March 19, 2007

It's a shame that Minnesota and North Dakota got placed in the same region. Not saying that I don't understand why or anything, but switching Michigan and BU instead of switching Michigan State and North Dakota to avoid the Michigan-Michigan State matchup would have kept the potential Minnesota-North Dakota rematch for a bigger stage.

That being said, here are my predicitons:

-- Frozen Four will be Minnesota, Notre Dame, Clarkson and BC, though I will not be at all shocked if North Dakota defeats Minnesota. Clarkson is a weak #1 seed that could even lose to UMass, but their bracket is weak.

-- St. Cloud State will continue its 0-for-the-NCAA record by losing to Maine in the first round. They look awful right now. Taking a dump at the Final Five (going 0-2) is a bad omen...the only team I can recall that got to the Frozen Four after doing so was Minnesota in 2005, and that's only because the regional was at Mariucci. The only saving grace for St. Cloud is that Maine is stinking just about as badly lately.

-- Billy Sauer of Michigan will allow at least 2 or 3 soft goals against North Dakota in the 1st round. He's awful. If Michigan somehow escapes North Dakota, Minnesota will beat them down.

-- Anyone who chants "Holy Cross" at the Gophers after they defeat Air Force will officially be a loser. Not that they aren't already, but that joke is on its deathbed. ;-)

-- Like in 2006, Wisconsin will play the entire tournament at home. But this time they'll do it by themselves.

-- For the first time in 6 years, a non-WCHA team will win it...I'm picking BC over Notre Dame in the final.

We'll see if I'm right about any of this or not, but that's my call.

posted by TheQatarian at 2:22 PM CDT on March 19

Wooo, go Eagles!

I'm predicting a Beanpot final ;-)

posted by lil_brown_bat at 3:12 PM CDT on March 19

As always, Go Blue!( But I could live with a Beanpot finale,lil).

posted by sickleguy at 5:37 PM CDT on March 19

"Some 59 schools field Division I teams (up from 40 in 1990), and nearly 25 percent of the current 900-plus NHL players came out of college hockey programs," St Louis Post-Dispatch Article ... I've been to several CCHA Games this year and saw the Irish Squad 1st Hand. I'm pulling for a CCHA School to win the National Championship. (Hopefully a certain Michigan Squad based in Ann Arbor) but any CCHA Squad will due. By the way there's a lot more to the Fighting Irish then the Hot Goalie. 4 CCHA Squads have qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Mason Cup Champion, Notre Dame, Miami (Ohio), Michigan State and Go Blue Michigan. Thanks for the Great Thread emoeby

posted by skydivedad at 6:53 PM CDT on March 19

Hockey East looks strong this year, with 5 teams in the tournament. It's also nice to see 'Bama-Huntsville in there. I spend a lot of time in Huntsville on business, although I've not been able to get to one of their games. I like the way the program has built up slowly but steadily over the years.

Even though they've been inconsistent, I look for the UNH Wildcats to make it past BC into the Frozen 4. Perhaps not a Beanpot final, but a Hockey East final looks highly possible.

Alas, the Northeastern Huskies once again look on longingly.

posted by Howard_T at 8:20 PM CDT on March 19

Alabama Huntsville? I hadn't realized what a hockey powerhouse that they were. Anyway, as always I have to pull for UNH as its the closest we ever get to a national championship (pro or college) in any sport in New Hampshire.

posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 5:17 AM CDT on March 20

PU: The Gophers' #1 seed is a product of mathematics...or are you not familiar with the PairWise rankings? They did win both the regular season and playoff championship in the WCHA...hard to argue they aren't a #1 seed.

Otherwise, I agree with you, but they do have some momentum and confidence going into the tournament. I think the game they lost to Anchorage was their wake-up call.

posted by TheQatarian at 9:10 AM CDT on March 20

An NCAA Hockey Tournament without Colgate is like an NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament without Duke. If Duke was a dinky school that never won a tournament and often disappeared in the first round when they made it at all.

Or, let's say, an NCAA Hockey Tournament without Colgate is like running out of beer after 8pm in Connecticut. It's unfortunate, but there's nothing you can really do about it, except maybe run to the state line and try to find an open liquor store in New York or Mass, and even then they probably only have cheap domestic beers and not the beers you would really like to have, and now look, we're not going to get back home until eleven at the earliest and I don't even want beer anymore, I gotta get up early, plus $12.99 for Coors, that's ridiculous, I'm not paying that, well, what were you expecting and maybe you could have mentioned you had to get up early before you suggested we drive all the way out here after 8pm. Jerk.

I think my simile class is really helping. Anyway, I haven't seen a lick of college hockey this season for the first time in a long time, so I'm just going to blindly predict Clarkson out of sheer ECAC loyalty. I dislike rooting for Clarkson for anything, but it's better than Cornell or Harvard. Much, much better. Go Clarkson.

posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 10:03 AM CDT on March 20

Only if someone brings s'mores.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:43 AM CDT on March 20

Dearest DrJE can we get a confidence pool for this please?

you don't need drj to set one up.

posted by goddam at 12:51 PM CDT on March 20

TheQatarian: Certainly was not familiar with the selection process, so thank you for the enlightenment. Regarding the loss, they were not much better the following night, and while solid against Wisconsin, not impressive; but certainly a huge improvement before their effort against North Dakota. Hopefully they're turning the corner that will allow Minneapolis to set cars on fire and break into liquor stores again.

posted by PublicUrinal at 3:30 PM CDT on March 20

I am really not up to setting it up and doing the commish duties so PLEASE someone else do it!

I don't understand the tournament enough. Do they even play more than one game if they lose? Is it a best of tourney or are you knocked out after a loss. You really can't play a confidence point to well if you are knocked out with a loss. It would be more like the bracket thing with basketball. Someone please enlighten me!

posted by skydivemom at 10:24 PM CDT on March 20

OK Gang, Being that I'm making a small amends to my lovely bride and this is cheaper than a dozen roses, I've created a SportsFilter 2007 Road to The Frozen Four confidence pool. I'm attending the Midwest Regionals here in Grand Rapids that kicks off this Friday with Notre Dame vs. Alabama-Huntsville and Boston U vs. Michigan State. Details in the Locker Room

posted by skydivedad at 12:59 PM CDT on March 21