Re: Fun With Numbers 2019: PWR, RPI, KRACH, GRaNT, WCHODR, & other assortments of let
This was always "the way things are" in the WCHA, but IMO, the times they are a changing. From memory, last year's Gophers were the first team seeded No. 3 or lower to win win the WCHA Tournament. The challenge in the past was that it meant beating two teams ranked in the top 8 or higher on back-to-back days. Often those were top-five teams, and even when the third team was also a power team, it was tough to do.
Last year, Minnesota wasn't that good, but it played one very good weekend of hockey. A lower seed winning the tourney was long overdue. Back in 2001, Wisconsin took UMD to OT in one semi and top-seeded Minnesota got blown out in the other.
As good as Wisconsin is this year, we know that the Buckeyes can beat them. Can they at a neutral site? Maybe. I think that OSU, UMD, and BSU are all capable of defeating the Gophers at home in a one-and-done format. It could be that both favored teams get upset in the semis, and nobody has to knock off both No. 1 and No. 2. So I'd say that there is at least a 10-percent chance that a "random" team wins the WCHA autobid.
Originally posted by TonyTheTiger20
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Last year, Minnesota wasn't that good, but it played one very good weekend of hockey. A lower seed winning the tourney was long overdue. Back in 2001, Wisconsin took UMD to OT in one semi and top-seeded Minnesota got blown out in the other.
As good as Wisconsin is this year, we know that the Buckeyes can beat them. Can they at a neutral site? Maybe. I think that OSU, UMD, and BSU are all capable of defeating the Gophers at home in a one-and-done format. It could be that both favored teams get upset in the semis, and nobody has to knock off both No. 1 and No. 2. So I'd say that there is at least a 10-percent chance that a "random" team wins the WCHA autobid.
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