Or is that a reference to the possibility (fact?) that this playoff setup is screwy?
No. Wednesday's pairings are correct. We got that part right. It was the only thing the NCHA did right this year, making the play-in games easy to figure out.
But there is a re-seed after those games. As I said last week or so, we played an entire season with divisions for two playoff games on a Wednesday night. After that it goes by strict conference point totals. They didn't need to make it this ****ed complicated.
Well, let's see if they accomplished a presumed goal of avoiding an ultra-long road trip.
Standings without divisions:
1. Adrian
2. SNC
3. Marian
4. Scholastica
5. Lawrence
6. MSOE
7. Concordia
8. Lake Forest
9. Northland
10. Aurora
11. Finlandia
So, that makes the first round pairings under the old system:
Adrian-Lake Forest
SNC-Concordia
Marian-MSOE
Scholastica-Lawrence
And the dreaded Adrian/CSS or Adrian/Findlandia road trip would not have materialized...
Or, no divisions with six teams in a B1G format:
MSOE-Marian
Scholastica-Lawrence
Adrian & SNC first round byes
Again, no "killer" first round road trips, if my math is right...
St. Norbert College Green Knights
NCHA regular season champs: 97-99, 02-08, 10-12, 14, 16, 19
NCHA playoff champs: 98-99, 03-05, 07-08, 10-14, 17-19, 24
NCAA Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
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SNC women: 2013 O'Brien Cup Champions
So, basically, we would have avoided a long trip in the first place, and even after this nonsense of a playoff system we have now, we're still staring at the potential of St Scholastica playing Wednesday night, then flying to Adrian (as heard on CSS's broadcast this evening) to play Friday-Saturday.
I'd still love to know what they think they accomplished here.
Yes, and then there's that, too. MSOE finishes sixth overall and they're done. And next year they swap divisions. With luck like that, watch it happen to them again.
This whole thing has been over-thought by about a mile and a half.
So top 6 teams not in playoffs? That makes no sense!
That depends on your point of view, I guess.
The top three in each division made it... but as happens in other leagues, the 4th in the south had more points than the 3rd in the north. The difference here, IIRC, is that all teams played everyone twice - there was a balanced schedule. So, some of us are confused as to why the divisions were created...
About the only thing some of us have can think of is that they wanted to avoid an ultra-long road trip in the first round. But that wouldn't have happened anyway, it turns out.
St. Norbert College Green Knights
NCHA regular season champs: 97-99, 02-08, 10-12, 14, 16, 19
NCHA playoff champs: 98-99, 03-05, 07-08, 10-14, 17-19, 24
NCAA Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
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SNC women: 2013 O'Brien Cup Champions
SNC was effective in shutting down the Sabres offense, allowing just 12 SOG. If the Knights do that again tonight, I'd think SNC can salvage at least a tie.
Busy day in De Pere, as the men's and women's basketball teams host conference title games. Those are 3 & 6pm, so could impact hockey attendance again.
St. Norbert College Green Knights
NCHA regular season champs: 97-99, 02-08, 10-12, 14, 16, 19
NCHA playoff champs: 98-99, 03-05, 07-08, 10-14, 17-19, 24
NCAA Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
---
SNC women: 2013 O'Brien Cup Champions
Marian made it interesting for a bit - cutting SNC's 4-0 lead in half - but ultimately the early 3-0 hole was just too big for the Sabres
A very entertaining game in the stands, too. It was as lively as I have seen the CCC. Marian brought lots of fans and lots of good signs. Many directed at Coach Aitken, but others too. Perhaps most original/odd was "SNC supports ISIS". SNC students were involved the whole game and good signs, too.
So, on to Adrian next week for likely a title doubleheader....
St. Norbert College Green Knights
NCHA regular season champs: 97-99, 02-08, 10-12, 14, 16, 19
NCHA playoff champs: 98-99, 03-05, 07-08, 10-14, 17-19, 24
NCAA Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
---
SNC women: 2013 O'Brien Cup Champions
Marian made it interesting for a bit - cutting SNC's 4-0 lead in half - but ultimately the early 3-0 hole was just too big for the Sabres
A very entertaining game in the stands, too. It was as lively as I have seen the CCC. Marian brought lots of fans and lots of good signs. Many directed at Coach Aitken, but others too. Perhaps most original/odd was "SNC supports ISIS". SNC students were involved the whole game and good signs, too.
So, on to Adrian next week for likely a title doubleheader....
Nice to see the fans getting into it tonight. It's been years since I've heard it lime it was tonight. At least 7.
Props to Marian. That's a solid squad. A.J. created a culture there and now they're reaping the benefits.
At first I wasn't thrilled about SNC having to leave the old NCHA because the competition wasn't as good in the MCHA, but that has changed quickly. I believe a new rivalry was born this weekend.
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