Non-UND College Hockey 2023-24

[Godsmack]

  On 3/18/2024 at 2:32 PM, Dustin said:

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.

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To your point, UNO looked a step slower and sluggish through large swathes of the series with CC. Credit to UNO however for managing that and cashing in on their opportunities. They also got the better of the goaltending play. CC outshot Omaha 122 to 58 for the weekend yet Latkoczy had a save % over 95% whereas Mbereko’s was around 86%.
 

What was very curious to me was, despite CC carrying the play for much of the series, CC never held a lead until yesterday’s game three. They were trailing all of Friday (until the OT winner) and all of Saturday, despite badly outplaying and out shooting Omaha. In Sunday’s game, they finally got a lead late in the first period that held until about late in the second. Goaltending was the difference in this series. Props to Omaha for literally gutting out a tough road series victory that they probably needed in order to lock their place into the tournament. 

[Kab]

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 

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:08 PM, 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 

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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.

[SiouxFanatic]

  On 3/18/2024 at 2:07 PM, Dustin said:

Agreed.  Omaha did what they needed to do, and really can't do any more, as far as NCAA tourney goes.  Omaha should be the more tired team and are probably just elated to get to St. Paul.  They are ripe for UND to make amends from two weekends ago.  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.

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

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:33 PM, SiouxFanatic said:

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

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

[nodakvindy]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:06 AM, cberkas said:

UND or Denver is going east because UMass is ahead of Western Michigan and Omaha. 

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UMass has to beat BC to stay ahead, not a foregone conclusion.

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:25 PM, 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.

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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.

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:47 PM, 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.

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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.

[Dustin]

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.

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:58 PM, Dustin said:

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

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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

 

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 4:07 PM, 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

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I added the current pairwise as seeds.

[The Sicatoka]

  On 3/18/2024 at 3:58 PM, Dustin said:

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.

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

[Dustin]

  On 3/18/2024 at 4:29 PM, The Sicatoka said:

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

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

[cberkas]

Ron Fogarty out as Princeton's head coach 

[burd]

  On 3/18/2024 at 4:29 PM, The Sicatoka said:

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

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  Just about every game played is another roll back down the hill.  

[SIOUXFAN97]

  On 3/17/2024 at 11:30 PM, nodakgirl93 said:

?? The league has already decided how the conference tournament will play out once asu joins and it's 9 teams.

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also a chance that scsu isn't in the league in five years or even not a school in 5 years.

scsu was the other und's replacement when they backed out so they (scsu) were brought in to grab the TC metro (haha yeah right)...

their academics suck, the city sucks, and as you can see from their attenance the last few nights their fans really suck

st thomas would add tc metro, increase the academic side, and their fans are rich and loyal (scsu are neither)

[tnt]

  On 3/18/2024 at 6:23 PM, SIOUXFAN97 said:

also a chance that scsu isn't in the league in five years or even not a school in 5 years.

scsu was the other und's replacement when they backed out so they (scsu) were brought in to grab the TC metro (haha yeah right)...

their academics suck, the city sucks, and as you can see from their attenance the last few nights their fans really suck

st thomas would add tc metro, increase the academic side, and their fans are rich and loyal (scsu are neither)

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But they do have a fan that looks like Joe Dirt!

[SIOUXFAN97]

  On 3/18/2024 at 7:08 PM, tnt said:

But they do have a fan that looks like Joe Dirt!

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their homecoming "queens" usually do.

[nodakvindy]

I think this might be the only scenario to get 6 NCHC teams in.   What a headache for the bracketologists if this shakes out.  

You Are The Committee : College Hockey News

[RedFrog]

  On 3/18/2024 at 8:17 PM, nodakvindy said:

I think this might be the only scenario to get 6 NCHC teams in.   What a headache for the bracketologists if this shakes out.  

You Are The Committee : College Hockey News

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That would be interesting and could end up in an all NCHC Sioux Falls Regional of

UND v CC

Denver v Omaha

[Godsmack]

Coach at Princeton is out. 
 

https://www.uscho.com/2024/03/18/after-10-seasons-90-169-27-record-behind-bench-fogarty-out-as-coach-of-princetons-mens-hockey-team/?fbclid=IwAR0DhN4_3-TWFHwmgKtVTvBGW0G-yFcu-vokLyx_Fd-ZvxqBpV8MwaZYNqc

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Bergeron gone. No surprise. Bring back Gwoz!

[nodakvindy]

  On 3/19/2024 at 2:48 AM, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Bergeron gone. No surprise. Bring back Gwoz!

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The right guy could get things turned around in a hurry. No reason Miami has to be a perennial bottom feeder. They need someone with winning pedigree. 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

love it! NCHC buttons:

UND: F'n Hawks

St Cloud: Jan Brady State, St Clown, Husky Women, lots of choices

UMD: Minnesota State-Duluth, U Must Drink, Da-loot

DU: Don't U have any fans? 

CC: Community College

WMU, Miami I got nothing. Chip in

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

  On 3/19/2024 at 4:46 AM, nodakvindy said:

The right guy could get things turned around in a hurry. No reason Miami has to be a perennial bottom feeder. They need someone with winning pedigree. 

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Seems like getting the cold shoulder from BGSU and OSU for non conference should end. Both need to get over their grudges.