I think it would be interesting to see what the committee would do if Cornell slotted up into the top 4. I almost think, regardless of seeds, you would see:
Wisco @ UM
Clarkson @ BC
BU @ Harvard
Hurst @ Cornell
No flights and just the one pretty much required intraconference matchup?
At the moment, I think the bracket speculation would be really short. Travel restrictions and bracket integrity lead to exactly the same conclusions:
#8 Wisconsin @ #1 Minnesota
#7 Mercyhurst @ #2 Harvard
#6 Clarkson @ #3 BC
#5 Cornell @ #4 BU
If that were the order, it would be nice if the committee would pop for a second flight and send UW to Harvard and Mercyhurst to Minnesota, especially if UW and UM had played in the WCHA tournament. Who knows, they could potentially recover that flight if the Badgers beat the Crimson.
"... And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;" -- Rudyard Kipling
Can't argue much with this given the current rankings.....However, lots of games to be played yet, so this order can still change. There are still a lot of head to head matchups in the ECAC, HE and between them coming up. There are a couple of other teams knocking on the door, and if you get auto bid upsets like last year, the picture could change drastically.
From what I've seen BC and BU will be hard to knock off, but after Harvard, the fight in the ECAC is a little more wide open. If SLU makes a late charge, it could change things.
My predictions based on recent game results.....Wisco will continue to move up, forcing a hand of one team heading to Minny and Wisco coming east. The big variable is MC. Their series with BC this weekend could be pivotal for them to stay in as the CHA does not have an Autobid.
Wisco will continue to move up, forcing a hand of one team heading to Minny and Wisco coming east.
I have serious doubts about this. Last year they sent the #5 seed to the #1. It doesn't seem they care all that much for protecting the #1 seed but minimizing flights is everything.
At the moment, I think the bracket speculation would be really short. Travel restrictions and bracket integrity lead to exactly the same conclusions:
#8 Wisconsin @ #1 Minnesota
#7 Mercyhurst @ #2 Harvard
#6 Clarkson @ #3 BC
#5 Cornell @ #4 BU
As for contempt, the math underlying PWR remains appalling, but there's not much to do about that.
I think it likely that Mercyhurst will fall with losses to BC, and Wisco will continue to rise....thus ending up at BC...(Harvard will drop in February...the Beanpot can be a real ***** eh?)
I have serious doubts about this. Last year they sent the #5 seed to the #1. It doesn't seem they care all that much for protecting the #1 seed but minimizing flights is everything.
Yes, but in year's past there were sometimes three WCHA teams in the mix, which changes the math. If there are only two WCHA teams in the final mix, can only see them match up vs. each other if the second WCHA team is ranked 7th or 8th. ( Making the presumption that Minny stays in the 1 slot ). Now if MC drops out of the mix, which is a distinct possibility, then you are most likely looking at a third WCHA team in the mix. That will change things up, sending Wisco east, and the third WCHA team to Minny. Hux is right, a good chance that Wisco ends up in Beantown to face one of Harvard,BU or BC. Cornell, and Clarkson or the ECAC winner if it is not Harvard, would be the other team heading to Beantown in that scenario.
For what it is worth, here is my prediction :
Minny vs third WCHA entry (OHIO/UND/UMD, my money is on UND at this point)
Harvard vs Wisco
BU vs Cornell (Rubber Match, after 2011 and 2012 matches)
BC vs Clarkson (This time clarky with a full squad)
Minny vs third WCHA entry (OHIO/UND/UMD, my money is on UND at this point)
Harvard vs Wisco
BU vs Cornell (Rubber Match, after 2011 and 2012 matches)
BC vs Dartmouth (This time clarky with a full squad)
HAHAHA I know what you meant but that is hilarious and completely out of left field.
Basically I'm just hoping & praying that the Eagz don't get Wisconsin. That's basically all I care about.
I'd like to avoid BU too, not because they aren't terrible -- because they are -- but because who knows what would happen in a rivalry game like that. Fortunately with all the eastern teams in the mix I don't think this is likely.
Minny vs third WCHA entry (OHIO/UND/UMD, my money is on UND at this point)
Harvard vs Wisco
BU vs Cornell (Rubber Match, after 2011 and 2012 matches)
BC vs Dartmouth (This time clarky with a full squad)
I suspect UND may need to win the WCHA Tourney to get in.
I suspect UND may need to win the WCHA Tourney to get in.
I'm not so sure about that. UND has a HUGE series this weekend against Wisconsin, and it's very possible they could sweep them, at home. If they should pull that off, and if on the following weekend Wisconsin should go on to lose twice to Minnesota, then at that point it would appear that all bets are off. Both teams would still play Minnesota-Duluth, and if past history is any indication it's anybody's guess how those two series would play out. It could come down to the last weekend, when UND plays UMD in Duluth while Wisconsin travels to Bemidji.
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