnesota a few years back. Quote
Marty Posted February 22, 2004 Posted February 22, 2004 I'd love to see a Sioux sweep this weekend, but I really see a split coming. That wouldn't be the end of the world, as I think Wisconsin could easily take 2 points from Duluth at home the next weekend. Then with a Sioux sweep of Tech, we'd have the #1 spot, correct? If we end up tied in the standings with Duluth, do we share the McNaughton, or would the tie-breakers decide the champion? I thought we won a share of the title with Minnesota a few years back. You can't think that like that though. You have to assume that Duluth will sweep Wisconsin. There is no way that Wisconsin taking two points from Duluth would be easy. The Sioux need a sweep against Duluth if they want the WCHA regular season title. If I was a Duluth fan I would be very nervous about playing the Sioux right now. After the 10-1 beat down on Mankato and the way Brandt looked against all of 16 shots he faced the Sioux are riding high. Look for both games to be close (maybe an OT thriller) with the Sioux coming out of Dulut in first place. Quote
NorthDakotaHockey Posted February 22, 2004 Posted February 22, 2004 Damn straight Marty. Every year, or most every year, the WCHA boils down to a seminal series, late in the year, for the Cup. Just so happens that it is in Duluth this year and the Road to the Cup goes through there. That's only fair, after that beating Prpich gave that Duluth guy early in the year. Somebody's got a picture of that classic to post here, no? I have it, but haven't a clue how to post it. Season-ending WCHA wars is better hockey, more times than not, , than we see in the NCAA's, although admittedly for perhaps a shade less on the line. However, I'll take a McNaughton Cup or a Broadmoor Trophy any year. The WCHA. Be there. Or be square. With no aggravation intended, this "I'm hoping for a split" bs has got to end this week. The only people who should be hoping for a split are those long-suffering stiffs over at UMD. Sure, it is great to see Sandelin do well. But enough is enough. Bring the brooms. Quote
NorthDakotaHockey Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 By the way . . . . Nice to see the Gopher camp knashing their teeth over hanging on to home ice. Those races for third through fifth, and sixth through eight, are tight and big as well. Those folks just ain't playing for the Cup is all. This is not to say that there are a couple of WCHA clubs that may very well take home ATM. Quote
WPoS Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 gnashing?!?!? Nah, I have faith in the boys and also have faith that JBSU will continue to fall apart. Still glad UMD swept the Gophers? I will be interesting to see what happens from the Sioux faithfull if they get swept at UMD! Regardless this is one of the more interesting years for the end of season standings that has happened lately. WPoS Quote
schmidtdoggydog Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 I will be interesting to see what happens from the Sioux faithfull if they get swept at UMD! Well that means UND would not win the league, but at least we can still point out that UM was 0-4 against UMD this season! Quote
WPoS Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 Well that means UND would not win the league, but at least we can still point out that UM was 0-4 against UMD this season! *SIGH* True, that IS an accomplishment. The Gophs don't normally drop 4 to one team in a year.... WPoS Quote
jojordan23 Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 Yeah, if UND gets swept it means they SPLIT the season series with them, unlike the Gophers, who got SWEPT... But I digress... This weekend is going to be good for the following reasons. 1) The race for the Cup. 2) UND has won the previous 3 meetings, the Dawgs are on a tear and want to show the Sioux that they are a better team then what the previous 3 game results have indicated... and 3) I don't think these 2 teams like each other at all... Play was getting pretty chippy in the Saturday game in Dec... even though the 2 head coaches like each other, and some of the UND players would have been Freshman when Sandy was still UND's defensive coach, I still think these two groups of men are only 1 cheap shot on somebody's part away from a brawl... Here's to a great weekend of hockey!! Quote
sprig Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 Well that means UND would not win the league, but at least we can still point out that UM was 0-4 against UMD this season! We can copy and paste several thousand posts from POI saying we don't care about the McNaughton:0 Quote
DAR Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 WPOS - The only reason you say you do not care about winning the league is because your guys do not have a shot at winning it. Believe me if the goofies were in the race all you POIers would be talking about wanting to hoist the cup at Mucci. It goes without saying that winning the cup does not have much to do with winning the NC except for seeding. I think the last team to get the hat trick was the 97' Sioux. I believe sharing the title with the Goofies, beating the Goofies for the Broadmoor (great goal by Armbrust) and winning the NC over Bu at the Bradley Center. GO SIOUX Quote
WPoS Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 WPOS - The only reason you say you do not care about winning the league is because your guys do not have a shot at winning it. Believe me if the goofies were in the race all you POIers would be talking about wanting to hoist the cup at Mucci. It goes without saying that winning the cup does not have much to do with winning the NC except for seeding. I think the last team to get the hat trick was the 97' Sioux. I believe sharing the title with the Goofies, beating the Goofies for the Broadmoor (great goal by Armbrust) and winning the NC over Bu at the Bradley Center. GO SIOUX I guess you missed my " " WPoS Quote
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