Congratulations To The Wcha!

[Snipesome]

Congratulations To The Wcha, 2 Years In A Row The Final Is Between 2 Wcha Teams! Anyway It Goes We Are Happy!

[dayglo]

Well done, Badgers and Bulldogs.
And it will be 7 out of 7 come Sunday.
What's an Easterner to do?!?!?! :eek:

[dayglo]

What's an Easterner to do?!?!?! :eek:

To answer my own question,
turn to D3 . . .

Re: D3 NCAA Tourney
Hey gojackets, called it..
east is always better....
Platty vs Midd
Go Middlebury,
Vermont's finest!

[ARM]

And it will be 7 out of 7 come Sunday.Actually 8, the WCHA existed in 2000, even if the NCAA wasn't paying attention yet.

[wihobserver]

ya west!!! i'm obviously not surprised but the bc goalie turned it into a game

[dave1381]

Well done, Badgers and Bulldogs.
And it will be 7 out of 7 come Sunday.
What's an Easterner to do?!?!?! :eek:
keep trying... I don't believe the WCHA has really had the best two teams in the country either of the last two years (i.e. if you're to play a magic quadruple round-robin on the last day of the season with every team in the country, I don't think their teams would finish first and second either year). But they've gotten the job done. It's hard when the best team in the East loses its best player to a concussion in a conference final and can't overcome it. But bad luck like that will even out in the long run.

[ARM]

keep trying... I don't believe the WCHA has really had the best two teams in the country either of the last two years (i.e. if you're to play a magic quadruple round-robin on the last day of the season with every team in the country, I don't think their teams would finish first and second either year).It works both ways. I think the WCHA was stronger than their results in the tourney in 2002 and 2005. And both UW and UMD would have been factors had there been an 8-team tournament in 2004.

Had you told me before this season that neither Harvard nor Dartmouth would make the Frozen Four, I wouldn't have believed it. I guess it just shows how much the depth of the field has improved. Eventually there will be a shift and some other league will win a few in a row.

[dave1381]

It works both ways. I think the WCHA was stronger than their results in the tourney in 2002 in 2005
Maybe so. I think 2002 was the year you could make the best case for the WCHA having the two best teams in the country. Harvard came on strong in 2005 and I thought deserved to finish where they did in the end (though I agree with your previous post that they would not have lost to Minnesota by just one goal on average).

[ARM]

Harvard came on strong in 2005 and I thought deserved to finish where they did in the end.And I do, too. But I think both UMD and UW might have fared better in your mythical round robin than they did in a one-and-done quarterfinal. I.e., I don't think the ECAC had 3 of the 4 best teams in the country that year any more than the WCHA had the two best the last two years. But tourney results speak louder than my opinions.

[dave1381]

And I do, too. But I think both UMD and UW might have fared better in your mythical round robin than they did in a one-and-done quarterfinal. I.e., I don't think the ECAC had 3 of the 4 best teams in the country that year any more than the WCHA had the two best the last two years. But tourney results speak louder than my opinions.
I agree with that... I just don't think either team was clearly better than Harvard in March. Harvard pretty much rolled through its non-Sarah Love schedule during Jan. and Feb., and played Minnesota tougher than either UMD or Wisconsin, minus a minute of Carla MacLeod.

[ARM]

Harvard pretty much rolled through its non-Sarah Love schedule during Jan. and Feb., and played Minnesota tougher than either UMD or Wisconsin, minus a minute of Carla MacLeod.With that I would disagree. Having seen every minute of the games vs. UW and UMD in 2004-2005, both the Badgers and Bulldogs were right there throughout. The Badgers clogged everything up, just like they do now, even for Minnesota's big line. UMD was the best team by far at stopping the Gopher power play. In the final vs. Harvard, Minnesota had only 1 full PP, Harvard couldn't get the puck out of the zone, and looked vulnerable to the Wall shot from on top the entire time before one went in. Had power play time vs. Harvard been more similar to a typical game vs. one of the WCHA foes, the contest may have had a different look.

I'm not saying UMD or Wisconsin was clearly better than Harvard in 2005, but I do think it was a very close call. Just like this season, where if you replayed the games and saw different outcomes, it wouldn't be all that surprising.

[hcky4life]

How many years in a row has a WCHA team won the National Championship now? Teams in the CHA, Hockey East and ECACHL have their work cut out for them in the future to knock the western teams off their pedistool.

With all the hype UNH and Mercyhurst's incoming classes are getting, they may have a legitimate chance to snap the WCHA's streak. The one huge advantage the WCHA teams have now is all the experience they are gaining.

[dave1381]

With all the hype UNH and Mercyhurst's incoming classes are getting, they may have a legitimate chance to snap the WCHA's streak. Like Dartmouth and Mercyhurst didn't have legit chances this year? Huh?
The one huge advantage the WCHA teams have now is all the experience they are gaining.
Eh? I don't think so. I mean Wisconsin, Minnesota, and UMD, when they all won their first titles, they hadn't had previous NCAA final experience. It's not like you have a progression where you lose in the semis one year, lose in the final one year, and the finally win the title.

[ARM]

I mean Wisconsin, Minnesota, and UMD, when they all won their first titles, they hadn't had previous NCAA final experience. It's not like you have a progression where you lose in the semis one year, lose in the final one year, and the finally win the title.No, but they all had failures in the national tournament the year before they won a title. Since the WCHA has been arround, nobody has gone from not making the field one year to winning it all the next. For example, I think Frozen Four experience was a factor in the UNH vs. Minnesota game last year.

[dave1381]

Right, but my point is I don't think making this NCAA final is going to give UMD and Wisconsin tremendous advantage over say, BC, UNH, SLU, and Mercyhurst next season. FF experience didn't help SLU against Wisconsin last season, and NCAA final experience didn't help Harvard against Minnesota in 2004.

[hcky4life]

Like Dartmouth and Mercyhurst didn't have legit chances this year? Huh?

Eh? I don't think so. I mean Wisconsin, Minnesota, and UMD, when they all won their first titles, they hadn't had previous NCAA final experience. It's not like you have a progression where you lose in the semis one year, lose in the final one year, and the finally win the title.

I'm not saying that is the way it works but don't you think it is a big advantage that your players have the experience of playing in "big" games? Why do you think those teams make a good run year after year? Just a coincidence? I don't think so. It's just like everything else in life, experience makes you better prepared. Granted those teams get great recruits every year but the experience their older players have gained gets passed on.

[ARM]

Right, but my point is I don't think making this NCAA final is going to give UMD and Wisconsin tremendous advantage over say, BC, UNH, SLU, and Mercyhurst next season.This entire season is going to help UMD moving forward. There was a point in the season where they could have written the year off, and they didn't. Winning back-to-back OT games at the NCAAs -- also a huge experience to be able to draw on in the future. In the meantime, Mercyhurst is approaching monkey-on-the-back stage. Every team has a hurdle that they have to clear, and for Minnesota, I think the semi over Dartmouth in 2004 was it. Dartmouth and SLU have a semifinal stumbling block similar to what the Gophers had.

FF experience didn't help SLU against Wisconsin last season ...Maybe it did -- they sure played UW a lot closer last year than they did now that Bucky had FF experience. It is hard to say with any certainty; all we can do is throw out theories based on sparse data.

[dave1381]

Ok, I guess my overall point is, while NCAA experience is helpful, I don't think it's so unique and important that WCHA teams will be build an insurmountable advantage in NCAA play for years to come.

[dhmn]

Ok, I guess my overall point is, while NCAA experience is helpful, I don't think it's so unique and important that WCHA teams will be build an insurmountable advantage in NCAA play for years to come.

It's been 7 straight years now.. what's to say it won't continue for 7 more? (same argument of course you can say it's about time the east won the NCAA Championship?)

I do think *THIS* NCAA Frozen Four experience *IS* important for the continued success of UMD. This year's Freshman and Sophomore class is going to carry the team next year with only 3 Seniors (Samantha Hough and Karine Demeule plus Juliane Jubinville if she's cleared by doctors following her concussion that's kept her off the ice all season.) Still haven't heard if Michaela Lanzl will be around next year but right now I'm doubtful since nothing has been reported on the subject. Having this big game experience will make them that much better.

[MN. Fan]

Dave, I don't think the FF experience gives the WCHA teams the big advantage, I believe the WCHA teams are that much stronger now (for the past 7 year's) then they used to be. After watching these teams the last few + years, I believe that the tide has turned and the NCAA Championship belt will still be in the west and I don't think it's because of the FF experience. That may have a factor but it is not the big reason.

The WCHA and their players should be given more respect then they have been given. Being a hugh Mn. fan I wanted to see our players from the high school ranks that are on BC's roster and the BC team do better then UMD. That did not happen last night. UMD outplayed them, plain and simple. Although I think Boston has a great team, they have a incredible goalie that really won some games that they probably would not have without her.