Division I Computer Rankings: February 22, 2004

[LakersFan]

You folks know the drill. The latest rating information can be found at:

http://vortex.bd.psu.edu/~rutter/WomensHockey/WomensDIHockeyRankings.html

Mease Top Ten:

1. Harvard
2. Minnesota
3. Dartmouth
4. Wisconsin
5. St. Lawrence
6. Minnesota-Duluth
7. Mercyhurst
8. Princeton
9. New Hampshire
10. Minnesota State

Harvard claims the top spot after sweeping St. Lawrence, who drops to fifth. Wisconsin jumps back into the top 4 after sweeping Niagara. Big games this weekend include Minnesota-UMD, Harvard-Dartmouth, and Mercyhurst-Princeton. Six of the top ten playing each other sounds like a pretty good weekend for Division I Women's hockey.

[Collegehockeynut]

Perhaps the biggest series this weekend is the Badgers vs. the Buckeyes. Wisc is the better team and should win both games. In fact I don't think the games should be close. But!!!! if Wisc loses a game to OSU, it really hurts their chance for the FF!

What makes this series interesting is that Wisc has everything to lose OSU has no pressure.

[dave1381]

I'd have to totally disagree... in terms "biggest" series/games I'd rank:
1) Minnesota vs. UMD (2)
2) Harvard vs. Dartmouth
3) Princeton vs. Mercyhurst (2)
then I'd put OSU vs. Wisconsin.

I rank Minnesota vs. UMD No. 1 because UMD's Frozen Four chances are hanging by a thread... if UMD sweeps it's huge news cause they're right back in this thing. If Minnesota sweeps it's huge news because they've dealt the kiss of death to the three-time champs.

Harvard vs. Dartmouth is 1 vs. 3, Dartmouth needs this win badly having lost 4 of 5. Harvard wants this badly because they've lost two straight now vs. the Green. It will be exciting

Princeton vs. Mercyhurst is a case of two teams both with an outside shot at the Frozen Four, a sweep by either team would probably keep them alive. Split would probably kill both of them.

[Collegehockeynut]

Dave:

Good point about Minn and UMD!!! I typed before I thought!

But I think Mercyhurst and Princeton are already out of the picture. Harvard and Dartmouth is only a 1 game series and I think both still have, regardless who loses, a good chance at the FF.

A slip against OSU will still hurt the Badgers big time.

[dave1381]

I think if Mercyhurst or Princeton win out, they're very dangerous.

If it was Mercyhurst there would be four losses, Princeton they would only have six losses. Since two criteria don't take SOS into much account, that's huge right there.

With Mercyhurst, sweeping Princeton might put them past someone like Darmouth or St. Lawrence if those teams were to lose to Princeton in ECACs or some such. It could happen. I haven't skimmed the nitty-gritty of the pairwise for them, but I think they are still alive. Like UMD their margin is slim though.

You are right that OSU can be quite the spoiler this weekend.

[franeepack]

I just looked at the pairwise ratings and Harvard and Minnesota have 16 and 15 points. After that it is Dart 14, St . Lawrence has 13, Wisc12, Mercy11, umd10, Princeton9
All these teams seem to be still alive with a small or no margin of error. For instance,Mercyhurst is tied with Dart, and St. Lwarence in Individual Comparison and they lose a point to wisconsin 2-1 when the two teams are compared with games against common opponents left on their schedule and last 16 games left to still determine who will get that point, so they can easily still get three points or lose three points over the next three weeks.
At least in this rankings whick compares each team head to head vs teams under considerationin RPI, Last 16, TUC, H2H, and Com Opponent . It appears all these teams are very much alive. If Harvard and Minnesota win out, it will be a mad dash for the other six teams to lock up the final two spots. Any of them running the table with the others lossing a game or two should put them in. If three or four run the table somebody is very deserving is going to be left out