NCAA's best teams

[SIOUXPERGREEN]

Obviously we all know the SIOUX are going to win it all, but who else can go all the way to the Frozen Four?

BOSTON COLLEGE scares me a little. They have great team speed and solid D, (1.89 GA) kinda reminds me of a certain team I like. They seem to be a clone of the Sioux, although I believe the Sioux are better in most aspects of the game. Great playmaking forwards are what make a team like BC very dangerous. Solid goaltending also. (Matti Kaltiainen 1.69 GAA .912 save%)

MAINE is probably the only team I worry about really. They are HOT. Fresh off beating BC, they have strung together a great second half. Goaltending and Defense...HOLY COWS. 1.61 GA per game Goalies are Frank Doyle (.924 save% 1.83 GAA) and Jim Howard (.952 save% 1.18 GAA) OUCH!! But such is the East, so they have not seen a team like the Sioux!! (more explosive offensively and strong defensively)

Then there's a team who has seen the Sioux 5 times this year. (I got to see all 5, The SAAWEEEP in Duluth was sweet!) Duluth is a very talented team who can beat anyone in the country....EXCEPT FOR THE SIOUX!!!

The Golden Chokers aren't going to do SQUAT in the tourney. Their goaltending is in shambles (i.e. Kellen Briggs stinks right now!) and their defense has been subject as of late. (plus thier coach has a mullet!) BYE BYE RODENTS!!

Can Denver, Wicsonsin, New Hampshire, or Michigan get there? Probably not, but who knows. That's what I love about college hockey!!

GO SOIUX ALL THE WAY TO AN 8TH TITLE!!!!!!

[sioux fan in phoenix]

Love your attitude, Siouxpergreen, it's downright contagious. We should keep in mind that B.C. & Maine play in a notably inferior conference compared to the Sioux. No conference is as top-to-bottom tough as the WCHA & I doubt their goalie stats would be as impressive here. Would be kind of formidable to play B.C. in the final--14,000 or so Eagles fans & a few 1,000 Sioux fans (estimate).

[AZSIOUX]

NORTH DAKOTA

DULUTH

MICHIGAN

MAINE

I guess i have no idea. BC should get in but i am sick of them. I have seen them 2 times live against UND in the finals. I guess it would be pretty sweet to see them live if they meet for the rubber match in BC's home town!!!!!

Michgan is a tough one, are they that good???...

Maine is playing good hockey just like the FIGHTING SIOUX!!!

Why Duluth??? I have no frickin idea, just a hunch i guess.....also good for the WCHA....

UND rolls so many tough players out at all times its sick!!!!!! Brandt is on fire and is in his zone, Jake, keep doing whatever your doing!!!!!!!!

Denver, no way...they need very hot goaltending to get there in the first place, as everyone else does..

Minnesota will get rolled in the regionals which is still a good year for them right??? Maybe not, they may be getting greedy!!!!!!!!!!!

New Hampshire, have not seen them play to much this year, sound solid

Maybe a team like Notre Dame will get in like St. Lawarence a few years back, ya never know, just hope I will be in Boston in April......

[airmail]

North Dakota (duh)

Wisconsin (not really, but I'd hate to try to beat UMD for a 6th time this season. They're good.)

Boston College (although it could be tough getting past UNH)

Minnesota (again, not really. The gophers would just be easier to beat than the Black Bears)

[skateshattrick]

I said several months ago that I believe that there are 6 teams that have a legitimate shot to win:

1. UND

2. BC

3. Michigan

4. Maine

5. Minnesota

6. UMD

Minnesota has faded, but is always dangerous. I would give them an outside shot, but they are more talented and experienced than Wisconsin and Denver, neither of which has much of a chance. Michigan always gets hot at tournament time. They picked off a heavily favored Sioux team in 98 and ended up winning the whole thing. They also picked off heavily favored CC and Denver the past 2 years. With Montoya in net, they can beat anyone. UMD is talented and also has good goaltending.

The easy choices are UND, BC and Maine. Maine has the goaltending, the Sioux and BC the best overall talent. Michigan can never be counted out.

[sagard]

These six teams have been suggested a few times:

1. UND

2. Maine

3. BC

4. UMD

5. Michigan

6. Minnesota

I think the top three have separated themselves, and maybe the Gophers have as well (in the wrong direction). The Gophers could still end up in Boston, but haven't shown the consistancy to win two games against the top teams in the same weekend. I'm still guessing nobody will be thrilled to find them in their regional.

[WPoS]

These six teams have been suggested a few times:

1. UND

2. Maine

3. BC

4. UMD

5. Michigan

6. Minnesota

I think the top three have separated themselves, and maybe the Gophers have as well (in the wrong direction). The Gophers could still end up in Boston, but haven't shown the consistancy to win two games against the top teams in the same weekend. I'm still guessing nobody will be thrilled to find them in their regional.

to ride on the wise sagard's coattails, I'd mostly agree with his list/comments. Altho I think the Frozen Four will consist of:

BC

UND

tUMD

UMN ( of course )

If not UMN then Maine

One never knows in single game elimination whom may or may not play...being a favorite to win has not been a good thing the last few decades....

WPoS

[Fighting Sioux #1]

DaveK.....Are you a closet Goofer fan?

[DMT]

DaveK.....Are you a closet Goofer fan?        

I think Dave K has a mullet.

[cfm567b27]

First of all, no he doesn't. Second of all, that is the most annoying word/catch phrase ever. Even more annoying than "don't go there". It wasn't witty, clever, or funny five years ago... and it sure as hell isn't witty, clever, or funny now. Not singling you out specifically, SIOUXPERGREEN, just venting. People in general need to stop using that term so loosely. If you're talking about Billy Ray Cyrus, fine... but you can't apply that label to everybody who doesn't have their hair shaved up the back of their neck right to the hairline. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

Okay, now that I got that out of my system... I think other teams besides the Sioux that have a shot at winning it all are as follows:

Gophers, UMD, Maine, BC

Chia pet is more like it...Getting better though....His wife must have called his barber and set him straight...

Mullet? No......That would be reserved for the little guys in the big monster pick-up trucks who modify the exhaust to make them louder - stereotypical...Don't get me started

[The Commodore]

I think it's likely that the FF will consist of

Holy Cross

Ohio State

Colgate

Miami

Colgate will take it in a very poorly attended FF.

JUST KIDDING.

It seems like Wisconsin, Duluth, and Michigan could all likely be in Grand Rapids. I hate to pick against the WCHA here. It's not Yost, but Michigan is Michigan when it comes to tournament time. Casting better judgement into the wind, the fact that UMD and Wisco have played in a tougher league and have less to lose paves a difficult road for the Wolverines. I'm saying UMD here, though this seems like it may be the most competitive regional.

In the West, I'd rather face Denver than Minnesota, and my guess is that of the WCHA teams to send East, Minnesota would be the most marketable as the 2X defending champs, so I'd say there's a greater chance of UM going East than stacking 3 WCHA teams in the West. So I say UND advances.

BC will almost certainly come out of the Northeast if no WCHA team is sent here. The NCAA wants them in the FF. They won't be facing the same kind of obstacles other teams will in their regionals.

The East is tough to call. I don't like Minnesota's chances against Maine, as Maine will have extra incentive to eliminate the gophers. Briggs is reeling and if Notre Dame ends up as MN's first round draw, there's a chance for an upset as ND has pulled off some big wins against the Michigans. Grumbling, I'm guessing Maine is still standing for the FF.

So while UND/UMD and BC/Maine doesn't look very daring in terms of picks, I do believe that in the unlikely event that UMD pulls off a win against the Sioux, they'll beat BC or Maine. Half of UMD's losses this year came against UND. If they manage to end our season, they'll be so jacked up for the championsip.... plus the fact that BC and Maine will be breathing a sigh of relief to see the Sioux eliminated... that Duluth would take the enchilada. So that's as far of a risk as I'll take there. But I don't think that UMD has the depth or the defense to compete with the Sioux this year. Things look good for UND.

Possible upset teams to get a win in the NCAAs:

Notre Dame

Wisconsin

Michigan State

As the rest of you have said, however, I think UND, UMD, BC, and Maine are a cut above the rest-- the distance between 1st and 2nd, 3rd, 4th seeds in these regionals are greater than they have been in recent years. I would much rather face UMD than Michigan in the FF, however... half because I'd like to see as many WCHA teams as possible in the FF and half because facing Michigan in the NCAAs sucks no matter which year it is.

Additionally, if a miracle (or disaster, depending on your viewpoint) occurs and it does end up being Colgate, Holy Cross, Miami, and Ohio State... I had better get some props for my brilliant prognostication abilities.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

[DMT]

[sioux fan in phoenix]

I look like an '80s rockstar.

Kinda like Lita "I went to a party on a Saturday night, couldn't get laid, got in a fight, uh huh..it ain't no big thing" Ford.

[DMT]

[redwing77]

Maine has solid goaltending but that's about it. BC pulled a gopher and just decided to throw the games vs Maine. They both didn't mean anything and all it would do is move them down one spot anyhow.

If you ask me, Maine will make it to the frozen four if they get lucky and get solid goaltending. They will not make the NC game though. Especially if they have to play a team like UND or BC.

Top Five teams in the NCAA:

1. UND

2. BC

3. UMD

4. Michigan (wht Montoya healthy. heard he got injured)

5. Maine

Remember, Maine has a tendency to lose to unranked teams. All we need to win is to play like Providence does against them and we'll win. Perhaps like Northeastern too

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Top 5

1)UND

2)Maine

3)BC

4)UMD

5)Notre Dame (token "out there" pick...hey, they're away from home...they can win )