Showing posts with label Clarkson. Show all posts

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Bracketology: 2021 NCAA Tournament Men's Hockey Bracket Version 2.5

As expected, nothing comes easy in a season like this one.

Hours after posting bracket version 2.0, Clarkson announced Wednesday night it was ending its season. The Golden Knights leave the NCAA Tournament bubble and ECAC with three conference tournament teams. Quinnipiac's path to an automatic bid involves winning a single game.

It also puts the most recent bracket out of date, as version 2.0 had the Golden Knights in the NCAA Tournament as one of the final at-large bids. This was always a possibility (and remains one for other teams - if there is one lesson to take away from this season, never take any game for granted) and I wish good health to those in the Clarkson program.

But the show must go on. Taking away the Golden Knights, the current bracket looks a little something like this.

The Bracket Version 2.5

Bridgeport Regional:

1. Boston College vs. 4. AIC

2. Massachusetts vs. 3. Quinnipiac

Fargo Regional:

1. North Dakota vs. 4. Bowling Green

2. Michigan vs. 3. Minnesota Duluth

Loveland Regional:

1. Minnesota State vs. 4. Providence

2. Wisconsin vs. 3. Omaha

Albany Regional

1. Minnesota vs. 4. UConn

2. St. Cloud State vs. 3. Boston University

If you need a refresher on what subjective criteria the NCAA Tournament selection committee will use to choose the 16 teams, click here.

One caveat: Since no team can earn an automatic bid before conference tournaments end, this bracketology assumes the eligible team* with the highest overall winning percentage in each of the six conferences earns the automatic bid. Those teams are AIC (Atlantic Hockey), Minnesota (Big Ten)**, Quinnipiac (ECAC), Boston College (Hockey East), North Dakota (NCHC), and Minnesota State (WCHA).

*Eligible teams must have played 13 games
**Please note for the Big Ten that while Wisconsin won the Big Ten regular-season title due to the highest winning percentage in conference games, a non-conference loss to Arizona State puts the Badgers below Minnesota in overall winning percentage.

How Did We Get Here?

Honestly? Little changes. I took everything from Version 2.0, took out Clarkson, and replaced the second ECAC team with the fifth-ranked Hockey East team (Providence).

Why a fifth Hockey East team? Right now, it's the default option. Neither of the two remaining ECAC teams is above .500, taking away an easy swap. (Teams receiving at-large bids must be at or above .500.) The other options are a third team from the WCHA, a second AHA team, and the fifth Hockey East team. Losing an ECAC team puts more pressure on the committee to add another Eastern school to keep a 9/7 split. Bemidji State is my first team out, but for the second time this week, Providence - neck-and-neck with UConn - ends up the beneficiary of a political decision.

Who does Clarkson's season ending early benefit? For one, Quinnipiac and the rest of the ECAC. The Bobcats have an easier path to the conference title. More importantly, QU looks to be even more of an NCAA Tournament lock regardless of the ECAC Tournament. If Colgate or St. Lawrence win an automatic bid, it's easy to slot that team in for Clarkson and get two ECAC teams. If Quinnipiac wins, it's just the one.

The decision also benefits eastern schools looking to take the spot. Clarkson's announcement might be the best argument for Atlantic Hockey getting two of its 11 teams in the NCAA Tournament. AIC, Army and Canisius (for Albany only) are within driving range for the two Eastern regionals. (Robert Morris is located slightly over 400 miles from Albany and Bridgeport.) These are teams with well-above .500 records, compared to the multiple Hockey East schools battling at around .500, that were split into two separate pods. Comparing schedules can be difficult and there are limited head-to-head games. If someone other than AIC, who plays tonight for the first time since January, wins the Atlantic Hockey tournament, it might be enough to sell the selection committee on two AHA teams.

There remains an argument for a third WCHA team - something that has not happened since men's hockey realigned in 2013-14 - as the best team on the outside no matter the region. If so, it would be good news for Bemidji State and Bowling Green. It is a solid one, however, I feel like a 10/6 West-East split might be too much to overcome in a year with limited crossover. A third WCHA team would even out the conferences, compared to a fifth Hockey East school, yet also add to travel headaches and be an unpopular political decision for the eastern schools. That bid might need to come from a potential fourth NCHC bid (which was something I considered a lock yesterday) instead.

What Would A Bracket To Limit Flights And Split East/West Look Like?

Here's one that only works with a second Atlantic Hockey team, as a fifth Hockey East school creates an unavoidable inter-conference matchup.

Bridgeport Regional:

1. Boston College vs. 4. AIC

2. Quinnipiac vs. 3. Boston University

Fargo Regional:

1. North Dakota vs. 4. Bowling Green

2. Minnesota vs. 3. Minnesota Duluth

Loveland Regional

1. Minnesota State vs. 4. Omaha

2. St. Cloud State vs. 3. Michigan

Albany Regional

1. Massachusetts vs. 4. Army

2. Wisconsin vs. 3. UConn

In this scenario, Army, as the second AHA team, takes Clarkson's place in Albany. It features six flights instead of seven from the actual bracket while keeping every team as close to home as possible.

Nuts and bolts:

Teams By conference:

5- Hockey East
4- NCHC
3- Big Ten
2- WCHA
1- Atlantic Hockey, ECAC

Bubble: Omaha, UConn, Bowling Green, AIC, Providence
First four out: Bemidji State, Army West Point, Notre Dame, Lake Superior State
Next four out: Northeastern, Michigan Tech, Robert Morris, Canisius

Have any questions? Agree with the bracket? Disagree? Wondering why a team is in/out or where to send those pitchforks and torches? Leave it in the comments.

2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Bracket Version 1.0

Bracketology 101: Five More Selection Questions + NCAA Tournament Locks & Bubble Teams

Bracketology 101: How Many Teams From Each Conference Make The Men's NCAA Hockey Tournament?

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Monday, November 11, 2019

College Hockey Stock Report: November 11, 2019

Sometimes the best-laid plans do not work out.

Before the season began, the entire WCHA women's league scheduled itself to be idle this weekend. The idea was that since many teams would be missing players for the Four Nations Cup,

Turns out, no team was missing players for the Four Nations Cup. The annual tournament ended up canceled by host Sweden after its national team declared its intentions to boycott as part of an ongoing dispute over equal pay and conditions. Instead, only a few players are in Pittsburgh playing in a USA-Canada rivalry series with most of them being on teams playing.

Another team with changing plans was Denver, whose 44-0-0 dream came to an end in Duluth. Kobe Roth and Noah Cates erased a 3-1 third period deficit Friday in a battle of NCHC contenders before the Bulldogs became the other one in Denver's 8-1-1 record.

Each weekend sees ups and downs as players and teams adjust to new situations. That's the fun and joy of the sport and one that bodes well for a handful of new trends on a weekend where not everything went to plan.

As always, here's what is going on throughout the college hockey landscape. This week's stock report recaps who is doing well, who is on their way down, and what trends should be followed.

60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Clarkson

Clarkson

2018-19 Record: 26-11-2 (13-7-2, T-3rd in ECAC)
Head Coach: Casey Jones, 9th Year
Top returning scorer: Haralds Egle (19G-21A)
Top returning goaltenders: Nicholas Latinovich (Jr.)

I'm just going to warn you at the top of today's profile that, yes this is a new one. Yes, Clarkson shares a lot in common with yesterday's team. No, it's not a repeat. I swear.

With each passing season...kidding. Clarkson, in better shape than its North Country counterpart, advanced to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments, winning the ECAC conference tournament and overcoming the loss of several key players from 2017-18. That trend continues for the Golden Knights in 2019-20. First Team All-American forward Nico Sturm decided to forgo his senior season and sign with the Minnesota Wild. Two-time Mike Richter Award finalist Jake Kielly did the same, signing with the Vancouver Canucks after CU lost to Notre Dame in the NCAA first round.

Kielly's loss slightly changes the markup of a team that has been tough for opposing offenses to crack and get Grade A opportunities. Most of the defense returns. The Golden Knights were one of six schools to allow two or fewer goals per game, and the only one to do so each of the past two seasons. Kielly had five shutouts.

What's New: While Nicholas Latinovich made two appearances, a different pair of goaltenders are at the forefront to replace Kielly. Former Omaha goalie Kris Oldham sat out last season after transferring. Former Robert Morris goalie Francois Marotte, the Colonials' three-year starter, enters Potsdam as a graduate transfer. He has a .917% save percentage during his college career.

Also eligible to play after a year sitting out is former Sacred Heart forward Zach Tsekos. Among the four first-year players head coach Casey Jones brings in is Bruins 2018 6th round draft pick Dustyn McFaul (F) and Coyotes 2019 6th round draft pick Anthony Romano, who led Clark Cup champion Sioux Falls in scoring.

The Golden Knights continue traveling to the Midwest with road series against Michigan, Wisconsin and Michigan Tech. Arizona State comes to Cheel Arena for its second-ever trip to the North Country.

Closing Thoughts: As Clarkson builds upon recent success, the number of recent All-American and award winners continue to stand out. Jones keeps developing one after the other. Sturm's linemate Harald Egle is the ECAC returning scorer. Josh Dunne had a 14 goal rookie season and Devin Brosseau comes back for his senior year.

This sounds familiar to yesterday's school, however, sometimes the Pairwise (or in this case, teams losing in the same spot) is fun like that. The same thing happens with the next two being Minnesota schools who unfortunately repeated their 2018 fates.

The Golden Knights have plenty of talent and took measures to limit the losses of Sturm and Kielly. If Marotte or Oldham can secure the net, Clarkson should remain in good shape. Even if it takes some time.

Clarkson had its share of early bad losses last season, falling to both St. Lawrence and Canisius. CU was 26th at the holiday break behind such teams as Miami, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan Tech. None of those teams made the NCAA Tournament nor did any team further back at that point. Buoyed by a defense giving up .32 goals per game less, Clarkson's 17-4-2 second-half run left the Golden Knights fifth in the final Pairwise.

Recent 60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less) Features
Northeastern
Ohio State
Arizona State
Harvard
Every Team So Far

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Thursday, March 28, 2019

2019 Women's Frozen Four Final Thoughts

This past weekend I went up to Hamden, CT to cover the 2019 women's Frozen Four for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Those articles can be found below, but I also wanted to add some thoughts on the weekend and experience. It was a fantastic experience catching up with old friends, meeting several people I've interacted with, and of course, getting to once again cover the University of Minnesota's run in person.

Nicole Schammel gets her Frozen Four moment as Minnesota shuts out Cornell to advance to the national championship game: http://www.startribune.com/gophers-women-s-hockey-tops-cornell-2-0-to-advance-to-national-title-game/507538602/

"It's fierce and special, mixed with a dash of familiarity." On the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry being contested over a national championship: http://www.startribune.com/rivals-minnesota-wisconsin-to-play-for-women-s-hockey-championship/507572422/

"These years have been the best years of our lives." Why Minnesota was both disappointed to lose in the national championship game and grateful to get the opportunity: http://www.startribune.com/gophers-women-s-hockey-loses-2-0-to-badgers-in-national-championship/507591282/

An early look at the 2019-20 Gophers team: http://www.startribune.com/gophers-have-talent-to-rebound-from-ncaa-title-game-loss/507616532/

Some final thoughts that didn't fit into a story:

Non-Gopher Stories (March & April 2018)

Much like the radio and podcast article, I thought it'd be best to put all my recent coverage from non-Minnesota stories in one spot. Feel free to click and read up although as a head's up, everything is from the not-free The Athletic.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Game Story: Gopher Seniors Score First Goals as Minnesota Gets First Season Sweep (Zone Coverage)

First Battle Hymn and stick salute of the year. #Gophers #PrideOnIce pic.twitter.com/GEcybdYtx5
— Nate Wells (@gopherstate) October 29, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS- October closes with a sweep.

Beginning the season with three weekends where No. 7 Minnesota won one game and lost one, the Gophers found some consistency this weekend against No. 9 Clarkson. For the first time this year, the team won twice in a weekend.

Seniors Leon Bristedt and Mike Szmatula each scored a power-play goal Saturday to help lead Minnesota to a 2-1 win over the Golden Knights.

“Early on we were struggling trying to find our identity. I think the older guys kind of put that on ourselves,” Szmatula said. “We know we’re going to go through some tough times and it’s just about you keep getting back up when you get knocked down.”

No players felt more comfortable Saturday night than Szmatula and Bristedt — and for good reason. Both had yet to score a goal this season entering the game.

Click here to read the rest!

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Pregame Blog: Minnesota-Clarkson Saturday Line Combinations, TV Schedule + More

#9 Clarkson (4-2-1, 0-0-0 ECAC) at #7 Minnesota (4-3-0, 1-1-0-0 Big Ten)

Date: October 28, 2017
Time: 7:00 pm CT
Place: 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN
TV: Fox Sports North Plus (AVAILABLE in Twin Cities)
Stream: BTN2Go/Fox Sports Go
Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM (Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco)
Nate is covering for tonight: Zone Coverage

Friday night's recap: Gopher Hockey Freshmen Return; Lead Minnesota Over #9 Clarkson

One aspect of Friday's win that I didn't explore much in my game recap was Minnesota's discipline.

Game Story: Gopher Hockey Freshmen Return; Lead Minnesota Over #9 Clarkson (Zone Coverage)

MINNEAPOLIS- As a rule, Minnesota men’s hockey freshmen cannot talk to the press during the month of October.

They can, however, let their sticks do the talking.

There is no rule against freshmen contributing on the ice, which was the case Friday for the Gophers in a late October home victory over a top-10 opponent. Freshmen forwards Scott Reedy and Casey Mittelstadt played major roles in No. 7 Minnesota’s 3-1 win over No. 9 Clarkson as both returned from missing time with injuries.

Reedy broke open a scoreless game in the second period with his second career goal. Mittelstadt, meanwhile, assisted on the play. He finished with two assists for his first official multi-point game.

“They’re obviously important players. It’s important to get them back,” said sophomore Rem Pitlick, who scored a goal for Minnesota. “We have guys who stepped up and played well in their spots, but you go down two good players like that it’s always tough and to have them back was great.”

Read the rest of the story here.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Pregame Blog: Minnesota vs Clarkson lines, TV Schedule, Gopher expectations + More

#9 Clarkson (4-1-1, 0-0-0 ECAC) at #7 Minnesota (3-2-0, 1-1-0-0 Big Ten)

Date: October 27, 2017
Time: 7:00 pm CT
Place: 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN
TV: Fox Sports North Plus (AVAILABLE in Twin Cities)
Stream: BTN2Go/Fox Sports Go
Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM (Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco)
Nate is covering for tonight: Zone Coverage

Pregame Reading/Listening:
-Casey Mittelstadt/Scott Reedy updates; Justin Kloos NHL debut
-Gophers' return to North Dakota mixes old and new in college hockey's best rivalry (The Athletic)
-That Gopher Hockey Puckast Episode 5

Greetings from snowy Minnesota where we've gone from 90 degrees to snow in a span of five weeks.

Not having played the Gophers in Minneapolis since 1990 in the old building, Clarkson makes its first visit to Minnesota since the 2013 Ice Breaker. The Golden Gophers are 4-0-0 all-time against the Golden Knights, including a 4-3 comeback OT victory last year at Cheel Arena.

BLOG: Updates on Casey Mittelstadt and Scott Reedy; Justin Kloos makes NHL Debut

Casey Mittelstadt is "50/50" to play against Clarkson this weekend.

The freshman forward did skate Wednesday, dealing with an upper body injury. Mittelstadt, who has 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, was kept out of Saturday's 4-0 loss to North Dakota as a precaution after being cross-checked during Friday's 2-1 victory, according to Minnesota head coach Don Lucia.

"He'll skate (Thursday). I would say he's 50/50. We'll see where he's at come Friday night," Lucia said.

Lucia also said that Mittelstadt wanted to play. At this point of the season, however, the team would rather error on the side of caution.

Podcast: That Gopher Hockey Puckast Episode 5

Two guests join me for episode 5 of That Gopher Hockey Puckast.

First, Josh Seguin of College Hockey News helps preview Clarkson before they face the Gopher men at Mariucci Arena. We discuss the Golden Knights' 4-1-1 fast start, #9 rating, Eden Prairie, MN native Jake Kielly's play in net, how the ECAC shapes up and Josh drops some knowledge on new Wisconsin goaltender Kyle Hayton, who previously played 3 seasons at St. Lawrence.

Next, Nicole Haase of USCHO and The Victory Press, among other outlets, lends her expertise. She and I preview #6 Minnesota women hosting #1 Wisconsin at Ridder Arena on Saturday and Sunday. Topics include: The Badgers continuing their run of goalies, what to take from a 10-0-0 start, reloading vs. rebuilding, some first month surprises throughout the college hockey landscape and end with some USA-Canada talk in the lead up to the Olympics.

Those feeling old seeing players they covered now coaching can directly download here.

As a reminder, if you subscribed to our old podcast, that feed will no longer work. You need to subscribe to the 'Cast In Gold feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Here it is on iTunes.

Plugs and stuff:

You can follow Drew on Twitter @covedrew. Nate can be found @gopherstate.

Josh covers ECAC for College Hockey News. His latest there is a feature on Quinnipiac being CHN's Team of the Week. You can find him on Twitter @JoshSeguin24.

Nicole is a D1 and D3 women's hockey columnist for USCHO while also doing features for The Victory Press. Her latest at USCHO deals with Wisconsin's 10-0-0 start. You can find her on Twitter sharing dog and koala photos @nicolehaase.

Covering University of Minnesota & College Hockey