Well, it comes down to this. Michigan versus Notre Dame for the CCHA Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The big difference of course is...the game doesn't matter a whole lot. Both teams are in the tournament and most likely number one seeds. The question is who goes where?
In my own perosnal opinion, I feel if Michigan wins they'll head to Grand Rapids and the Mid-west regional. If Notre Dame wins, they go to Grand Rapids and Michigan in all likelihood will head to Minneapolis.
This is a great rivalry, not only if football but also hockey. These two teams will go at it tooth and nail and put on one doozy of a show. Michigan recently went into South Bend and split with the Irish on their home ice.
I like Michigan's chances in this game. Personally they owe the Irish for ruining their shot at a tenth national championship in Denver last year.
Should be an outstanding game either way.
Prediction: Michigan - 3 Notre Dame - 2
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Final Five Begins Tonight for WCHA
Spring time is one of the most exciting times of the year in the sporting world and this year is no exception. One day before the official start of the spring season, the WCHA gets the college hockey conference play-offs second round started with their annual Final Five tournament in St. Paul and the Xcel Energy Center.
The Play-in game features a fierce rivalry within the conference (as if they’re not all fierce), 17th ranked Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs face-off against their cross-state brethren the 13th Minnesota Golden Gophers. As with any great rivalry, the interesting story about the teams is what makes this game special. The Gophers had two players, Ryan Stoa and Jordan Schroeder finish 1-2 in league scoring, while UMD goaltender Alex Stalock finished No. 1 in goaltending. This of course begs the question, “Who’s gonna win, offense or defense?” Given the amount of senior depth on UMD’s team, combined with better goaltending, look for them to play hard against the youth-laden Gophers and win a high-scoring affair.
Prediction: UMD – 5 Minnesota – 4
The winner of the play-in game gets the dubious honor of having to play sixth ranked University of North Dakota on Friday night. The Fighting Sioux have played well lately, dispensing of the Michigan Tech Huskies in a weekend sweep. UMD may pose the more difficult game for the Sioux since they tied UND earlier in the season. North Dakota beat up on the Gophers back in a January series 6-1, 6-3. UND will bring a powerful offense against anyone they play but must rely on Brad Eidsness – a freshman goaltender (24-9-4, 2.44 GAA; .909 Save percentage) to carry them to victory.
Prediction: North Dakota – 3 UMD – 1
The other game of the Final Five pits the fourth ranked Denver Pioneers against the 16th ranked Badgers of Wisconsin. Denver finished second in the conference a mere five points ahead of Wisconsin. Both teams bring very balanced scoring attacks into the Final Five Tournament. The Pioneers boast ten players scoring over 20 points this season compared to Wisconsin’s nine players. The key to this game as is so often the case in college hockey, will be in goal. Denver’s Marc Cheverie (22-10-5) carries a 2.33 goals against average along with a save percentage around 92 percent, while Wisconsin counters with senior goalie Shane Connelly (18-13-4) who is stopping 91 percent of his shots leading to a 2.54 GAA. On paper this game appears to be a toss-up but as usual the game isn’t played on paper. Denver is the stronger team here and should be able to show it in this tournament.
Prediction: DU – 4 Wisconsin – 1
The championship game will be good as always and the winner receives the WCHA automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. I think North Dakota boasts the best team in the conference combining all aspects of the game. So I like them to win the tournament in an upset of the Denver Pioneers.
Prediction : North Dakota – 3 Denver – 2
The Play-in game features a fierce rivalry within the conference (as if they’re not all fierce), 17th ranked Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs face-off against their cross-state brethren the 13th Minnesota Golden Gophers. As with any great rivalry, the interesting story about the teams is what makes this game special. The Gophers had two players, Ryan Stoa and Jordan Schroeder finish 1-2 in league scoring, while UMD goaltender Alex Stalock finished No. 1 in goaltending. This of course begs the question, “Who’s gonna win, offense or defense?” Given the amount of senior depth on UMD’s team, combined with better goaltending, look for them to play hard against the youth-laden Gophers and win a high-scoring affair.
Prediction: UMD – 5 Minnesota – 4
The winner of the play-in game gets the dubious honor of having to play sixth ranked University of North Dakota on Friday night. The Fighting Sioux have played well lately, dispensing of the Michigan Tech Huskies in a weekend sweep. UMD may pose the more difficult game for the Sioux since they tied UND earlier in the season. North Dakota beat up on the Gophers back in a January series 6-1, 6-3. UND will bring a powerful offense against anyone they play but must rely on Brad Eidsness – a freshman goaltender (24-9-4, 2.44 GAA; .909 Save percentage) to carry them to victory.
Prediction: North Dakota – 3 UMD – 1
The other game of the Final Five pits the fourth ranked Denver Pioneers against the 16th ranked Badgers of Wisconsin. Denver finished second in the conference a mere five points ahead of Wisconsin. Both teams bring very balanced scoring attacks into the Final Five Tournament. The Pioneers boast ten players scoring over 20 points this season compared to Wisconsin’s nine players. The key to this game as is so often the case in college hockey, will be in goal. Denver’s Marc Cheverie (22-10-5) carries a 2.33 goals against average along with a save percentage around 92 percent, while Wisconsin counters with senior goalie Shane Connelly (18-13-4) who is stopping 91 percent of his shots leading to a 2.54 GAA. On paper this game appears to be a toss-up but as usual the game isn’t played on paper. Denver is the stronger team here and should be able to show it in this tournament.
Prediction: DU – 4 Wisconsin – 1
The championship game will be good as always and the winner receives the WCHA automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. I think North Dakota boasts the best team in the conference combining all aspects of the game. So I like them to win the tournament in an upset of the Denver Pioneers.
Prediction : North Dakota – 3 Denver – 2
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Road to the Joe is in the final stretch
As the CCHA playoffs head into the semi-finals this weekend some questions as to which teams will make the NCAA tournament and which teams are on the proverbial bubble have been answered and others have been created.
Top-seeded Notre Dame (ranked #2 in the USA Today Poll) and Second seed Michigan face interesting tests as they continue on their head-on collision for the Mason Cup (CCHA Playoff Championship Trophy).
Notre Dame Fighting Irish ~vs~ Northern Michigan University Wildcats
The first semi-final game on Friday showcases Notre Dame and perennial pest Northern Michigan.
How They Got Here:
The Wildcats dispensed with Miami (OH) in three games this past weekend and have routinely played spoiler to one team or another during the CCHA Play-offs in past years. The Irish are having one of their best seasons ever and that includes last season when they played college hockey juggernaut Boston College for the NCAA title in Denver.
The Irish swept NMU during the regular season series and I’d look for this trend to continue in the semis. Notre Dame has all the chips stacked in their favor against an under gunned team in Northern. Led by seniors Eric Condra and Christian Hanson the Irish have a very well balanced offense with nine players scoring over 20 points this season. To add insult to injury Notre Dame’s defense is led by their senior goaltender, Jordan Pearce who not only boasts a mere 1.62 GAA and .934 save percentage but led the Irish to last year’s championship game. The Wildcats try to counter with youth. Northern only has four seniors on their roster and are led by two sophomore forwards in Mark Olver (16 – 19 – 35pts.) and Gregor Hanson (13 – 21 – 34pts.).
Notre Dame will want to put the cats away by the end of the first period. If Northern hangs around too long and keeps the game close, their chances of pulling off the upset increase with all the pressure being on Notre Dame to play for the CCHA’s automatic bid to the big tournament.
Mike’s prediction: N.D. – 4 NMU – 1
Michigan Wolverines ~vs~ Alaska (Fairbanks) Nanooks
The second semi-final game on Friday features the University of Michigan Wolverines making their 20th straight semi appearance against the upstart and upset minded Nanooks of Alaska (Fairbanks).
How They Got Here:
Alaska knocked off the Ohio State University Buckeyes in the best-of-three series last weekend. The Nanooks posted two shut-out victories over the Bucks to all but burst Ohio State’s chances to be an at-large team in the NCAA tournament. Alaska also split with the Wolverines earlier in the season which they will assuredly use as a catalyst to taking out the Wolverines on Friday.
Michigan looks to continue the trend it set last weekend bringing one of the nation’s strongest offensive teams against Alaska. Michigan has two sophomores with more than 40 pts., Aaron Palushaj and Louie Caporusso. In addition the best news the Wolverines have is the return of senior captain, Mark Mitera who had been sidelined most of the season with a knee injury. But being young doesn’t really hurt U of M because most of the team advanced to the Frozen Four in Denver a year ago, before losing to Notre Dame in the national semi-final.
The question to who wins this game begins in goal for both teams. Alaska senior goalie Chad Johnson boasts a 1.66 GAA and .939 save percentage and will have to stand on his head to carry his team to victory. Michigan on the other hand will rely on sophomore Bryan Hogan (1.89, .917) to carry the Blue to another Frozen Four appearance. Look for Michigan’s strong offense to blister Alaska’s net minder with shot after shot, and in the end, be just too strong for the Nanooks to handle.
Prediction: Mich. – 5 Alaska – 3
Look for more confernce reviews later this week.
Top-seeded Notre Dame (ranked #2 in the USA Today Poll) and Second seed Michigan face interesting tests as they continue on their head-on collision for the Mason Cup (CCHA Playoff Championship Trophy).
Notre Dame Fighting Irish ~vs~ Northern Michigan University Wildcats
The first semi-final game on Friday showcases Notre Dame and perennial pest Northern Michigan.
How They Got Here:
The Wildcats dispensed with Miami (OH) in three games this past weekend and have routinely played spoiler to one team or another during the CCHA Play-offs in past years. The Irish are having one of their best seasons ever and that includes last season when they played college hockey juggernaut Boston College for the NCAA title in Denver.
The Irish swept NMU during the regular season series and I’d look for this trend to continue in the semis. Notre Dame has all the chips stacked in their favor against an under gunned team in Northern. Led by seniors Eric Condra and Christian Hanson the Irish have a very well balanced offense with nine players scoring over 20 points this season. To add insult to injury Notre Dame’s defense is led by their senior goaltender, Jordan Pearce who not only boasts a mere 1.62 GAA and .934 save percentage but led the Irish to last year’s championship game. The Wildcats try to counter with youth. Northern only has four seniors on their roster and are led by two sophomore forwards in Mark Olver (16 – 19 – 35pts.) and Gregor Hanson (13 – 21 – 34pts.).
Notre Dame will want to put the cats away by the end of the first period. If Northern hangs around too long and keeps the game close, their chances of pulling off the upset increase with all the pressure being on Notre Dame to play for the CCHA’s automatic bid to the big tournament.
Mike’s prediction: N.D. – 4 NMU – 1
Michigan Wolverines ~vs~ Alaska (Fairbanks) Nanooks
The second semi-final game on Friday features the University of Michigan Wolverines making their 20th straight semi appearance against the upstart and upset minded Nanooks of Alaska (Fairbanks).
How They Got Here:
Alaska knocked off the Ohio State University Buckeyes in the best-of-three series last weekend. The Nanooks posted two shut-out victories over the Bucks to all but burst Ohio State’s chances to be an at-large team in the NCAA tournament. Alaska also split with the Wolverines earlier in the season which they will assuredly use as a catalyst to taking out the Wolverines on Friday.
Michigan looks to continue the trend it set last weekend bringing one of the nation’s strongest offensive teams against Alaska. Michigan has two sophomores with more than 40 pts., Aaron Palushaj and Louie Caporusso. In addition the best news the Wolverines have is the return of senior captain, Mark Mitera who had been sidelined most of the season with a knee injury. But being young doesn’t really hurt U of M because most of the team advanced to the Frozen Four in Denver a year ago, before losing to Notre Dame in the national semi-final.
The question to who wins this game begins in goal for both teams. Alaska senior goalie Chad Johnson boasts a 1.66 GAA and .939 save percentage and will have to stand on his head to carry his team to victory. Michigan on the other hand will rely on sophomore Bryan Hogan (1.89, .917) to carry the Blue to another Frozen Four appearance. Look for Michigan’s strong offense to blister Alaska’s net minder with shot after shot, and in the end, be just too strong for the Nanooks to handle.
Prediction: Mich. – 5 Alaska – 3
Look for more confernce reviews later this week.
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