NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

[sterlippo1]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

^^^ excellent

[J.D.]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

I know it is, but I didn't say that I like it. The problem is that there aren't enough matchups cross-conferences. I hope that the Big 10 being added to the mix can change that around.

Let's wait and see who advances to the regional finals first...

Sorry, but their 1st winning season in 22 years is nice, but I am overlooking them until they do something...

They've already done plenty this year. Not sure who you're a fan of, but using that logic, what has Nebraska-Omaha ever done in the NCAA tournament? Does that mean they should be overlooked? Or a Western Michigan under Jeff Blashill?

[Red Cows]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Let's wait and see who advances to the regional finals first...



They've already done plenty this year. Not sure who you're a fan of, but using that logic, what has Nebraska-Omaha ever done in the NCAA tournament? Does that mean they should be overlooked? Or a Western Michigan under Jeff Blashill?

Agree. I've always wondered how people think whatever went on last year, or the year before that, or the year before that, has any real bearing on what happens this year. That thought process sure isn't limited to college hockey, either. While UNO sports an all time 7-25-3 record against Michigan, that sure doesn't have any bearing on what's gonna happen on Friday. This is the best team that UNO has ever had and, more important still, in this instance, the best coached. There can not possibly be any comparison to "things past" since the circumstances are entirely different. The best team is going to win, period.

[Rich]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Hello. I'm a St. Louis native and big St. Louis Blues fan who will be attending the games this weekend. My only live college hockey experiences are the 2007 Frozen Four and a game between Minnesota and Northeastern at Marriucci Arena two years ago. That said I don't know too much on the teams. I know Michigan is coached by Blues great, Red Berenson. I know Scooter Vaughan on Michigan from his days playing for the St. Louis Bandits in the NAHL. Ditto for CC's Andrew Hamburg. I also know about Jaden Schwartz being Blues property.

Aside from those facts I was just wondering if I could kind of get a preview from posters on this forum on what to expect from each team this weekend. Otherwise I look forward to some great hockey this weekend at the Scottrade Center.

CC is a very young, hard working team that is gelling at the right time. That's not to say they don't have any talent - but when you compare their skill level and more importantly their experience to BC and other top teams they're definitely less dynamic. They do play a similar up tempo, attacking game to BC, but with only 3 seniors and 4 juniors who play regularly, they're still developing as a team. They will roll four lines no matter what - the 4th line was on the ice with about 2 minutes to go in their deciding first-round WCHA playoff series with a one goal lead. However, they will ride their top 4 defensemen - the top pair often logs 30+ minutes a game. Joe Howe has been good in net, but recently has seemed to give up a very soft early goal before stealing a few late in the game.
Basically, at even strength CC will attack, pressure the opponents everywhere, and finish their checks. They're just as aggressive on the PK. Their downfall has been on the PP, where they have given up a ton of shorthanded goals (11, if I remember correctly). They have 4 F and 1 very offensive defenseman on the top PP unit, and they get burned often. I think the best thing they could do in practice this week is to put a reliable defenseman on the point of their top PP unit.
If they have a weakness other than on the PP, it's at defense. They're solid but not great, and have a few guys who think offense first.

That sounds like a pretty lukewarm description, but part of it has been the opposition they've faced this year. I'd bet that they've faced either the toughest schedule in the country during the second half of the year or nearly the toughest. The average KRACH rating of their opponents since January 22 is HIGHER than the average KRACH of the 16 team NCAA field. That means they've been facing NCAA-tournament caliber teams every week for 8 weeks, and they've won just over half of those games. It also means that they haven't been dominating at all during that stretch, so it's easy to overlook how well they've been playing. When they have won during that stretch it's been due to outworking their opponents, and using that effort to make up for an experience deficit. CC has had some teams in the past that had the dominating kind of skill that BC has this year, but this isn't one of those CC teams.

Blues fans will want to watch Jaden Schwartz. The things that set him apart are his hockey IQ and his vision. He sees and then makes plays that noone at this level should see. But, they're often pretty subtle - a pass that you didn't see coming, or something like that. I don't think he's a spectacular skater, or has a particularly hard or accurate shot, or anything else that would stand out in a skills competition. You can not really notice him on the ice as a great player and check the box score and see that he set up all 3 goals CC scored that game. He does all the little things right as well - he times his cross in front of the net just so he arrives when the puck is passed there, and he is responsible defensively. Jaden led the WCHA (not just freshmen - the entire league) in points per game with 1.47. He missed part of the year with a broken ankle, so his totals were modest.

[billmich88888]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

rick, what in the world do i have to be bitter over? Let's put it this way... If michigan fans are toolz then uno fans are the home depot. Thanks for playin', though. A bit of pot>kettle> black. Funny how all the cute, old bit acronyms about michigan get tossed about by neutered cow fans when these two teams get ready to play. Michigan fans: *crickets* and rightly so. Give us a reason to hate you. Better yet, give us a more than a reason to respect you other than tdean and some random wins.

You've officially reached defcon 2 on the "we're the wcha" bs meter.

awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Red Cows]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Sheesh, Michigan fan's response to being sent to St Louis? Don't go?:

http://mgoblog.com/content/other-bracket

If that's the way they feel (and I have a hard time believing this is so), then maybe it explains this synopsis:

http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog....nament-bracket

Michigan's apathetic?

[kdilks]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Sheesh, Michigan fan's response to being sent to St Louis? Don't go?:

http://mgoblog.com/content/other-bracket

If that's the way they feel (and I have a hard time believing this is so), then maybe it explains this synopsis:

http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog....nament-bracket

Michigan's apathetic?

Not apathetic, just tired of the regional site selections. It's bad enough that they give both the Midwest and West regionals to the WCHA on a fairly regular basis. And now when the CCHA does get a bid, they put it nowhere near the member schools? It's completely unacceptable, and Michigan fans showing up en masse would only encourage crap like this to continue.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

It's bad enough that they give both the Midwest and West regionals to the WCHA on a fairly regular basis.

2011: West Regional (St. Louis, MO)
2010: Midwest Regional (Ft. Wayne, IN)
2009: Midwest Regional (Grand Rapids, MI)
2007: Midwest Regional (Grand Rapids, MI)
2005: Midwest Regional (Grand Rapids, MI)
2004: Midwest Regional (Grand Rapids, MI)
2003: Midwest Regional (Ann Arbor, MI)
2002: West Regional (Ann Arbor, MI)*
2001: West Regional (Grand Rapids, MI)*
1998: West Regional (Ann Arbor, MI)*
1997: West Regional (Grand Rapids, MI)*
1996: West Regional (East Lansing, MI)*
1994: West Regional (East Lansing, MI)*
1993: West Regional (Detroit, MI)*
1992: West Regional (Detroit, MI)*

Since the switch to Regional Sites, there have been 20 NCAA Tournaments. There has been at least one in Michigan in 13 years, and in "CCHA" territory 15 years. That leaves 5 years where there were no Regionals in CCHA territory (1995*, 1999*, 2000*, 2006, 2008). In that same time span, there have been 8 years in which there were no Regionals in WCHA territory. Saying that the WCHA gets both the Midwest and West regionals "on a fairly regular basis" is completely untrue. In fact, the CCHA has received far more regionals since they came into being than the WCHA.

* = only 1 regional for the "West"

[billmich88888]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

lets only look since 2003 when the "regional sites" got split 4 ways, and the placing of teams really stopped being regional.

There have been years where a regional out east would have 2 wcha and 1 ccha teams; its not truly geographically regional anymore

[Chris_NH]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

You are in for a treat I tell you! College Hockey is the best and you are lucky enough to get to go see the best regional there will be this year!

I don't know a lot about the other schools in this region, but I do know you won't be seeing any boring, "lets trap the other team to death" hockey. BC specific is an extremely entertaining team (which can make for some heart pounding moments for us BC fans) because of the fact that they can make something out of nothing in the blink of the eye. A minor mistake by the opponent in their offensive end will turn into a 3 on 1 before you can even say "woops." The first line of Cam Atkinson - Brian Gibbons - Joe Whitney is one of, if not the best line in college hockey yet none of them are taller than 5'8." Then you have the second line of Chris Krieder - Pat Mullane - Jimmy Hayes which features two of the best power forwards in the country in Jimmy Hayes (6'5" 220) and Chris Kreider (6'2" 214), but don't let their size fool you they are extremely fast as well. On defense BC has Mammouth's in Tommy Cross (6'3" 214) and Brian Dumolin (6'4" 210) who play on different pairings but they will both shut down other teams top players if they are asked to play that role.

You should have a great time watch these games and I hope you have fun and get into college hockey!

I agree with the above. Also, watch out for BC while they're killing a penalty. File under, 'We've got them where we want them.'

[wolverine318]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Not apathetic, just tired of the regional site selections. It's bad enough that they give both the Midwest and West regionals to the WCHA on a fairly regular basis. And now when the CCHA does get a bid, they put it nowhere near the member schools? It's completely unacceptable, and Michigan fans showing up en masse would only encourage crap like this to continue.

exactly. We are tired of the regionals not being in our neck of the woods of South-east Michigan/North-central Ohio. For once we would like to see the regional hosted in Detroit or Toledo. As a student I cannot afford to travel to regionals that require an all day road trip. I still feel like we are being punished for our student section when we hosted at Yost.

[billmich88888]

Ft. Wayne is a decent geographical site for the CCHA (last year) I think the Toledo building would be perfect in geography and for capacity as well (8K i believe) nhl buildings are way too big for regional sites. and Van andel in Grand Rapids decided not to bid again due to bad attendance/ draws in 2007 and especially 2009

[theprofromdover]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

9 Almeida - 28 T. Atkinson - 12 K. Hayes … or … 9 Almeida - 12 K. Hayes - 23 Brown/14 Dyroff

I'd start Dyroff, Brown & Atkinson in that order.

[claver2010]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Basically, at even strength CC will attack, pressure the opponents everywhere, and finish their checks. They're just as aggressive on the PK. Their downfall has been on the PP, where they have given up a ton of shorthanded goals (11, if I remember correctly). They have 4 F and 1 very offensive defenseman on the top PP unit, and they get burned often. I think the best thing they could do in practice this week is to put a reliable defenseman on the point of their top PP unit.

That'll be an interesting matchup with your powerplay as we lead the country in SHG.

We play 5 (five!) forwards on our 1st unit and have for several years.

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: NCAA West Regional - 3/25, 3/26 - BC, Michigan, UNO, CC

Is T. Atkinson going to be back this weekend? And if he was cleared to play, would they put him in ahead of Brown at this point?

Kreider's return is a huge boost. Not only do you add him back to the lineup but that drops I assume Dyroff back out of the lineup. He did an admirable job in there this year and I hope he wins the Humanitarian. But now you replace Dyroff with someone better on that line. Two lines will be improved with Kreider's return.