Wisconsin Hockey

[owbc]

Both Michigan Tech games were exciting. The Badgers dominated the 3rd period both nights and had the crowd into the games. They got the goals on Saturday night, but they would have won Friday also had they not played so poorly earlier in the game/gotten robbed by the Tech goalie.

 

The ND games should be great, plus the Michigan football game...going to be a crazy weekend.

[logan82]

Not to bad this weekend. I hate to have splits at home, but that was a really good ND team.

[burniebrewer]

UW played fantastic on Friday, you had to figure ND would show up on Saturday. That was a nice little bit of rough-housing there in the 3rd period though.

[logan82]

UW played fantastic on Friday, you had to figure ND would show up on Saturday. That was a nice little bit of rough-housing there in the 3rd period though.

 

Yeah that was great. Probably cost us some players for the next game or two.

[burniebrewer]

Yeah that was great. Probably cost us some players for the next game or two.

 

I'm not really up on the rules, but didn't they all get 10-minute misconducts rather than game misconducts? I think if it's a 10-minute, they don't get suspended.

 

Anyone?

[burniebrewer]

I just read the game stories on both Madison newspaper websites and there was no mention of pending suspensions. However, an interesting tidbit:

 

"Meanwhile, a UW official confirmed that (Sioux player Joe) Finley allegedly used his stick to smack Bucky Badger in the leg when the two passed one another on the runway to the dressing rooms Saturday night."

 

Nice touch from a 6'7" 245 lb. defenseman.

 

 

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/badgersHockey/256337

[trwi7]

If they only got 10-minute misconducts then they're fine. If they got kicked out then I believe it's on a progressive scale like first disqualification penalty +1 game, second disqualification penalty +2 games.

[burniebrewer]

I believe it said 10-minutes for everyone with some 2-minute minors tacked on.

[logan82]

I am not sure if they got kicked out or not. It was at a point in the game where they might as well just go to the lockerroom because there was so little time left on the clock. Hockey coverage is pretty poor even in the Wisconsin State Journal.

[SheetsCyYoung04]

Well, hopefully this is a low for this hockey team. After a sweep at the hands of CC including a 6-1 drubbing on Saturday night, Michigan is controling the game now up 3-0.

[logan82]

I doubt it. I think our best bet is to get better as the season goes and win the WCHA tourney to get into the NCAA tourney.

[PaulRigdon]

Thanks to help from others, Wisconsin made the NCAA tourney and will host next weekend.

 

An unprecidented 6 WCHA teams were selected. Denver, North Dakota and Wisconsin will all play at the Kohl on Saturday and Sunday.

 

Good luck badgers. Lets go for an all wcha frozen four!

 

Minnesota will take on Boston College in Wochester. Go Gophers!

[logan82]

Not time to change over my phone to Brewers wallpaper yet.

[ccbrew]

What tremendous luck to not only receive the unexpected bid, but have the game in your own house. I hope they can take advantage of the situation!

[tristarscoop]

I'm not sure how the heck they pulled a bid to the tournament after that awful showing against St. Cloud in the WCHA tourney, but I think it's our own little Easter miracle.

 

As for playing at home, that was a given as long as we made it. When they do hockey bracketology, placing #1 seeds close to home and placing host cities are like the first 2 steps.

 

I was in shock yesterday when I heard we were in, and a 3 seed at that!! Doesn't say much for the strength of the field this year.

[Diskono]

I'm not sure how the heck they pulled a bid to the tournament after that awful showing against St. Cloud in the WCHA tourney, but I think it's our own little Easter miracle.

 

As for playing at home, that was a given as long as we made it. When they do hockey bracketology, placing #1 seeds close to home and placing host cities are like the first 2 steps.

 

I was in shock yesterday when I heard we were in, and a 3 seed at that!! Doesn't say much for the strength of the field this year.

The NCAA hockey tournament selection is purely mathematical. The only thing the selection committee does is decide who plays in which bracket. Generally, the top 14 teams from the PWR rankings make it:

http://www.uscho.com/rankings/pwr.php

 

though it could be more or less than that depending on conference tournament upsets.

[ttsather]

Yep, the Badgers were automatically placed in their home regional per NCAA guidelines. Since the Badgers were #12 in the PairWise Rankings, they weren't even the final team to get in - that was Notre Dame.

 

In the widely revered KRACH rankings (an alternative to PWR, though not considered by the NCAA), the Badgers were also #12, though Notre Dame was #14 and would've been out, and Minnesota St.- Mankato was #11 and would've been in.

 

It's true that the NCAA selection committee relies almost exclusively on the PWR for selections, though there were some rumblings this year that they could step in and make the subjective decision that Wisconsin did not deserve to be in - though, as noted, UW wasn't even the final bubble team. Ultimately, having a home regional may have sewed everything up, but it's all a bit speculative.

[tristarscoop]

I just can't believe we ended up #12 in Pairwise. We're 6th in the WCHA, we finished under .500 in both the WCHA and overall and we frankly got spanked in the WCHA tourney.

 

Also, I found this on USCHO.com:

"Let's examine this bubble, shall we? Let's look at the head-to-head comparisons among these three teams.

 

Notre Dame wins the head-to-head comparisons with both Wisconsin and Minnesota State. Minnesota State wins the head-to-head comparison with Wisconsin. Wisconsin wins no head-to-head comparisons with these two teams.

 

What does this tell me?

 

If I have two spots for these three teams, I am going to take Notre Dame and Minnesota State because they win head-to-head comparisons."

[owbc]

I'd like to go this weekend, but $65 is way too much for only one guaranteed Badger game.

[tristarscoop]

The fact that they're even available and it's post-season and you get multiple games, I didn't think that was so bad - you know, if I had the money.

[danzig6767]

I only watch the Badgers games, but overall don't follow closely the rest of college hockey besides looking at the rankings. I had pretty much just assumed UW was out of the running for a bid after getting swept by St. Cloud. When i opened todays paper and saw we actually made the tournament, i was pleasantly stunned. I remember reading quotes by Eaves before playing St. Cloud that they were playing for a tourney berth.

 

The Badgers haven't been consistent all year, each time i felt they were starting to get things together, they'd get swept by someone. My gut reaction is they won't do much in the tournament, but with only 16 teams, three straight wins and you're in the championship game.

[logan82]

danzig6767 wrote:

The Badgers haven't been consistent all year, each time i felt they were starting to get things together, they'd get swept by someone. My gut reaction is they won't do much in the tournament, but with only 16 teams, three straight wins and you're in the championship game.

I felt they were pretty inconsistent as well. I just don't know what to make of this team. They might win the whole thing, or just lay an egg and lose in the first round.

[danzig6767]

danzig6767 wrote:

The Badgers haven't been consistent all year, each time i felt they were starting to get things together, they'd get swept by someone. My gut reaction is they won't do much in the tournament, but with only 16 teams, three straight wins and you're in the championship game.

I felt they were pretty inconsistent as well. I just don't know what to make of this team. They might win the whole thing, or just lay an egg and lose in the first round.

Well, if you watch them enough, i think we both know why they can't string wins together, they can't put the puck in the net enough. Our title winner in 2006 had a few pure goal scorers in Pavelski, Earl, and Skille. Mix in Carlson, Dowell, and Street, that team could score goals to go along with their stellar defense. The Badgers this year simply lack enough talented goal scorers.

 

[tristarscoop]

danzig6767 wrote:

The Badgers haven't been consistent all year, each time i felt they were starting to get things together, they'd get swept by someone. My gut reaction is they won't do much in the tournament, but with only 16 teams, three straight wins and you're in the championship game.

I felt they were pretty inconsistent as well. I just don't know what to make of this team. They might win the whole thing, or just lay an egg and lose in the first round.

Well, if you watch them enough, i think we both know why they can't string wins together, they can't put the puck in the net enough. Our title winner in 2006 had a few pure goal scorers in Pavelski, Earl, and Skille. Mix in Carlson, Dowell, and Street, that team could score goals to go along with their stellar defense. The Badgers this year simply lack enough talented goal scorers.

 

Clearly the defensive focus is always on Turris. Patty Johnson really stepped it up (surprisingly so) mid-season, but he seems to have cooled off as well. Losing all our scoring was an issue last season, as well. In addition, you absolutely CANNOT discount what losing Brian Eliot meant, both defensively on the ice, but also to the team's psyche. I just feel like no one's really comfortable with Connelly being the guy behind them. He's played better than I had expected he would, though.

 

One of the absolute keys will be not allowing short-handed goals. That's been our Achilles heal all season and we HAVE to avoid them if we're going to keep the scores manageable.

[logan82]

I didn't watch them as closely as usual this year. They did look like thy handled the puck better this year. Most passes looked like they went stick to stick. Turris looked like he could score and so did a couple others, just not on a consistent basis. I just thought we had to many young players. I think there is a good chance that we are really good next year if most of the players stay. I honestly think Turris leaves. Hopefully the rest of the young guys stay.