2017-18 Schedules Thread

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Not according to the ECAC:

Yeah last year's UVM/UMass and QPac/SLU games were conference as well IIRC

[joecct]

Not according to the ECAC:

Clarkson coach Casey Jones said it was an NC game in a presser soon after the announcement.

[ScottK]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Clarkson coach Casey Jones said it was an NC game in a presser soon after the announcement.

Even the Clarkson website in a release said that it's a conference game: http://www.clarksonathletics.com/new...spx?path=mhock

[Middle Street]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Clarkson coach Casey Jones said it was an NC game in a presser soon after the announcement.

Casey Jones may have said that, but given the format the past two tournaments, I think he's mistaken.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Casey Jones may have said that, but given the format the past two tournaments, I think he's mistaken.

RPI and Clarkson played a third game last season. It certainly could be one again this year.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

RPI and Clarkson played a third game last season. It certainly could be one again this year.

It is true they could play a third game. It is also true that they could use the moved date as to when they play it. However, that game would become a non-conference game, while the game in Northern Ireland would be a conference game. I'm fairly certain it has to be a league game because ECAC and HEA probably provide some sort of a financial stipulation for the teams to travel to Belfast for these games.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

It is true they could play a third game. It is also true that they could use the moved date as to when they play it. However, that game would become a non-conference game, while the game in Northern Ireland would be a conference game. I'm fairly certain it has to be a league game because ECAC and HEA probably provide some sort of a financial stipulation for the teams to travel to Belfast for these games.

That could be what happens.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Flag, something I noticed on the spreadsheet: The Big Ten playoffs will be played over three weekends now. 2-7 best of 3 the first weekend, 1 plus the remaining three the second weekend, and then a final on the third weekend. So I think March 2nd and 3rd should be blacked out for the Big Ten, too.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Flag, something I noticed on the spreadsheet: The Big Ten playoffs will be played over three weekends now. 2-7 best of 3 the first weekend, 1 plus the remaining three the second weekend, and then a final on the third weekend. So I think March 2nd and 3rd should be blacked out for the Big Ten, too.

OK, good to know. Obviously with the realignment things have been a little shadowy as to how they will operate, but thank you for the clarification.

[Scarlet]

Speculation time... it was rumored that Mankato is going to BU. Given when Tech is playing ASU, and that HEA has an odd number of teams, it is possible that the Mankato/BU weekend is 16-17 February. Obviously there are plenty of other places where it could be, but given Mankato has to fit in 28 conference games and they have 36 games on the docket (they COULD play 38 but I doubt it will happen), perhaps that's the best place to fit it in?

It's not a rumor. Mankato comes to Agganis 10/13 and 10/14.

[Spartanforlife4]

OK, good to know. Obviously with the realignment things have been a little shadowy as to how they will operate, but thank you for the clarification.

There were a couple articles when it was announced but it wasn't very publicized. If they were smart it would just be two weekends with the second as a 4 team tournament at the 1 seed, but they're concerned about rink availability for certain schools. That's also the reason the second round is just one game.

[Yuppie Scum]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Was it also reported HOW the specific teams comprising the 4 "extra" league games that each HEA team will now play in the post-Notre Dame era are/were determined?

Darts thrown at a list of teams on the wall

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Darts thrown at a list of teams on the wall

No, no, no... there are formulas, and let's see if we can figure it out. And for the snowflakes that are anti-math, too bad.

BC: UCONN, UML, Maine, ?
BU: Maine, UCONN, MC, Prov
Maine: BU, UNH, BC, UMA
MC: BU, Prov, NE, UMA

That should be enough to at least start to figure it out.

Now, looking at the standings the past few years:
Team: 1617, 1516, 1415, 1314 (avg2) (avg3) (avg4)
BC: 2, 1, 3, 1 (1.5) (2) (1.8)
BU: 3, 5, 1, 9 (4) (3) (4.5)
UCONN: 9, 8, 9, X (8.5) (8.7) (8.7)
Maine: 11, 11, 10, 6 (11) (10.7) (9.5)
UMA: 12, 12, 12, 10 (12) (12) (11.5)
UML: 1, 4, 4, 2 (2.5) (3) (2.8)
MC: 7, 7, 11, 11 (7) (8.3) (9)
UNH: 10, 10, 8, 4 (10) (9.3) (8)
NE: 8, 6, 6, 5 (7) (6.7) (6.3)
Prov: 5, 2, 2, 3 (3.5) (3) (3)
UVM: 6, 9, 7, 7 (7.5) (7.3) (7.3)

Given this information, here's what people are playing:
Last year only:
Order: UML, BC, BU, Prov, UVM, MC, NE, UCONN, UNH, Maine, UMA
2: 9, 1, 11, ?
3: 11, 9, 7, 5
11: 3, 10, 2, 12
7: 3, 5, 8, 12

Last 2 years:
Order (avg): BC, UML, Prov, BU, MC, NE, UVM, UCONN, UNH, Maine, UMA,
1.5: 8.5, 2.5, 11, ?
4: 11, 8.5, 7, 3.5
11: 4, 10, 1.5, 12
7: 4, 3.5, 7, 12

Last 3 years:
Order (avg) BC, UML, BU, Prov, NE, UVM, MC, UCONN, UNH, Maine, UMA,
2: 8.7, 3, 10.7, ?
3: 10.7, 8.7, 8.3, 3
10.7: 3, 9.3, 2, 12
7: 3, 3, 6.7, 12

Last 4 years (3 for UCONN):
Order (avg): BC, UML, Prov, BU, NE, UVM, UNH, UCONN, MC, Maine, UMA,
1.8: 8.7, 2.8, 9.5, ?
4.5: 9.5, 8.7, 9, 4.5
9.5: 4.5, 8. 1.8, 11.5
9: 4.5, 3, 6.3, 11.5

And in words one more time:
BC: UCONN, UML, Maine, ?
BU: Maine, UCONN, MC, Prov
Maine: BU, UNH, BC, UMA
MC: BU, Prov, NE, UMA

Obviously the rankings could be adjusted for how each team did vs. Notre Dame, but I'm not going to bother with that.

It looks like, from the outset, a pattern that's being used is that you play the team that's "closest" to you in the standings, then of the remaining 9, divided into three tiers, an upper tier, middle tier, and lower tier.
BC looks to be closest to UML, so they have that game. Maine is lower, UCONN middle. Upper tier teams remaining, and whom I would predict their other game to be, is probably Providence, MAYBE Northeastern.
BU: Closest is Providence. Tier order, top to bottom, would be Merrimack, UCONN, Maine.
Maine: Closest is UMA: Tier order, top to bottom, would be BC, BU, UNH.
Merrimack: Closest looks to be NE, Tier order is Providence, BU, UMA.

Continuing with my hypothesis, it's based on the average ranking of the last 2 years. Of the one we know about, let's try to fill it all in:
Team: Closest, Upper, Middle, Lower (predictions in order)
BC: UML, ?, UCONN, Maine (Prov, NE)
BU: Prov, MC, UCONN, Maine
UCONN: ?, BC, BU, ? (UVM, UNH) (UNH, UMA)
Maine: UMA, BC, BU, UNH
UMA: Maine, ?, MC, ? (UML, Prov) (UVM, UCONN, UNH)
UML: BC, ?, ?, ? (Prov, NE) (NE, UVM, UCONN) (UNH, UMA)
MC: NE, Prov, BU, UMA
UNH: Maine, ?, ?, ? (UML, Prov) (NE), (UVM, UCONN, UMA)
NE: MC, ?, ?, ? (BC, UML, Prov) (UVM, UCONN) (UNH, UMA)
Prov: BU, ?, MC, ? (BC, UML, NE) (UNH, UMA)
UVM: ?, ?, ?, ? (NE, UCONN) (UML, Prov) (NE, UCONN), (UNH, UMA)

Obviously we have a slight issue with the pure predictive model in both BC and UML would play Providence. However, with an odd number of team, the "closest" team isn't pure. It could still be the Providence plays both, but very unlikely because we know they're playing BU, and they don't have a "lower tier" team to play against. And given their standings, Northeastern could also be considered "upper tier" of the remaining teams, especially considering they don't have a top tier team yet. Also, these are just possibilities; they may not match between the two teams, but if we were to eliminate matches, we could probably whittle down to who is playing who.

[joecct]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

Penn St. / Michigan are in the North Country 10/6 & 7. Not sure of the order.

Lastly, looking ahead to the 2017-18 Hockey Schedule, a weekend you want to circle in big bold sharpie is Oct. 6 & 7th. The women will host Bemidji St and will have their National Championship Banner Raising on Sat the 7th. The Men will complete the double header hosting two Big Ten foes, Penn St. and Michigan. Those will be sellouts so get your tickets early.

[johnk]

Re: 2017-18 Schedules Thread

And your 12th? Friendship Four includes a conference game.

100% a NC game. As is Union/Yale in 2018. Not sure how Hockey East is treating their game.