Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Di Giuseppe and Guptill Leave Michigan
Not too much of a surprise here, with both forwards leaving. Both DiGi and Guptill have had similar impacts since their Freshman campaigns 2 seasons ago. I'm a little disappointed DiGi left, I felt as if he was a bigger impact player and could have had a huge year next season. Guptill was expected, and however good he was was often overshadowed by other incidents/lack of effort. I can't imagine either of them actually contributing much to Carolina and Dallas, but they'll probably get a couple years in the AHL. Hopefully they prove me wrong.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Another Disappointing Season Comes To An End
I was able to attend the Michigan vs. Penn State game on Thursday, thinking it was going to be one of the last times I'd be able to see them live all year. What I didn't expect was that it was the last time anyone would see them all season. The 2-1 2OT game on Thursday was one of the most disappointing things I've had to watch. From when I was younger until today, I can't think of any other time where I've been so disappointed. Not even last year, when we had to win to get into the NCAA tournament to keep our 22 year streak alive, have I been this disappointed. Penn State simply dominated UM in the first 2 periods of the game. We looked like we didn't even belong on the same sheet of ice as PSU, a team that is in it's second year of D-I competition.
The third period and majority of Overtime belonged to the Wolverines. It was almost as if they awakened (as they should have), and tried to salvage their season. The worst part about watching them play in the final 3 periods of the game was that I knew they could have been playing like that all game. It's hard to win games with 2 goals, and it's even harder to win with one. As I sat in my seat at the Xcel Energy Center, the Wolverines gave a stick salute to their fans, and I soon realized, that there is a high probability that we might not be able to reach the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. I immediately went home, logged onto the Pariwise Predictor and tried to find every which way Michigan could make the Tournament. There were a lot of different ways we could sneak into the NCAAs, and even possibly nab the 14th seed. A lot would have had to happened, and as I sat around Saturday, I realized that none of those situations were panning out.
It was an interesting season, one that seemed to peak way too soon. It will be interesting to see who decides to leave early, and who decides to stick around to try to get Michigan back to it's national prominence.
The third period and majority of Overtime belonged to the Wolverines. It was almost as if they awakened (as they should have), and tried to salvage their season. The worst part about watching them play in the final 3 periods of the game was that I knew they could have been playing like that all game. It's hard to win games with 2 goals, and it's even harder to win with one. As I sat in my seat at the Xcel Energy Center, the Wolverines gave a stick salute to their fans, and I soon realized, that there is a high probability that we might not be able to reach the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. I immediately went home, logged onto the Pariwise Predictor and tried to find every which way Michigan could make the Tournament. There were a lot of different ways we could sneak into the NCAAs, and even possibly nab the 14th seed. A lot would have had to happened, and as I sat around Saturday, I realized that none of those situations were panning out.
It was an interesting season, one that seemed to peak way too soon. It will be interesting to see who decides to leave early, and who decides to stick around to try to get Michigan back to it's national prominence.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
That Time of Year
So it's apparent my blog has become a seasonal blog now, with me getting more and more anxious for playoffs, perhaps it's the only way I know how to relieve my anxiety. Now that the regular season is over, it might be fitting to look back, fire up the 'ole brain, and scribble something into a new post. Let's begin!
Season Review
What can I say about Michigan's season that makes me sound like I don't despise the Maize and Blue? I find the inconsistency to be the most troubling trend within the last couple of years, that has me somewhat thinking that Red leaving might not be a bad thing. I couple years ago I'd never find myself saying such nonsense, but it seems as if the players lack respect for the iconic head coach.
The season obviously got off on a good note. Beating BC and starting 10-2-1 was an early positive for Michigan, who seems to never really start strong. This team looked to be unbeatable in the early goings, but quickly lost steam. Then...more goaltending issues. Nagelvoort and Racine seemed to both hit a rough patch midway through the year, and we ended up losing to teams like OSU, MSU, and PSU. That's not acceptable at Michigan. I'd say the Defense was one of the worst defensive cores I've seen in recent years. Obviously losing Merrill and Trouba are gigantic losses, but the Freshman that came in gave me some hope. Early, they looked to be a stable group, but throughout the year their inexperience showed, and it was painful to watch them at times. I will say that they is a lot of potential here, and if we can avoid early departures, the next 2 years look VERY promising. Nolan De Jong is one of my favorite new players to watch. Not necessarily a big guy, but he's an incredibly gifted skater and can move the puck very well. Mike. Downing. I'm not sure how to feel about Mike Downing. Obviously he's a gifted player and certainly can make a difference, however, I saw too much negative in his game, especially in the Minnesota series in Minneapolis in Mid-Feb. He looked so inexperienced compared to Mac Bennett and the likings, I was amazed he was even dressed, yet alone starting. Follow his performance up with some awful penalties, and it would be very easy for me to dismiss Downing as a top D-guy. BUT, he IS a difference maker. At times he can be our best defenseman and he does have a pretty good sense for where to be on the ice. He has all the attributes to be a very good defenseman. On to the forwards, and where do I begin? Copp, Compher, Di Giuseppe, all stars in their own fashion. This group can be scary good when they want to be. One player that I'll focus on that I hope to continue to see more out of, and especially next year, is Alex Guptill. Guppy has been a favorite of mine since he stepped on campus two years ago. Him and DiGi were going to be the future. I was sure of it. Then we ran into this year, and although both players didn't have the years they wanted to last year, it appears that there was a larger affect on Guptill. His attitude this year has been awful, hence him probably being a "healthy" a couple of times. His attitude on the ice, towards officials, teammates, opposing players. He seems so negative, and I can't imagine it's helping his chances playing at the next level. He's been fine since being sat down, in fact he's been one of the best on the ice night in, and night out. I hope he can keep his focus for the remainder of this year, but more importantly, for next year as well. He truly is an incredible player, he just needs to hold himself to a higher standard.
Playoff Outlook
I'll be there Thursday when Michigan takes on Penn State at Xcel Energy Center. Let's hope we come ready to play. We've already proven that we can't let a team like PSU hang around. I've been looking at the scenarios and playing with USCHO.com 's pairwise predictor, and a win on Thursday puts us in a really good position for making the Tournament. Lose, and we still have a shot at getting in, but I wouldn't want to hope my way into a the field of 16. I really do believe they can make a push for the inaugural B1G Tournament crown, but it's going to take three of our best games all year. Plus, if we did end up winning the B1G title, most of the scenarios I've seen pushed us into a 2 seed. As if it really matters. I'm hoping for a 3 seed, but I guess we'll get dealt what we deserve.
Depending on how Thursday goes, I'll report back with a recap from the game, and a brief preview of the Wisconsin game (which I will unfortunately not be able to attend). Thanks for the read and as always, GO BLUE!
Season Review
What can I say about Michigan's season that makes me sound like I don't despise the Maize and Blue? I find the inconsistency to be the most troubling trend within the last couple of years, that has me somewhat thinking that Red leaving might not be a bad thing. I couple years ago I'd never find myself saying such nonsense, but it seems as if the players lack respect for the iconic head coach.
The season obviously got off on a good note. Beating BC and starting 10-2-1 was an early positive for Michigan, who seems to never really start strong. This team looked to be unbeatable in the early goings, but quickly lost steam. Then...more goaltending issues. Nagelvoort and Racine seemed to both hit a rough patch midway through the year, and we ended up losing to teams like OSU, MSU, and PSU. That's not acceptable at Michigan. I'd say the Defense was one of the worst defensive cores I've seen in recent years. Obviously losing Merrill and Trouba are gigantic losses, but the Freshman that came in gave me some hope. Early, they looked to be a stable group, but throughout the year their inexperience showed, and it was painful to watch them at times. I will say that they is a lot of potential here, and if we can avoid early departures, the next 2 years look VERY promising. Nolan De Jong is one of my favorite new players to watch. Not necessarily a big guy, but he's an incredibly gifted skater and can move the puck very well. Mike. Downing. I'm not sure how to feel about Mike Downing. Obviously he's a gifted player and certainly can make a difference, however, I saw too much negative in his game, especially in the Minnesota series in Minneapolis in Mid-Feb. He looked so inexperienced compared to Mac Bennett and the likings, I was amazed he was even dressed, yet alone starting. Follow his performance up with some awful penalties, and it would be very easy for me to dismiss Downing as a top D-guy. BUT, he IS a difference maker. At times he can be our best defenseman and he does have a pretty good sense for where to be on the ice. He has all the attributes to be a very good defenseman. On to the forwards, and where do I begin? Copp, Compher, Di Giuseppe, all stars in their own fashion. This group can be scary good when they want to be. One player that I'll focus on that I hope to continue to see more out of, and especially next year, is Alex Guptill. Guppy has been a favorite of mine since he stepped on campus two years ago. Him and DiGi were going to be the future. I was sure of it. Then we ran into this year, and although both players didn't have the years they wanted to last year, it appears that there was a larger affect on Guptill. His attitude this year has been awful, hence him probably being a "healthy" a couple of times. His attitude on the ice, towards officials, teammates, opposing players. He seems so negative, and I can't imagine it's helping his chances playing at the next level. He's been fine since being sat down, in fact he's been one of the best on the ice night in, and night out. I hope he can keep his focus for the remainder of this year, but more importantly, for next year as well. He truly is an incredible player, he just needs to hold himself to a higher standard.
Playoff Outlook
I'll be there Thursday when Michigan takes on Penn State at Xcel Energy Center. Let's hope we come ready to play. We've already proven that we can't let a team like PSU hang around. I've been looking at the scenarios and playing with USCHO.com 's pairwise predictor, and a win on Thursday puts us in a really good position for making the Tournament. Lose, and we still have a shot at getting in, but I wouldn't want to hope my way into a the field of 16. I really do believe they can make a push for the inaugural B1G Tournament crown, but it's going to take three of our best games all year. Plus, if we did end up winning the B1G title, most of the scenarios I've seen pushed us into a 2 seed. As if it really matters. I'm hoping for a 3 seed, but I guess we'll get dealt what we deserve.
Depending on how Thursday goes, I'll report back with a recap from the game, and a brief preview of the Wisconsin game (which I will unfortunately not be able to attend). Thanks for the read and as always, GO BLUE!
Monday, October 14, 2013
New Conference, New Season, New Team
Lots has changed from last year's Michigan team that saw it's 22 year NCAA playoff streak come to an end. A team that ended up 18-19-3, and fell one game short from winning the last ever Mason Cup. Significant improvements have been made to a team that had inconsistent offense, defense and most of all, goaltending in 2012-2013. With the new, young season already underway, Michigan looks optimistic as they look to reload, instead of rebuild.
It's hard for perennial powerhouses to stay out of the national spotlight. Last season the Wolverines found themselves in the wrong kind of spotlight. As Michigan struggled, it was Red Berenson who also struggled with making the decision of whether or not to leave Michigan (you may recall, he spoke publicly about debating whether he should leave Michigan due to poor performance). The iconic Head Coach cited that a strong playoff push was enough to see him come back for the remaining three years of his contract. After an NCAA tournament that was unwelcoming to Michigan for the first time in 22 years, early departures that left multiple questions on the blue line, and a very long off-season for fans of the maize and blue, Michigan took center stage in the College hockey world last Thursday in a showcase matchup vs. #4 ranked Boston College.
#11 Michigan - 3, #4 Boston College - 1
Michigan embarked on a new conference, new season, and revamped lineup on Thursday. The opening night for the college hockey season saw an epic battle of two legendary coaches. With Red Berenson and BC Head Coach Jerry York behind each bench, there couldn't have been a more exciting way for both teams to prove themselves early in the year.
After Michigan's exhibition loss to Windsor, it was unclear on which team would show up on Thursday. Admittedly, Michigan did play very well in their 2-1 loss to Windsor. They moved the puck very well, limited chances, and saw pretty decent goaltending. All in all, they looked like your typical Michigan hockey team (other than not being able to put the puck in the net). Thursday was a new challenge against a team that always looks to play into early April, and Michigan showed up. The Maize and Blue looked like they picked up exactly where they left off from last seasons late push. Luke Moffatt scored just 7:25 into the opening stanza, and Michigan never let up from there. After taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, Michigan got an early 2nd period goal from Andrew Copp (the eventual GWG), and Steve Racine backstopped the Wolverines, recording 20 saves en-route to a 3-1 win.
Lots has changed from last year's Michigan team that saw it's 22 year NCAA playoff streak come to an end. A team that ended up 18-19-3, and fell one game short from winning the last ever Mason Cup. Significant improvements have been made to a team that had inconsistent offense, defense and most of all, goaltending in 2012-2013. With the new, young season already underway, Michigan looks optimistic as they look to reload, instead of rebuild.
It's hard for perennial powerhouses to stay out of the national spotlight. Last season the Wolverines found themselves in the wrong kind of spotlight. As Michigan struggled, it was Red Berenson who also struggled with making the decision of whether or not to leave Michigan (you may recall, he spoke publicly about debating whether he should leave Michigan due to poor performance). The iconic Head Coach cited that a strong playoff push was enough to see him come back for the remaining three years of his contract. After an NCAA tournament that was unwelcoming to Michigan for the first time in 22 years, early departures that left multiple questions on the blue line, and a very long off-season for fans of the maize and blue, Michigan took center stage in the College hockey world last Thursday in a showcase matchup vs. #4 ranked Boston College.
#11 Michigan - 3, #4 Boston College - 1
Michigan embarked on a new conference, new season, and revamped lineup on Thursday. The opening night for the college hockey season saw an epic battle of two legendary coaches. With Red Berenson and BC Head Coach Jerry York behind each bench, there couldn't have been a more exciting way for both teams to prove themselves early in the year.
After Michigan's exhibition loss to Windsor, it was unclear on which team would show up on Thursday. Admittedly, Michigan did play very well in their 2-1 loss to Windsor. They moved the puck very well, limited chances, and saw pretty decent goaltending. All in all, they looked like your typical Michigan hockey team (other than not being able to put the puck in the net). Thursday was a new challenge against a team that always looks to play into early April, and Michigan showed up. The Maize and Blue looked like they picked up exactly where they left off from last seasons late push. Luke Moffatt scored just 7:25 into the opening stanza, and Michigan never let up from there. After taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, Michigan got an early 2nd period goal from Andrew Copp (the eventual GWG), and Steve Racine backstopped the Wolverines, recording 20 saves en-route to a 3-1 win.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Last Weekend's Recap
First and foremost, I'm just going to come out and say it. I have my foot in my mouth right now. Cornell completely shocked me and I'm still in disbelief that Michigan was sent packing by the Big Red. I'll break down each regional, starting with the unfortunate loss that ended our season.
Cornell 3-Michigan 2 (OT)- Where do I even begin on this game? It seemed as if it was going to be a blow out within the first 95 seconds of the game, only to have a goal disallowed on a very questionable call. Now I'm not saying that's what threw us under the bus, but there's no question that it deflated our tires a little bit. There's so much to say about the departing seniors on this team (which will be said in a different post), but it was a heck of a career for most of them. This game keeps eating away at me because this was absolutely one of the easiest regions, and the trip to another national title seemed so...apparent, for the lack of a better word. It just seemed like Michigan was destined to go back to the FF, and redeem last year's 3-2 overtime loss to UMD. Another year in the books, another championship avoids our grasp. Good season, boys.
(Side Note)- I do find it very strange that the last three games of the year ended with a final score of 3-2, and what's even more strange is the fact that Michigan's season has ended with a 3-2 overtime loss for three consecutive years. First losing to Miami in 2010, then Duluth in the NC game in 2011, and now Cornell in 2012. I love dramatic games, but not when your team comes out on the losing end year in, and year out. Oh, well, gotta stay positive for next year.
Ferris State 2-Denver 1- Ferris narrowly squeaked by Denver, in what I thought was going to be a good game. It certainly turned out that way. It was good to see Ferris get the win, being the only CCHA team to win their game. Collectively the CCHA went 1-4 in their first round games. Not a good showing this year.
Ferris State 2-Cornell 1- All I'm saying is that I'm somewhat glad Cornell didn't make it to the FF. I knew they didn't belong, and even though I was (am) bitter about them beating Michigan, I felt Ferris deserved the chance to go to Tampa. Taylor Nelson played huge in nets for Ferris and was named the regional MVP. He'll need to play even better next weekend in Tampa if he wants to bring a National Championship back to Big Rapids.
West Regional
North Dakota 3- Western Michigan 1- I will admit, I didn't get to see any of this game, which is unfortunate because it sounded like a pretty decent game for the most part. It must have been tough for Western to walk into Englestad East (I swear UND draws more fans than Minnesota at Xcel), and play a surging Sioux team. One thing I will comment on is the new UND jersey, which removed the classic Indian head logo. All I have to say on that issue is that the NCAA is so ridiculously over the line here, I'm honestly becoming more of a Sioux fan just becasue of this ruling. From what I've heard, the Sioux tribe members feel honored to have it be the schools mascot, but lawmakers and other people (fuzzy on this part) are all about removing the logo. Ok ok, you caught me. I'm not an expert on the situation, but I do know that the Indian head logo is a part of the UND tradition, and it would be a shame to see them lose it forever.
Minnesota 7- Boston U 3-This sure was an interesting game to watch. It seemed as if BU had Minnesota against the ropes early, but Minnesota was clearly determined to redeem their monumental collapse against UND in the WCHA final 5. They left no doubt, dropping 7 goals on the Terriers.
Minnesota 5- North Dakota 2- This game was not as exciting as I thought it was going to be. NoDak came out with little to no energy, and the Gophers left no doubts this time. It was a solid win for the Gophers, but something tells me the Sioux weren't up to the challenge on this particular day. I'm pretty sure that if this was a best of 3 game series, it would have gone into overtime in the third game to crown a winner. But that's the beauty and ugliness of college hockey playoffs...one and done. See you in Tampa, Minnesota.
More to come later....
Cornell 3-Michigan 2 (OT)- Where do I even begin on this game? It seemed as if it was going to be a blow out within the first 95 seconds of the game, only to have a goal disallowed on a very questionable call. Now I'm not saying that's what threw us under the bus, but there's no question that it deflated our tires a little bit. There's so much to say about the departing seniors on this team (which will be said in a different post), but it was a heck of a career for most of them. This game keeps eating away at me because this was absolutely one of the easiest regions, and the trip to another national title seemed so...apparent, for the lack of a better word. It just seemed like Michigan was destined to go back to the FF, and redeem last year's 3-2 overtime loss to UMD. Another year in the books, another championship avoids our grasp. Good season, boys.
(Side Note)- I do find it very strange that the last three games of the year ended with a final score of 3-2, and what's even more strange is the fact that Michigan's season has ended with a 3-2 overtime loss for three consecutive years. First losing to Miami in 2010, then Duluth in the NC game in 2011, and now Cornell in 2012. I love dramatic games, but not when your team comes out on the losing end year in, and year out. Oh, well, gotta stay positive for next year.
Ferris State 2-Denver 1- Ferris narrowly squeaked by Denver, in what I thought was going to be a good game. It certainly turned out that way. It was good to see Ferris get the win, being the only CCHA team to win their game. Collectively the CCHA went 1-4 in their first round games. Not a good showing this year.
Ferris State 2-Cornell 1- All I'm saying is that I'm somewhat glad Cornell didn't make it to the FF. I knew they didn't belong, and even though I was (am) bitter about them beating Michigan, I felt Ferris deserved the chance to go to Tampa. Taylor Nelson played huge in nets for Ferris and was named the regional MVP. He'll need to play even better next weekend in Tampa if he wants to bring a National Championship back to Big Rapids.
West Regional
North Dakota 3- Western Michigan 1- I will admit, I didn't get to see any of this game, which is unfortunate because it sounded like a pretty decent game for the most part. It must have been tough for Western to walk into Englestad East (I swear UND draws more fans than Minnesota at Xcel), and play a surging Sioux team. One thing I will comment on is the new UND jersey, which removed the classic Indian head logo. All I have to say on that issue is that the NCAA is so ridiculously over the line here, I'm honestly becoming more of a Sioux fan just becasue of this ruling. From what I've heard, the Sioux tribe members feel honored to have it be the schools mascot, but lawmakers and other people (fuzzy on this part) are all about removing the logo. Ok ok, you caught me. I'm not an expert on the situation, but I do know that the Indian head logo is a part of the UND tradition, and it would be a shame to see them lose it forever.
Minnesota 7- Boston U 3-This sure was an interesting game to watch. It seemed as if BU had Minnesota against the ropes early, but Minnesota was clearly determined to redeem their monumental collapse against UND in the WCHA final 5. They left no doubt, dropping 7 goals on the Terriers.
Minnesota 5- North Dakota 2- This game was not as exciting as I thought it was going to be. NoDak came out with little to no energy, and the Gophers left no doubts this time. It was a solid win for the Gophers, but something tells me the Sioux weren't up to the challenge on this particular day. I'm pretty sure that if this was a best of 3 game series, it would have gone into overtime in the third game to crown a winner. But that's the beauty and ugliness of college hockey playoffs...one and done. See you in Tampa, Minnesota.
More to come later....
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The Best of the Rest...2012 NCAA Tournament Preview
What's going to happen this weekend?! I'm getting a little nervous thinking about how things might unfold (I know, I have a serious problem). In my head I'm imagining all the scenarios that would benefit Michigan, but all wishing aside, here's how I figure the brackets would turn out.
East Regional
Union vs. Michigan State- This is a tough game for me to break down, mainly because it contains two things that I despise. Sparty, and the ECAC. Dry heaves. Fingernails on a chalkboard. Any movie with Reese Witherspoon. That's the feeling I get when I think about these two teams. Normally I would want any team to beat the ECAC team...but now that it's State...I hope they tie. Oh wait, you can't tie in a NCAA tournament game? Well I hope they both concede to Miami and call it a day.
Prediction: 5-3 Union- Only because I've heard from people that they have some talented forwards. Like I said, I could care less. Picking the lesser of two evils.
UMASS-Lowell vs. Miami (OH)-Well looky here! This should actually be a pretty decent game! In a region where I wish Michigan would have ended up (Midwest isn't that bad FTR), I'm really liking Miami's chances to stumble into the NCAA tournament. Granted I don't honestly believe that they belong here, but they are just the most logical team to survive this (weak) bracket.
Prediction: 4-0 Miami-Look for Conner Knapp to play stellar, and for the rest of the Miami forwards to play inspired hockey this weekend. They haven't been stellar all year, but once you get to this point, it doesn't really matter anymore. Win and move on...that's enough motivation for the Redhawks.
Championship game: Miami 6-Union 1-I hope this game isn't close...no matter who is in it. This region isn't very interesting to me, and I don't want to do the whole "foot in mouth" routine, but I'm fairly confident you won't find a national champion in the East.
Lets Go West!
Minnesota vs. Boston University-I probably should have started in this region because this is where I'll be paying most of my attention (apart from UM, of course). Heavyweight programs squaring off in the first round. It doesn't get any better than this. BU-Minnesota...the 70's rivalry revisited. It seems like these two teams are always in the hunt for a national championship, and even when they're having down years, teams still circle them on their schedule. That's the cost of being a national powerhouse. The fact that this game is taking place in Minnesota makes me want to lean a little towards the maroon and gold, but after seeing the IMPLOSION last weekend, I have to take BU in this one. I have a feeling that more Sioux fans are going to these games anyway...after seeing the XCel energy center lit up with black and green last year for the Frozen Four, I know that that place will have at least 15,000 Sioux fans ready to cheer on BU (well, maybe they want to beat the Gophers to go to the Frozen Four, but whatever). Either way, UND fans will be out in full force to cheer on their beloved Sioux. BU had a strong regular season, much like Minnesota, but I have a feeling they might be able to eek out a win on the road. I'll say...
4-3 (OT)-BU
North Dakota vs. Western Michigan-Does it get any better than this!? Two teams peaking at the right time squaring off in the first round. Because I don't have much time to write as much as I'd like...I'll come straight out and say it...North Dakota wins this game. It may not be pretty, and it certainly won't be a clean game, but North Dakota will end up grinding down the Broncos. Aaron Dell can be an elite level goaltender if he has a focused team in front of him (as apparent in the 2nd and 3rd periods of the Minnesota Final Five game).
5-2-Sioux
Championship: North Dakota 4-BU 2
Ahhh NORDEAST
BC vs. Air Force-Look, I like this bracket a lot! It's obvious BC is the fan favorite, and a lot of people will be hopping on the BC bandwagon. But as Lee Corso always says..."NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!!!!". As much as it still burns me to think about...Air Force pulled off a huge upset in 2009 against the boys in Blue, and anything can happen around this time of the year. Air Force has definitely been streaky all year, but they can play up to other team's levels.
Prediction: 3-2 BC-It'll be close, but you can't fight that #1 ranking. There's a reason why the Eagles come in as the top ranked team in the land.
Duluth vs. Maine-To me, this is going to be an AWESOME game. Both teams are playing great hockey, and both are hungry for a chance to get back to the Frozen Four. I'd really like it if Maine took this region, but sometimes you gotta bet with your brain, and not your heart.
Prediction: 5-3 Duluth-Gotta go with the defending national champions here.
Championship Game: 2-1 (OT) Duluth-After last year's overtime loss to Duluth...I want nothing more than to beat them in the 2012 Championship. Better believe I'm advancing them to the FF based solely on that reason.
So there we have it...if my predictions turn out correctly, we'll see...
Michigan
Miami
North Dakota
Minn-Duluth
...in the frozen four. Another All-WCHA/CCHA Frozen Four for the second year in a row. I'll check back early next week to review my picks, reflect on the tournament, and discuss the Frozen Four.
Happy hockey readers...
East Regional
Union vs. Michigan State- This is a tough game for me to break down, mainly because it contains two things that I despise. Sparty, and the ECAC. Dry heaves. Fingernails on a chalkboard. Any movie with Reese Witherspoon. That's the feeling I get when I think about these two teams. Normally I would want any team to beat the ECAC team...but now that it's State...I hope they tie. Oh wait, you can't tie in a NCAA tournament game? Well I hope they both concede to Miami and call it a day.
Prediction: 5-3 Union- Only because I've heard from people that they have some talented forwards. Like I said, I could care less. Picking the lesser of two evils.
UMASS-Lowell vs. Miami (OH)-Well looky here! This should actually be a pretty decent game! In a region where I wish Michigan would have ended up (Midwest isn't that bad FTR), I'm really liking Miami's chances to stumble into the NCAA tournament. Granted I don't honestly believe that they belong here, but they are just the most logical team to survive this (weak) bracket.
Prediction: 4-0 Miami-Look for Conner Knapp to play stellar, and for the rest of the Miami forwards to play inspired hockey this weekend. They haven't been stellar all year, but once you get to this point, it doesn't really matter anymore. Win and move on...that's enough motivation for the Redhawks.
Championship game: Miami 6-Union 1-I hope this game isn't close...no matter who is in it. This region isn't very interesting to me, and I don't want to do the whole "foot in mouth" routine, but I'm fairly confident you won't find a national champion in the East.
Lets Go West!
Minnesota vs. Boston University-I probably should have started in this region because this is where I'll be paying most of my attention (apart from UM, of course). Heavyweight programs squaring off in the first round. It doesn't get any better than this. BU-Minnesota...the 70's rivalry revisited. It seems like these two teams are always in the hunt for a national championship, and even when they're having down years, teams still circle them on their schedule. That's the cost of being a national powerhouse. The fact that this game is taking place in Minnesota makes me want to lean a little towards the maroon and gold, but after seeing the IMPLOSION last weekend, I have to take BU in this one. I have a feeling that more Sioux fans are going to these games anyway...after seeing the XCel energy center lit up with black and green last year for the Frozen Four, I know that that place will have at least 15,000 Sioux fans ready to cheer on BU (well, maybe they want to beat the Gophers to go to the Frozen Four, but whatever). Either way, UND fans will be out in full force to cheer on their beloved Sioux. BU had a strong regular season, much like Minnesota, but I have a feeling they might be able to eek out a win on the road. I'll say...
4-3 (OT)-BU
North Dakota vs. Western Michigan-Does it get any better than this!? Two teams peaking at the right time squaring off in the first round. Because I don't have much time to write as much as I'd like...I'll come straight out and say it...North Dakota wins this game. It may not be pretty, and it certainly won't be a clean game, but North Dakota will end up grinding down the Broncos. Aaron Dell can be an elite level goaltender if he has a focused team in front of him (as apparent in the 2nd and 3rd periods of the Minnesota Final Five game).
5-2-Sioux
Championship: North Dakota 4-BU 2
Ahhh NORDEAST
BC vs. Air Force-Look, I like this bracket a lot! It's obvious BC is the fan favorite, and a lot of people will be hopping on the BC bandwagon. But as Lee Corso always says..."NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!!!!". As much as it still burns me to think about...Air Force pulled off a huge upset in 2009 against the boys in Blue, and anything can happen around this time of the year. Air Force has definitely been streaky all year, but they can play up to other team's levels.
Prediction: 3-2 BC-It'll be close, but you can't fight that #1 ranking. There's a reason why the Eagles come in as the top ranked team in the land.
Duluth vs. Maine-To me, this is going to be an AWESOME game. Both teams are playing great hockey, and both are hungry for a chance to get back to the Frozen Four. I'd really like it if Maine took this region, but sometimes you gotta bet with your brain, and not your heart.
Prediction: 5-3 Duluth-Gotta go with the defending national champions here.
Championship Game: 2-1 (OT) Duluth-After last year's overtime loss to Duluth...I want nothing more than to beat them in the 2012 Championship. Better believe I'm advancing them to the FF based solely on that reason.
So there we have it...if my predictions turn out correctly, we'll see...
Michigan
Miami
North Dakota
Minn-Duluth
...in the frozen four. Another All-WCHA/CCHA Frozen Four for the second year in a row. I'll check back early next week to review my picks, reflect on the tournament, and discuss the Frozen Four.
Happy hockey readers...
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Blah Blah skip a season...Blah Blah
Whew! Well that was a crazy season...let's see what did I miss?
-Some goals were scored...
-Some saves were made...
-Won some...
-Lost some....
Annnnnd voila! #1 Seed in the Midwest region, playing Cornell. Sound good?
Ok ok, in all honesty I got really bad with visiting my blog...and I forgot my username/password, but that's a whole different story. Enough excuses though, I was terrible writing on here. Or not writing (I guess). My deepest apologies if anyone was really hell-bent over my 4 month hiatus. But there's something special about playoff time. Snow is melting, playoff intensity, national champions to be crowned. Yup, Michigan is at it again, looking to make their second consecutive Frozen Four appearance. Let's take a look at the region, and how I see it unfolding...
#1 Seed-Michigan Wolverines (24-12-4)
Well, tbh, you're reading a Michigan hockey blog, so you should probably know how we stack up, and what we need to do to get to Tampa. (<--------too many "to"s? Ok, just checking)
#2 Seed- Ferris State Bulldogs (23-11-5)
The #1 team in the CCHA regular season had quite the disappointing ending to their playoff run, losing to Bowling Green in the best of three series. Their top dog, IMO, is Sr. Goaltender Taylor Nelson, who had a .920SV% and a 2.18GAA throughout the regular season. He NEEDS to be the best player on the ice in Green Bay in order for the Bulldogs to win. I think Ferris has a solid 1st and 2nd line, and each player is capable of scoring when needed. They don't have any real offensive stand outs, but what they do have is a set of consistent 2 lines that can go toe-to-toe with any 2 lines in the country. There...I said it. Ferris is a good team. BUT, they're playing a pretty well rounded Denver team who got smacked in the mouth by NoDak in the WCHA championship game. Ferris needs/wants to prove that the BG series was a fluke, and that they belong in the contention for a National Championship.
#3 Seed- Denver Pioneers (25-13-4)
To me, Denver is a sleeping giant. They can play with the big dogs, and if they get some confidence, they can be a very scary team. Let's start in goal with Sam Brittian (who should get the start against FSU, but ya never know). 67 saves against UMD in the WCHA semi-final. Granted they played roughly 88 minutes of hockey, but still...to fend off the defending national champions for 88 minutes is quite impressive to say the least. If Gwozdecky can't figure out that he's got a good goaltender right there, maybe he should be re-evaluated as Head Hockey Coach at DU. Just saying. But nevertheless, I think he'll make the right decision and throw Brittian between the pipes, which means we should have a great goaltending match up in the DU/FSU game.
Next up, the DU forwards...holy buckets they've got a few studs on this team, and if they get rolling, there might not be any stopping them. Jr. Drew Shore with 52 points (21g, 31a) on the year, Jason Zucker with 46 (22g, 24a), and little brother Nick Shore with 41points (13g, 28a). These are some pretty serious numbers, and like I feel like I've said 3299 times in this post, Denver is not to be messed with. They are for real, mark my words. And, on top of the three forwards with 40+ points, add Freshman Defenseman Joey LaLeggia contributing 38 (11g, 27a) points from the blue line, and Denver seems primed to make another post-season push.
#4 Seed-Cornell Big Red (18-8-7)
Anyone that knows me, knows that if there's three things I hate about college hockey, it's that there's no NCAA hockey video game, the Michigan State Spartans, and the fact that the ECAC gets too much attention in the NCAA tournament. Prime example, look at Yale last year. Ranked #1 in the nation for how long? Bounced in the first round? C'mon this is getting ridiculous. When was the last time a ECAC team made a serious run in the national tournament? I honestly can't remember (maybe because I don't choose to remember, but whatever). To me, the ECAC is a joke of a conference, and...........I just happened to ponder what would happen if the Big Red upset Michigan. Let's just say I'll stop here, and say good luck to the Big Red.
How I see it unfolding...
Michigan beats Cornell 5-2
Denver beats Ferris 4-3 in OT (I'm hoping this game goes into OT, 2OT, heck maybe even 3OT just so the winner is gassed for the next game).
Michigan beats DU 3-2
That's how I see it happening. Expert prediction if I may say so. I'll be in Rochester MN for an adult hockey tournament, but will be extremely focused on the games this weekend. Good luck to all teams (except for those playing UM). Hopefully we see some exciting games.
-Some goals were scored...
-Some saves were made...
-Won some...
-Lost some....
Annnnnd voila! #1 Seed in the Midwest region, playing Cornell. Sound good?
Ok ok, in all honesty I got really bad with visiting my blog...and I forgot my username/password, but that's a whole different story. Enough excuses though, I was terrible writing on here. Or not writing (I guess). My deepest apologies if anyone was really hell-bent over my 4 month hiatus. But there's something special about playoff time. Snow is melting, playoff intensity, national champions to be crowned. Yup, Michigan is at it again, looking to make their second consecutive Frozen Four appearance. Let's take a look at the region, and how I see it unfolding...
#1 Seed-Michigan Wolverines (24-12-4)
Well, tbh, you're reading a Michigan hockey blog, so you should probably know how we stack up, and what we need to do to get to Tampa. (<--------too many "to"s? Ok, just checking)
#2 Seed- Ferris State Bulldogs (23-11-5)
The #1 team in the CCHA regular season had quite the disappointing ending to their playoff run, losing to Bowling Green in the best of three series. Their top dog, IMO, is Sr. Goaltender Taylor Nelson, who had a .920SV% and a 2.18GAA throughout the regular season. He NEEDS to be the best player on the ice in Green Bay in order for the Bulldogs to win. I think Ferris has a solid 1st and 2nd line, and each player is capable of scoring when needed. They don't have any real offensive stand outs, but what they do have is a set of consistent 2 lines that can go toe-to-toe with any 2 lines in the country. There...I said it. Ferris is a good team. BUT, they're playing a pretty well rounded Denver team who got smacked in the mouth by NoDak in the WCHA championship game. Ferris needs/wants to prove that the BG series was a fluke, and that they belong in the contention for a National Championship.
#3 Seed- Denver Pioneers (25-13-4)
To me, Denver is a sleeping giant. They can play with the big dogs, and if they get some confidence, they can be a very scary team. Let's start in goal with Sam Brittian (who should get the start against FSU, but ya never know). 67 saves against UMD in the WCHA semi-final. Granted they played roughly 88 minutes of hockey, but still...to fend off the defending national champions for 88 minutes is quite impressive to say the least. If Gwozdecky can't figure out that he's got a good goaltender right there, maybe he should be re-evaluated as Head Hockey Coach at DU. Just saying. But nevertheless, I think he'll make the right decision and throw Brittian between the pipes, which means we should have a great goaltending match up in the DU/FSU game.
Next up, the DU forwards...holy buckets they've got a few studs on this team, and if they get rolling, there might not be any stopping them. Jr. Drew Shore with 52 points (21g, 31a) on the year, Jason Zucker with 46 (22g, 24a), and little brother Nick Shore with 41points (13g, 28a). These are some pretty serious numbers, and like I feel like I've said 3299 times in this post, Denver is not to be messed with. They are for real, mark my words. And, on top of the three forwards with 40+ points, add Freshman Defenseman Joey LaLeggia contributing 38 (11g, 27a) points from the blue line, and Denver seems primed to make another post-season push.
#4 Seed-Cornell Big Red (18-8-7)
Anyone that knows me, knows that if there's three things I hate about college hockey, it's that there's no NCAA hockey video game, the Michigan State Spartans, and the fact that the ECAC gets too much attention in the NCAA tournament. Prime example, look at Yale last year. Ranked #1 in the nation for how long? Bounced in the first round? C'mon this is getting ridiculous. When was the last time a ECAC team made a serious run in the national tournament? I honestly can't remember (maybe because I don't choose to remember, but whatever). To me, the ECAC is a joke of a conference, and...........I just happened to ponder what would happen if the Big Red upset Michigan. Let's just say I'll stop here, and say good luck to the Big Red.
How I see it unfolding...
Michigan beats Cornell 5-2
Denver beats Ferris 4-3 in OT (I'm hoping this game goes into OT, 2OT, heck maybe even 3OT just so the winner is gassed for the next game).
Michigan beats DU 3-2
That's how I see it happening. Expert prediction if I may say so. I'll be in Rochester MN for an adult hockey tournament, but will be extremely focused on the games this weekend. Good luck to all teams (except for those playing UM). Hopefully we see some exciting games.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)