2 or 3 seed

[fargosioux]

[mksioux]

[Smoggy]

My best guess using 3-2-1:

Worcester

#1 BC vs. #16 Mercyhurst

#8 UNH vs. #9 Harvard

Amherst

#2 CC vs. #15 BSU

#7 UND vs. #10 OSU

Grand Rapids

#3 DU vs. #14 Colgate

#6 Mich. vs. #11 UW

Minneapolis

#4 Minnesota vs. #13 Maine

#5 Cornell vs. #12 BU

I don't see any probs with the first round, and I think holding the opening rounds seeds is more important than the next round match-ups. Going straight through also keeps Mich in Mich and I picked BC to be closer to home.

The only thing I don't like is us being in Amherst on the big ice sheet.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

My guess is that DU goes to The John, and CC goes to Grand Rapids.

Cornell and BC are the #1 seeds in the East. From there, I don't know jack, other than the Gophers will be at home and Michigan will be in Grand Rapids.

Bummer. There goes my plan of inviting all my buddies to jump on my West Regional tickets to see the Sioux drill the Gophers on Easter Sunday in The John.

So much for my wild imagination and tough talk.

Here is hoping that the Sioux stayed focused, regroup through the apparent season ending injuries to Murray and Prpich, and win the Whole Shebang for themselves, and for Bina.

[sagard]

Using 0.0030, 0.0020, and 0.0010 with USCHO's PWR:

1 Boston College 27 4 25-6-7 .7500 2 .5945

2 Colorado College 26 3 29-8-3 .7625 1 .5967*

3 Denver 25 5 28-9-2 .7436 3 .5926*

4 Minnesota 24 11 26-14-1 .6463 6 .5720

5 Cornell 23 1 26-4-3 .8333 4 .5902*

6 Michigan 22 2 30-7-3 .7875 5 .5811*

7t North Dakota 20 20 22-14-5 .5976 10 .5670

7t New Hampshire 20 8 25-10-5 .6875 7 .5718

9 Harvard 19 9 21-9-3 .6818 8 .5710

10 Ohio State 17 6 27-10-4 .7073 13 .5494

11t Wisconsin 16 13t 23-13-4 .6250 12 .5537

11t Boston University 16 13t 23-13-4 .6250 9 .5685

11t Maine 16 18 20-12-7 .6026 11 .5607

14 Colgate 14 7 25-10-3 .6974 14 .5468

BSU

MC

I'd guess:

East:

1BC

4MC

2UND

3BU (Host)

NorthEast:

1Denver

4Colgate

2UNH

3OSU

Midwest:

1CC

4BSU

2Michigan

3Harvard

West:

1UM (host)

4Maine

2Cornell

3UW

The commitee will have a lot of interesting choices to make with the 2vs3 seeds.

[Smoggy]

My guess is that DU goes to The John, and CC goes to Grand Rapids. 

Cornell and BC are the #1 seeds in the East.  From there, I don't know jack, other than the Gophers will be at home and Michigan will be in Grand Rapids.

Bummer.  There goes my plan of inviting all my buddies to jump on my West Regional tickets to see the Sioux drill the Gophers on Easter Sunday in The John.

So much for my wild imagination and tough talk.

Here is hoping that the Sioux stayed focused, regroup through the apparent season ending injuries to Murray and Prpich, and win the Whole Shebang for themselves, and for Bina.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why do you think the NCAA will give Cornell the last #1 when Minny is ahead in the PWR?

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Why do you think the NCAA will give Cornell the last #1 when Minny is ahead in the PWR?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because Cornell won its tournament, because Minny has them by a whisker, and mostly because ESPN wants it that way, and the NCAA likes to do whatever ESPN wants, especially in college hockey.

Besides, that's what people smarter than me (CC folks) were telling me tonight.

[nodakvindy]

My guesses

Amherst

BC vs Mercyhurst, UND vs Harvard

Minneapolis

Minnesota vs Colgate, New Hamphire vs Ohio State

Worcester

CC vs Bemidji, Cornell vs BU

Grand Rapids

Denver vs Maine, Michigan vs Wisconsin

This kinda hoses CC, but the natural seeding puts BU and Minnesota in the same bracket and that can't happen - which sets off a chain of problems. However, the top seeds all get deserving 1st round games for their overall seeding, intraconference matchups are avoided as long as possible, and Michigan is in the Grand Rapids regional, preserving attendance.

I based on the following overall seeding:

1-BC

2-CC

3-Denver

4-MN

5-Cornell

6-Mich

7-UND

8-UNH

9-Harvard

10-OSU

11-Wisco

12-BU

13-Maine

14-Colgate

15-Bemidji

16-Mercyhurst

[fargosioux]

Doesn't Boston University get placed in the East Regional in Worcester as the host school? I thought I read that on USCHO.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

I have one more opinion that really isn't worth jack.

I think that the NCAA will be certain that one region does NOT have a WCHA team in it. That way, the NCAA can avoid the strong liklihood of an all-WCHA Frozen Four.

The best tournament, other than the hardware, just ended tonight in St. Paul.

[Smoggy]

Doesn't Boston University get placed in the East Regional in Worcester as the host school?  I thought I read that on USCHO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If they are the host school, but Worcester is like around 30 miles from Boston.

[Smoggy]

natural seeding puts BU and Minnesota in the same bracket and that can't happen - which sets off a chain of problems. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why can't BU and Minnesota be in the same region. Would make a very good story line for ESPNU and would still keep attendance very high.

Is it because BU is "hosting" a region?

[fargosioux]

My guess:

East (Worcester)

BC vs. Mercyhurst

UND vs. BU

West (Minneapolis)

Minnesota vs. Maine

Cornell vs. Wisconsin

Northeast (Amherst)

CC vs. Bemidji

New Hampshire vs. Ohio St.

Midwest (Grand Rapids)

Denver vs. Colgate

Michigan vs. Harvard

[nodakvindy]

Why can't BU and Minnesota be in the same region. Would make a very good story line for ESPNU and would still keep attendance very high.

Is it because BU is "hosting" a region?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, they are the host in Worcester.

[MafiaMan]

Gotta love those Gopher fans...#3 in the conference and #4 in the conference tournament, , worst winning percentage amongst the top teams in the PRI...and they STILL think they deserve a #1 seed? Gimme a break.

[Smoggy]

Yes, they are the host in Worcester.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks. I just hunted that down on an old USCHO article.

Now I need to fix my predictions.

[Smoggy]

This is a "fixed" prediction due to BU hosting the Worcester regional. Boy does this create a mess when trying to "fix" the brackets.

In "fixing" my brackets, I think UND will get the short end of the stick. They won't move Mich. out of Grand Rapids and BU can't play UNH, so UND needs to switch. Then I switchedc the 9, 10, 11 seeds just to try and even it as best as I could.

My best guess using 3-2-1:

Worcester

#1 BC vs. #16 Mercyhurst

#7 UND vs. #9 BU

Amherst

#2 CC vs. #15 BSU

#8 UNH vs. #10 OSU

Grand Rapids

#3 DU vs. #14 Colgate

#6 Mich. vs. #11 Harvard

Minneapolis

#4 Minnesota vs. #13 Maine

#5 Cornell vs. #12 OSU

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Jamestown]

sioux a #3 seed. fifth in the WCHA regular season and third in the tournament, can't expect more that a 3 seed!

[MafiaMan]

That wasn't my point, Jamestown. Gophers score two goals in two games in their own backyard and everyone says "doesn't matter anyways, 'cuz we're a #1 seed?". I have five words for you: GO OUT AND EARN IT! PRI aside, the Gophers did nothing to impress me this weekend and frankly, they're lucky they will be playing in Mariucci Arena this weekend or they would St Cloud State themselves right out of the NCAA tournament!

[Shawn-O]

The Sioux are a lock for Worcester versus BU. Michigan stays in Grand Rapids. The real crapshoot is Ohio St, Wisconsin, and Harvard on the 3-line. Here's guessing that attendance considerations win the day, and they put the Badgers in Grand Rapids, ship Ohio State to Minneapolis, and put Harvard out in Amherst. Putting Wisco in Mariucci makes for a great storyline, but it leaves serious attendance issues in GR should the Wolverines falter. Also, a UNH-Harvard first round matchup assures an eastern team in the final in Amherst. Predictions:

Minneapolis: MN-Maine, Cornell-Ohio St

Grand Rapids: DU-Colgate, Michigan-Wisconsin

Amherst: CC-Bemidji, New Hampshire-Harvard

Worcester: BC-Mercyworst, Sioux-Boston U

[Diggler]

sioux a #3 seed.  fifth in the WCHA regular season and third in the tournament, can't expect more that a 3 seed!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, they're a #2 seed. It's all fancy math and after all of it is calculated, UND is the #7 team overall. Being there are four regions, that makes the Sioux a #2 seed.

[sprig]

USCHO breakdown this morning:

Final Brackets

(3-2-1 bonus)

Minneapolis

Maine vs. Minnesota

Wisconsin vs. Cornell

Grand Rapids

Bemidji State vs. Colorado College

Ohio State vs. North Dakota

Amherst

Mercyhurst vs. Boston College

Harvard vs. New Hampshire

Worcester

Colgate vs. Denver

Boston University vs. Michigan

Edit: I did use the wrong tiebreaker last night.

[CoteauRinkRat]

It is the time of the year where we are going to have to beat good teams, no matter where or who we play.

I'm just glad we don't have to beat two Boston teams in their own backyard to make a trip to the Frozen Four, as some of the early brackets showed last night.

[sprig]

I like a potential CC/ND matchup, always have. The Sioux looked better than CC in all 4 games they played (although CC won 3).

PLus, in Grand Rapids with those 4 teams, I think the Sioux fans travel the best, and a potential "Sioux crowd" could be there. Nice. Plus BIGMRG can be there and bring along a contingent of GVSU "closet" Sioux fans. Better take along extra jerseys for those boys.

OSU is not real big but have good speed and a high percentage PP. But we all know the relative competition in the WCHA as opposed to the CCHA. As good a first round draw as the Sioux could expect.

MN, as the last #1, gets the toughest #4 (Maine), and Maine has been playing well lately. Wisco (playing poorly) gets Cornell (playing well). Again, competition for MN/Wisco has been a step above Cornell/Maine, but this seems to be an evenly matched region, albeit MN getting home ice advantage.

THe first round games that appear to be outmatched 4 vs 1's are CC, BC, and Denver, as they should be. I think CC gets the potentially toughest of the 3 as Bemidji will probably give them a good game.

THe way the Sioux have been playing, I can see them going to Columbus. Hope Prpich is back, doubt that we'll see Murray again this year however.

[Shawn-O]

I like the Sioux's chances in Moy's brackets better than mine, but I just don't see them shipping Michigan out east. I hope I'm wrong.