NCAA HOCKEY TOURNEY

[UNHWildCats]

MIDWEST REGION
Green Bay, WI

1. Wisconsin
4. Bemidji State

3. Colorado College
2. Cornell


WEST REGION
Grand Forks, MT

1. Minnesota
4. Holy Cross

3. Michigan
2. North Dakota


EAST REGION
Albany, NY

1. Michigan State
4. New Hampshire

3. Maine
2. Harvard


NORTHEAST REGION
Worcester, MA

1. Boston University
4. Nebraska-Omaha

3. Boston College
2. Miami OH

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

I assume your bolding was for I-AA status, but North Dakota is D-II.

[UNHWildCats]

My bad I was thinking of ND State lol

[Hansel]

My bad I was thinking of ND State lol
you weren't the only one ;)

http://siouxsports.com/galleries/101/ndsu.jpg

[Hansel]

BTW http://siouxsports.com

will have a bracket challenge for Hockey up shortly

[UNHWildCats]

My first round picks are as follows:

Wisconsin over Bemidji State
Cornell over Colorado College
Holy Cross over Minnesota
North Dakota over Michigan
Boston U over Nebraska-Omaha
Miami OH over Boston College
New Hampshire over Michigan State
Harvard over Maine

[Hansel]

bracket challenge now open

http://siouxsports.com/hockey/bracket.php

[TheValleyRaider]

In Green Bay, WI:
Wisconsin over Bemidji State
Cornell over Colorado College
Wisconsin over Cornell

In Albany, NY:
Michigan State over New Hampshire
Harvard over Maine
Harvard over Michigan State

In Grand Forks, ND:
Minnesota over Holy Cross
North Dakota over Michigan
North Dakota over Minnesota

In Worcester, MA:
Boston University over Nebraska-Omaha
Miami over Boston College
Boston University over Miami

and at the FROZEN FOUR, Milwaukee, WI:
Wisconsin over Harvard
Boston University over North Dakota
Wisconsin over Boston University

[colgate13]

My first round picks are as follows:

Holy Cross over Minnesota


You're joking, right? :confused:

[UNHWildCats]

lol joking no! Insane maybe :)

[Pard4Life]

What happened to Colgate? I thought they were having a good season.

note.. I am a casual fan here.

[dakotadan]

WEST REGION
Grand Forks, MT


:eyebrow:


:rolleyes:

[colgate13]

What happened to Colgate? I thought they were having a good season.

note.. I am a casual fan here.

Lost in the ECACHL semis to Cornell 2-0, but really 1-0 with an empty netter. We are ranked to low to get an at large. We'd be considered a 'bubble' team without enough quality wins OOC. We should finish ranked in the top 20.

Not really a dissapointment - it's much like Colgate football this year. No one really expected us to do as well as we did, and it's a young team that brings a lot back next year.

2006-07 could be a huge year for Colgate hockey (and 07-08 too). A lot of players, including the league's best goalie this year, are sophomores or freshman - and we just brought in our highest drafted player ever. :cool:

[Pard4Life]

Lost in the ECACHL semis to Cornell 2-0, but really 1-0 with an empty netter. We are ranked to low to get an at large. We'd be considered a 'bubble' team without enough quality wins OOC. We should finish ranked in the top 20.

Not really a dissapointment - it's much like Colgate football this year. No one really expected us to do as well as we did, and it's a young team that brings a lot back next year.

2006-07 could be a huge year for Colgate hockey (and 07-08 too). A lot of players, including the league's best goalie this year, are sophomores or freshman - and we just brought in our highest drafted player ever. :cool:

Thanks for the low-down. Defeintely something to keep an eye on.

Interesting to see Holy Cross in the field, I forget half the time they are actually DI hockey. Lafayette is DII club and we play NYU, Wagner, Penn... regional power teams. Lehigh has a DII team too, but I don't know a thing about them.

I'm all for starting up Patriot League hockey :p . I ended up going to double the hockey games than basketball games last year. Although we will likely never ever get a DI varsity team (my dream) we have always had a team.. going back to the 1950s or earlier. However, I think wrestling at Lafayette seems more logical right now, and from what the Laf board posters are saying... although I find wrestling a bit gross.

[colgate13]

You might see ice hockey at Lafayette one day - except it will probably be of the women's variety. Great way to add more spots for Title IX...

[Bison05]

Anyone else notice how the committee made sure that there wasn't another all-WCHA frozen four? I thought they had to make sure teams from the same conferences were seeded in differnet brackets like they do in basketball, but I guess not.

[TheValleyRaider]

Anyone else notice how the committee made sure that there wasn't another all-WCHA frozen four? I thought they had to make sure teams from the same conferences were seeded in differnet brackets like they do in basketball, but I guess not.

The teams were not seeded to avoid anything. They were set up through a relatively simple mathematical formula called the PairWise Rankings. The committee then takes the 6 autobids and then the top remaining 10 teams and seeds them according to their PWR. The only time changes are made to the matchups is when 2 conference teams meet in the first round, which shouldn't happen per NCAA rules. This year, no such matchups occured, therefore the brackets are perfectly seeded 1-16 as determined by the PWR.

[UNHWildCats]

Originally Posted by UNHWildCats
My first round picks are as follows:

Holy Cross over Minnesota


You're joking, right? :confused:


Well, well, well... guess I got this one right :)

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Well, well, well... guess I got this one right :)

Yes you did! That's got to be the biggest upset in the history of the NCAA Ice Hockey Tournament!! And they did it on a WCHA rink at the University of North Dakota! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[UNHWildCats]

UNH gonna knock off another #1 seed tomorrow too :)

[mainejeff]

Well, well, well... guess I got this one right :)

That one had to be the upset pick of the year......anywhere!:hurray:

Now, you better be wrong with your Harvard/Maine prediction!:mad:

[UNHWildCats]

That one had to be the upset pick of the year......anywhere!:hurray:

Now, you better be wrong with your Harvard/Maine prediction!:mad:


The way my bracket picks go, i get one big upset and get everything else wrong, so Maine should be in good shape. lol

[TheValleyRaider]

First, the WOW

Holy Cross 4 - Minnesota 3:eek: This is not, I repeat, not a typo. Our I-AA brethren school just pulled off probably the greatest upset in the history of College Hockey. Just WOW.

WAY TO GO CRUSADERS!!!:hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :bow: :bow:

There were also a few other games that went on yesterday as well. In the other West Bracket game, the host North Dakota dropped Michigan 5-1 behind some timely goals and a standout performance from goaltender Jordan Parise.

In the Northeast, BU avoided the first round upset Minnesota couldn't with a 9-2 shellacking of Nebraska-Omaha. The Terriers broke open a 1-1 tie in the second with 6 goals in the frame. They'll matchup with archrivals Boston College, after the Eagles dispatched Miami 5-0.

So, today's regional finals are
Northeast
#1-Boston University vs. #3-Boston College

West
#2-North Dakota vs. #4-Holy Cross

The East and Midwest Regionals begin today as well.

[Gil Dobie]

First, the WOW

Holy Cross 4 - Minnesota 3:eek: This is not, I repeat, not a typo. Our I-AA brethren school just pulled off probably the greatest upset in the history of College Hockey. Just WOW.

WAY TO GO CRUSADERS!!!:hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :bow: :bow:


Big shocker here in Minny. The difference between a 1 and 4 seed is a lot closer than most people realize. Congrats to Holy Cross.

[UNHWildCats]

Big shocker here in Minny. The difference between a 1 and 4 seed is a lot closer than most people realize. Congrats to Holy Cross.


Of course Minnesota can take comfort in having knocked off the UNH women in the frozen four. That was prolly a bigger shock then Holy Cross since UNH hadnt lost in 30 games.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Of course Minnesota can take comfort in having knocked off the UNH women in the frozen four. That was prolly a bigger shock then Holy Cross since UNH hadnt lost in 30 games.

You've got to be kidding me! No way was the Minnesota women beating UNH a bigger shock then Holy Cross winning.


The Gophers had a virtual home game at Mariucci.
The Gophers are the two time defending Champion.
The UNH women had never played in the Frozen Four before and only had three seniors.
If you read the USCHO Forum, you'd know that the WCHA folks never view their team as an underdog to an Eastern team and always expect to beat an Eastern team.
Many of the Western "experts" thought UNH was overrated because Hockey East wasn't that strong a women's league this year. Somehow UNH beating the other finalist Wisconsin on neutral ice didn't count.
In hockey Holy Cross isn't playing at the same level as their Patriot compadre Colgate or the "Big Four" leagues. I believe they give 11-12 scholarships while the NCAA allows 18.
In hockey Minnesota is akin to Montana, Georgia Southern, Delaware, etc. in I-AA football.


Frankly, this upset is quite possibly the biggest upset in NCAA Ice Hockey Tournament history.

[colgate13]

In hockey Holy Cross isn't playing at the same level as their Patriot compadre Colgate or the "Big Four" leagues. I believe they give 11-12 scholarships while the NCAA allows 18.

Even more impressive: they don't give any. Just need-based grants, like Colgate before scholarships.

[TheValleyRaider]

MSU's Lerg and UNH's Pietrisiak (sp?) put on a goaltending clinic today in Albany, but MSU freshman Tim Crowder snuck the first goal through and held on for a 1-0 victory in Albany. It's the Spartan's first NCAA Tourny victory since their last trip to the Frozen Four (2000 or 2001 I believe). They move on to the East Regional Final tomorrow against the winner of Harvard-Maine.

[Gil Dobie]

Holy Cross also had the hometown Sioux fans cheering for them at a fever pitch. It was almost like Minnesota was playing the Sioux. Any way, like I said earlier, the difference between the top seed and 4th seed are closer than many people think.

[Go...gate]

Great win by Holy Cross - we should have admitted them to the ECAC!!!

[wannabegaucho]

I hate to see an Upper Midwest team lose like Minnesota. Go North Dakota! If not, then I'm rooting for Wisconsin or even Michigan State.

[mainejeff]

Go Maine!

[colgate13]

Great win by Holy Cross - we should have admitted them to the ECAC!!!
If we did they wouldn't have had the change to win against Minnesota. Ironic, huh?

[TheValleyRaider]

The first two tickets to Milwaukee have been punched. Out of the Northeast, the #3-seeded Boston College Eagles dropped the rival BU Terriers 5-0 to complete a sweep of the regional by a 10-0 aggregate score. Goalie Cory Schnieder will now look to keep his shutout streak going into the Frozen Four.

Joining BC is the North Dakota Sioux, who knocked off Tournament Cinderella Holy Cross 5-2 in Grand Forks to win the West Regional. Jonathan Toews had 5 points on the weekend and was named the Region's MOP. BC and UND will meet on Thursday April 6 in the National Semifinal.

In first round regional action, Maine drops a big one on Harvard 6-1, as the Crimson exit the first round for the 5th consecutive year. The Black Bears get a matchup with a hot Michigan State team for the East Regional final in Albany.

Finally out in the Midwest Regional, #1-Wisconsin shut out upset-minded Bemidji State 4-0, turning in the kind of dominating performance people expected from Minnesota. They'll face Cornell out of the ECAC as the Big Red rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to top Colorado College 3-2. Cornell now battles the Badgers for the Regional Title.

Today's Games:
East
#1-Michigan State vs. #3-Maine

Midwest
#1-Wisconsin vs. #2-Cornell

[TheValleyRaider]

Here's to Michigan State and Cornell winning, giving us the 4 Conference Frozen 4 last seen in 2003. Certainly better for the game than watching 4 WCHA teams go at it again.

And being forced to listen to all the crowing from Western teams again :p

[Gil Dobie]

I would like to see Maine and Wiso added to the frozen four.:)

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Maine leading 3-1 over Michigan State at the end of the 1st period.

[dakotadan]

If anybody wants to watch the end of the webcast of the game, you can check it out here:

webcast (http://ne.cn8.tv/channel/article.asp?lArticleID=4665&lChannelID=644&subhead=cn8live)

It is now 4-3 Maine towards the end of the 2nd.

[grizband]

You've got to be kidding me! No way was the Minnesota women beating UNH a bigger shock then Holy Cross winning.


The Gophers had a virtual home game at Mariucci.
The Gophers are the two time defending Champion.
The UNH women had never played in the Frozen Four before and only had three seniors.
If you read the USCHO Forum, you'd know that the WCHA folks never view their team as an underdog to an Eastern team and always expect to beat an Eastern team.
Many of the Western "experts" thought UNH was overrated because Hockey East wasn't that strong a women's league this year. Somehow UNH beating the other finalist Wisconsin on neutral ice didn't count.
In hockey Holy Cross isn't playing at the same level as their Patriot compadre Colgate or the "Big Four" leagues. I believe they give 11-12 scholarships while the NCAA allows 18.
In hockey Minnesota is akin to Montana, Georgia Southern, Delaware, etc. in I-AA football.


Frankly, this upset is quite possibly the biggest upset in NCAA Ice Hockey Tournament history.
I brought up your last point to a friend who is from Minnesota, and a life long Gopher fan. He said its not even close, hockey in Minessota is more rabid than any following, other than maybe football in the south. He goes to Griz games, and said that while it is big here, Gopher hockey is bigger to Minnesota fans. This indeed was a huge upset. And you are right about WCHA teams never thinking they are the underdog. I have a WCHA fan and a Hockey East fan both living with me, and it leads to some interesting debates. Oh yeah, the women's Frozen Four has never been won by a team not from Minnesota. I found that out the other day too.

[TheValleyRaider]

The Blackbears of Maine jump out to a 3-1 lead, then hang on for a 5-4 victory to clinch their birth in the Frozen 4 in Milwaukee. MSU used Maine penalties to climb back in the game, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Maine makes their first Frozen 4 trip since 2004, when they lost the National Championship game to Denver.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Oh yeah, the women's Frozen Four has never been won by a team not from Minnesota. I found that out the other day too.

True, but there have only been four or five NCAA Championships. The first ones won by Minnesota-Duluth and the last two by the Gophers. And that might be changing as Wisconsin is leading Minnesota 3-0 at the halfway point of the second period.

And of course, the WCHA folks won't acknowledge the eastern domination in the early years of women's hockey. ;) UNH has a couple of "national championships" when some organization I can't can't even recall sponsored the event. Of course, the WCHA folks will say that is because the Western teams didn't play then! ;)

Your friend must be having fits because so far the only Western team to make the men's Frozen Four is arch rival North Dakota! (Cornell-Wisconsin is scorless approaching the midway point of the 1st period.) The Sioux fans displayed zero WCHA solidarity and cheered for Holy Cross Friday night like they were wearing green instead of purple!!!

[Gil Dobie]

True, but there have only been four or five NCAA Championships. The first ones won by Minnesota-Duluth and the last two by the Gophers. And that might be changing as Wisconsin is leading Minnesota 3-0 at the halfway point of the second period.


The Olympics took the two best women away from the Gophers this year, Natile Darwitz and Krissy Wendell. Both would have been playing their senior seasons this year.

[dakotadan]

Congratulations on the win today, Black Bear fans. I would love to see a North Dakota/Maine championship game two weekends from now!

[mainejeff]

Congratulations on the win today, Black Bear fans. I would love to see a North Dakota/Maine championship game two weekends from now!

Me too!

Maine opens next season at North Dakota for 2 games.

[TheValleyRaider]

Cornell and Wisconsin have just finished their first OT period, still 0-0. McKee made a number of great saves in the last few minutes of the 3rd to preserve the tie, so we'll see what both teams can come up with as this game continues.

Watching the webcast, there's a whole lotta red in that building. And I'm thoroughly impressed with how both bands are still wailing away. What a game.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Wisconsin beats Cornell 1-0 in the 3rd OT!!

[grizband]

Yeah, we actually had to put him on suicide watch during the Minnesota/St. Cloud St. game. That was a crazy game. As for pre-NCAA women's hockey I don't know about that, I just know that for once, a sport can say Western states are just as good as Eastern, and no one can say otherwise. I guess we won't have a repeat of last year's Frozen Four, when it was an all WCHA afair. I'm willing to bet its WCHA championship, though.:smiley_wi

[TheValleyRaider]

Jack Skille is the hero for Wisconsin as he beats David McKee at 11:13 of the 3rd OT to make Wisconsin the only #1 seed to survive to the Frozen Four. Cornell's valiant effort falls short in a regional final OT again.

Which means the field for Milwaukee is set. 2 WCHA teams and 2 Hockey East teams will be making the journey in 2 weeks to determine College Hockey's National Champion. Semifinals are on Thursday April 6, and the Championship Saturday night.

2006 Frozen Four, Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
#2-North Dakota vs. #3-Boston College, 3pm
#1-Wisconsin vs. #3-Maine, 8 pm

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Yeah, we actually had to put him on suicide watch during the Minnesota/St. Cloud St. game. That was a crazy game. As for pre-NCAA women's hockey I don't know about that, I just know that for once, a sport can say Western states are just as good as Eastern, and no one can say otherwise. I guess we won't have a repeat of last year's Frozen Four, when it was an all WCHA afair. I'm willing to bet its WCHA championship, though.:smiley_wi

You've had that sport for quite some time, men's collegiate ice hockey! Do I sense just a little Western paranoia? ;)

I couldn't find any historical info on the Minnesota web site so I couldn't ascertain when the Gophers started playing women's ice hockey. UNH started in 1977-78 and I'm not sure that the Western schools have been playing that long.

Actually, there are some good lessons from the men's ice hockey saga over the past 40 years for I-AA football. I recall back in the 70's when the Western schools all screamed when they didn't get three of the four slots in the NCAA Tournament because they felt the Eastern schools didn't deserve more than one spot. Over time though the sport grew and the tournament has evolved into the current 16 team event. And the last expansion from 12 to 16 teams included autobids to two leagues that were viewed as unworthy. But lo and behold, one of those autobids won a Tournament game this year!!

A lot of people dismiss ice hockey as a regional sport because there are so few schools playing D-I, but the Frozen Four sells out in advance via lottery (like the basketball tournament) and is a huge money maker for the NCAA. And league championships pack large arenas -- Hockey East regularly draws over 17K at Boston's TD BankNorth Garden (Fleet Center). I dream for the day when the UNH Football faithful are as dedicated and numerous as our hockey faithful.

[colgate13]

Very good points UNH alum... now how do you translate that into I-AA is the question.

[Gil Dobie]

First season was 1996........

Minnesota Gophers Link (http://www.ahcahockey.com/ask/20032004/021804.html)

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Very good points UNH alum... now how do you translate that into I-AA is the question.

Hockey has developed an almost cult like following who attend Frozen Fours just to celebrate their sport. I've only seen pictures, but it is so cool seeing fans from all the schools in their jerseys at FF. I think I-AA could do the same if it wasn't for the timing of our championship. The holiday season, the BCS Bowl season and the ongoing Winter Sport's seasons will probably always be a barrier to developing a I-AA Championship event similar to the Frozen Four. Participating in this Forum makes me feel like we have a similar fanbase in I-AA and that an event on the weekend after Christmas has the potential to be a significant event. One that would be too big for Chatty.

Hockey schedules the FF the weekend after hoop's Final Four and doesn't have any other competition at that point. They sell out the largest NHL rinks in the country via lottery months before the season even begins. College Lacrosse has drawn 40K to their championship game. I know in my heart that I-AA Football could have similar outstanding draws if only the circumstances were right.

[TheValleyRaider]

Hockey has developed an almost cult like following who attend Frozen Fours just to celebrate their sport. I've only seen pictures, but it is so cool seeing fans from all the schools in their jerseys at FF. I think I-AA could do the same if it wasn't for the timing of our championship. The holiday season, the BCS Bowl season and the ongoing Winter Sport's seasons will probably always be a barrier to developing a I-AA Championship event similar to the Frozen Four. Participating in this Forum makes me feel like we have a similar fanbase in I-AA and that an event on the weekend after Christmas has the potential to be a significant event. One that would be too big for Chatty.

Hockey schedules the FF the weekend after hoop's Final Four and doesn't have any other competition at that point. They sell out the largest NHL rinks in the country via lottery months before the season even begins. College Lacrosse has drawn 40K to their championship game. I know in my heart that I-AA Football could have similar outstanding draws if only the circumstances were right.

I feel as though there are just too many variables to compare the two. For starters, the Frozen Four consists of 3 games between 4 teams, meaning 4 different fan bases, which consist of a fair number of fans who otherwise wouldn't go are there. I-AA's game will only have 2 teams who learn less than a week before that they're going, which not only reduces the number of fan bases travelling, but also the number of fans who are able to arrange a quick trip like that. A 2 week break would work wonders for attendance (but that's a beaten horse at this point). You're also going to be able to draw in people by saying they'll get to watch 3 games that weekend rather than 1.

And some of it's just the NCAA and Chattanooga not doing as good a job of providing for the Event. Because the Frozen 4 takes place over 3 days, the host is prepared to entertain people for that amount of time. That, combined with the mentality of "we're the only hockey out there" makes the Frozen 4 a bigger event for hockey fans in general. Unfortunately, we're not "the only football out there" because the Bowl season is ramping up.

I hate to sound so negative about it, I'd certainly love to see the I-AA game become the big event that a Championship game ought to be, and I think the longer Chattanooga hosts the event, the more likely that will become. (A name change for the game probably wouldn't hurt either. "Diamond Bowl", for example, is easier to say than "I-AA National Championship Game")

My :twocents:

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Raider, don't forget that the FF sells out before the season starts which to me eliminates the four teams participating theory. This year, one will see jerseys in abundance from Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, BU, Miami of Ohio, Denver, Colorado College, UNH, Bowling Green, Notre Dame, Northern Michigan, Cornell, etc. People go for the event and high quality games with the outside hope that their school participates.

I assume that if I-AA ever had a big event that there would be an all-star game as well on the preceding day in order to have a multi-day event that a sponsor could plan for. And attract the hard core I-AA fans and justify any long travel. And hopefully having more I-AA schools than D-I hockey schools would hopefully offset some of your "only hockey" theory.

No criticism for being "negative" because it is really an uphill battle. I agree with you that every successive year in Chatty has helped.