Opponents News 2: Hockey's the Reason for the Season

[Jim Hyla]

Regarding the nightmare first-round ND road game pairing: Cornell is the only Eastern team with a shot at a 1-seed, and there is only one NCHC team with a realistic shot at a one-seed. So it would seem as though, if Cornell does get a 1-seed, we should be pretty safe?

I don't think we're out of the woodwork yet. If we finish 3rd or 4th with Denver (the one NCHC team you mention) as the 4th or 3rd team, and NoDak makes it (and doesn't move up enough to get a 3 seed), we may very well get sent west.

I'm torn, because I want the best possible draw/location and am pulling for us to stay east, but if we're in Sioux Falls, I get to go.

I'd assume St. Cloud is an NCHC team with a lock on a #1 seed.

[andyw2100]

As of 11:06 pm, CHN PWR page has Notre Dame & Cornell's RPI tied to four decimal places, both at 0.5821.
At the end of the Denver win, Notre Dame is now ahead 0.5822 to 0.5821 since ND and Denver played h2h.

And now, as of 7:53 PM Sunday evening, with the only final so far today being Harvard over Dartmouth, (both teams that we're 2-0 against this year) Notre Dame is now at .5833 while we are still at .5821.

[Dafatone]

Regarding the nightmare first-round ND road game pairing: Cornell is the only Eastern team with a shot at a 1-seed, and there is only one NCHC team with a realistic shot at a one-seed. So it would seem as though, if Cornell does get a 1-seed, we should be pretty safe?

I don't think we're out of the woodwork yet. If we finish 3rd or 4th with Denver (the one NCHC team you mention) as the 4th or 3rd team, and NoDak makes it (and doesn't move up enough to get a 3 seed), we may very well get sent west.

I'm torn, because I want the best possible draw/location and am pulling for us to stay east, but if we're in Sioux Falls, I get to go.

I'd assume St. Cloud is an NCHC team with a lock on a #1 seed.

Completely forgot they were NCHC, my mistake. Honestly, half the time I still think we're on the old WCHA/CCHA system.

But generally, I'd say we get sent west if NoDak makes it as a 4 and we either finish in 4th or in 3rd with Denver in 4th. If we fall below 4th it changes, but we probably wind up east.

[ugarte]

Clarkson now up 5-1 after 2.

Miami up 2-0 on St. Cloud

Denver up 2-0 on CC

Minnesota State tied with MTU

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

If Mankato loses (and they're tied 1-1 right now), it actually gives more flexibility.

St. Cloud losing (and they're down 3-1 right now), means NoDak has a better chance of moving up.

And the Clarkson game is a final, 5-1.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Denver crushing CC - now 5-0.

St. C. gets one back against Miami - now 3-2 in the 3rd.

Mankato still tied with Tech - 1-1 in the 3rd.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Denver 6 - CC 1 Final

St. Cloud / Miami and Mankato / MTU both going to OT.

[Trotsky]

St. Cloud / Miami

Since we played Miami 2x, why would a Miami win not be good for us?

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

St. Cloud / Miami

Since we played Miami 2x, why would a Miami win not be good for us?

It would, but it didn't happen.  St. C wins in OT. 4-3.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

But Michigan Tech upsets Mankato.  One less bubble team slot open.  The WCHA autobid now is the 15 seed.

[ugarte]

But Michigan Tech upsets Mankato.  One less bubble team slot open.  The WCHA autobid now is the 15 seed.

A BU or BC win in hockey east might make the 14 seed an autobid* and North Dakota probably needs to win the conference. Of course the same is true of Princeton/Harvard winning the ECAC but on March 11 I'd rather win the conference and risk a trip west than root for "lowering North Dakota's chances to get in the tournament."

* possibly would vault BC over NoDak but pushing NoDak to 15 is the same result

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

But Michigan Tech upsets Mankato.  One less bubble team slot open.  The WCHA autobid now is the 15 seed.

A BU or BC win in hockey east might make the 14 seed an autobid* and North Dakota probably needs to win the conference. Of course the same is true of Princeton/Harvard winning the ECAC but on March 11 I'd rather win the conference and risk a trip west than root for "lowering North Dakota's chances to get in the tournament."

* possibly would vault BC over NoDak but pushing NoDak to 15 is the same result

Here's a twist...right now Minnesota is 13.  if Notre Dame and Ohio State both finish in the top four, they can't play Minnesota.  St. Cloud can't play North Dakota.  It means either we or St. Cloud HAVE to play Minnesota.  Likely that will be us, especially if they preserve the #1 versus #16.  The lower seed of Notre Dame and tOSU get to go to Sioux Falls to play N. Dakota.

Now, if Denver creeps into the top 4, neither they nor St. Cloud can play NoDak. So either we or Notre Dame get shipped to Sioux Falls.

So my rooting interests are BC, BU, and Ohio State, and anybody but North Dakota.

[BearLover]

Wouldn't ND get sent west instead of us, since they are already pretty far west and we are very east? (Assuming ND doesn't get the first-overall seed.)

[adamw]

Here's a twist...right now Minnesota is 13.  if Notre Dame and Ohio State both finish in the top four, they can't play Minnesota.  St. Cloud can't play North Dakota.  It means either we or St. Cloud HAVE to play Minnesota.  Likely that will be us, especially if they preserve the #1 versus #16.  The lower seed of Notre Dame and tOSU get to go to Sioux Falls to play N. Dakota.

This is actually looking pretty likely at this point, and it's a major kick in the keister. Similar thing happened in 2003. Cornell would not be afforded the luxury of playing the WCHA autobid team, and would instead play Minnesota - you are right. Then again, maybe that's not so terrible.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Here's a twist...right now Minnesota is 13.  if Notre Dame and Ohio State both finish in the top four, they can't play Minnesota.  St. Cloud can't play North Dakota.  It means either we or St. Cloud HAVE to play Minnesota.  Likely that will be us, especially if they preserve the #1 versus #16.  The lower seed of Notre Dame and tOSU get to go to Sioux Falls to play N. Dakota.

This is actually looking pretty likely at this point, and it's a major kick in the keister. Similar thing happened in 2003. Cornell would not be afforded the luxury of playing the WCHA autobid team, and would instead play Minnesota - you are right. Then again, maybe that's not so terrible.

I put it in another thread, but if Duluth loses out (both semi and consy) they drop to 13 and Minnesota moves up to 12.  Then we can get one of the autobids if we finish second or maybe even 3rd, depending on how many upsets there are.