NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament

[lysander]

Anybody interested in discussing the NCAA Men's hockey tournament? The seedings were announced yesterday.

The four #1 seeds are North Dakota, Boston College, Maine and Minnesota.

Minnesota is going for its third straight national championship.

The only real controversy seems to be that Notre Dame received an at-large bid over Colgate and Colorado College because of stronger non-conference victories.

[BoatDrinks]

Go Black Bears!!!

[lysander]

By the way, here is the bracket info:

W=West region
MW=midwest
E=East
NE=Northeast

W1 North Dakota
W4 Holy Cross

W3 Miami (Ohio)
W2 Denver

MW2 Minnesota-Duluth
MW3 Michigan State

MW4 Notre Dame
MW1 Minnesota

E1 Maine
E4 Harvard

E3 Wisconsin
E2 Ohio State

NE2 Michigan
NE3 New Hampshire

NE4 Niagara
NE1 Boston College

Looks like the East and Northeast winners play each other and West and Midwest play each other to go to the championship.

[vdadlani219]

No Kariya brothers left at Maine :( Oh well, still rooting for them.!

[Vonner]

I'd like to discuss the fact that I'm getting screwed out of watching it because Victory Sports has the rights to the broadcast in Minnesota. Victory Sports is not available to the majority of the twin cities area.


As far as the tournament goes, I think Minnesota will have a shot at making it three in a row. It's not going to be an easy road though.

Game one is against Notre Dame a team that has upset a bunch of top quality teams on the road already this year.

Game two would be against either Michigan St. or Minn.-Duluth. Michigan St. in Michigan is never an easy win, but I think it would be an easier game than facing Minn.-Duluth again. The Bulldogs are a tough team, 4-1 vs. Minny this year, and going to be pumped at the chance to play for a National Title.

Game three would most likly be a rematch of the WCHA Final Five championship game. The Souix have been ranked number one in the nation for the majority ofthe year, and deservedly so. Although the Gophers beat them last Saturday to claim the WCHA tourney title, beating them again will prove to be tough task.

Then you have the final game. Who knows who that would be against since the EAst side of the bracket has many good teams (BC, Maine, Michigan, NH).

It's going to be a great tournament! I just wish I could watch it!!!!!!

[RoyalTea]

keep in mind that the championship is in Boston's Fleet Center this year.

if BC can make it out of Manchester, they'll have a huge home ice advantage.

although that didn't matter the last time it was in Boston (1998 - UMich beat BC in OT).

<hr>
The best part about NCAA hockey is the fact that the odds are pretty damn good that the title game will go to Overtime.

since 1996, there have been only three titles games that were won in regulation.

[lysander]

I live in CA, so I don't get to see any of it until the Frozen Four. I am pretty bummed that the sport is so region specific that there is not a national following. In fact I think the frozen 4 is on ESPN2. It doesn't even warrant ESPN time. That is really too bad, because there are going to be some really great games in the first couple of rounds.

I am rooting for MN. The best thing they have going for them right now is momentum. Their last two victories have been over UMD and UND - 2 teams they will likely have to play to get to the championship. Regardless, I think the Western bracket winner will win the whole thing. Maine has great goaltending, but not the offense to keep up with the likes of UMD, UND or Minnesota IMO. I don't think BC is going to make it out of their bracket. They have won 1 of their last 7 or so games. They are not playing well right now. Minnesota seems to be peaking at the right time.

Go Gophers

[RoyalTea]

well, the Frozen Four is set.

Denver vs. Minnesota-Duluth
Boston College vs. Maine

[birdseye]

A couple of surprises this weekend with Denver beating North Dakota and Duluth beating Minnesota. I wish I would have been able to see some of the games this weekend. It sounds like some of them were great games. Oh well, at least the Frozen Four will be on ESPN2.