Probable Hockey Bracket
I'm not actually in Las Vegas. It's a short but spittle-flecked story I'll get into on Monday. But I can tell you that this is the likely bracket Michigan finds itself in:
Worchester, Mass.
4. Boston College vs 13. Alaska
5. North Dakota vs 12. Michigan
It's a pretty brutal bracket: ND first and probably BC in Boston next, but Michigan isn't in a position to complain. Confirmation tomorrow, but the final bracket has no conflicts and there's no chance it will be significantly different.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:03 AM ^
That is a brutal bracket. However, at this point I think Michigan is playing with house money and no one can be too upset with where they end up. Normally I would say there is no way that they would be able to get out of that bracket. HOWEVA, at this point the team is turning me into a believer. GO BLUE!!
March 21st, 2010 at 12:36 AM ^
House money dipped in gravy.
Strike them down!
Now, fulfill your destiny and take your place at Ford Field.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:13 AM ^
Has similar thoughts, but specifically is interested in potentially switching us with New Hampshire to play out West for attendance purposes out east.
To me, that would be a fantastic option.
They also throw around how the selection committee might play around with the PWR tiebreakers to have us as the 4 out East facing BC in the first round...
http://www.uscho.com/news/id,18483/FinalBracketologyMarch202010.html
Ed: The NH swap mentioned above is their actual final projection. That looks better to me, though facing St. Cloud in St. Paul could be tough.
Final Bracket Projection
St. Paul
Vermont vs. Wisconsin
Michigan vs. St. Cloud State
Fort Wayne
Alabama-Huntsville vs. Miami
Yale vs. Bemidji State
Albany
RIT vs. Denver
Northern Michigan vs. Cornell
Worcester
Alaska vs. Boston College
New Hampshire vs. North Dakota
March 21st, 2010 at 12:14 AM ^
SCSU and a team we've beaten twice (before the refs intervened) looks far more appealing to me.
The West draw looks a lot better for Michigan and for me (as I live in the Twin Cities).
I am encouraged by the final Bracketology prediction at USCHO, they are usually very close to the actual draw. It will depend on how they break the tie of the 11th ranked teams. I hope that they shade towards attendance as that would take Michigan out of Worchester.
St. Cloud State playing here in the Twin Cities will obviously pull some fans (St. Cloud a little more than a hour away) but doesn't have the fanbase of the gophers, the Sioux, UM-Duluth, and probably the Badgers. It is definitely possible that the other fans won't root for SCSU, but against them.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:10 AM ^
Worcester.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^
It may be brutal, but no one wants to run into Michigan's buzz saw right now. It's perfect too, because I can badmouth schools with the initials ND like an old pro.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:20 AM ^
Sounds like an opportunity to bust out with the old post-Notre Dame trademark issue MGoStore shirts from MGoStore v1.0. Damned ND four-leafed clovers awakening echoes.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:30 AM ^
Oh yeah, explain this. Damn Irish menace is all around us.
O'Really's Irish Pub
10 N 3rd StGrand Forks,ND58203-3714
Local: (701) 746-9177
1st comment:
O'Really's has an authentic Irish pub feel with great decor and a fun and interactive staff! They had live music when we were there and I think it was a local band, which is great!
March 21st, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
The key for your cheering is the pin-on racist Indian emblem of your choice.
Ed: The North Dakota mascot is the Fighting Souix.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^
I'll take USCHO's Bracketology in a heartbeat. Worcester, not so much.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:21 AM ^
Does your story involve our goalie? Lotta folks out there (mostly on opposing teams) have been doing spit-takes about Hunwick the past few weeks!
March 21st, 2010 at 12:27 AM ^
If you are going to win the tournament, you have to beat the best teams somewhere down the line anyway. Besides, if you are a 12 and you beat a five, you are "promoted" to a de facto five seed unless the brackets are reseeded.
This team looks like it can beat anyone right now, and it might actually have the luxury of "underdog" status if it makes the Frozen Four. How often does that happen for Michigan?
I'm just happy they made it in.
See MSU's last title run
March 21st, 2010 at 12:22 AM ^
It would be unfortunate to play the only other team in the country just as hot as we are (North Dakota), but yeah we're certainly in no position to complain. Anybody other than North Dakota would be certainly be fantastic though.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:24 AM ^
I'm not in Vegas either. My story is probably not as good as Brian's though. I just didn't go there.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:29 AM ^
And spittle-flecked could be in my future.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:38 AM ^
I have family in Worcester/good family friends in St. Paul, and tickets to the Frozen Four. It's destiny gentlemen.
March 21st, 2010 at 12:57 AM ^
Then again, aren't we kind of owed one against NoDak? First we get shipped out to their arena to be sacrificed to Ralph himself, then we get shipped out to Denver to score 2 goals in the first minute of 2 separate periods and STILL lose...
I'm ready to cash in some TJ Hensick 10-minute-misconduct karma.
Was it them or CC that got Yost banned from hosting regionals after we upset them there?
I think it was CC, but not sure.
I'm Selfishly pulling for St. Paul because then I can actually go to the games.
I'm selfishly pulling for Worcester because same reason. North Dakota be damned, we beat Miami, we can beat the Sioux.
bring on the brutal bracket. we've got a shot at the title. an opportunity at a national championship: that's as good as it gets. I think we're all tickled to roll the dice with these boys...
I really really really find North Dakota to be an unpalatable team. They might as well change their mascot to Fightin Goons.
March 21st, 2010 at 10:46 AM ^
Too bad UM won't be assigned to the Ft. Wayne Regional. Then, I could go back to the Coliseum, where I learned to ice skate and watched a few Komets games. Oh well.
March 21st, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
...as many didn't think UM would even be in the NCAA tourney. Michigan has nothing to lose at this point and will probably play loose and relaxed. The fact they are heading into the tourney playing well is a good thing. Hopefully the trend will continue.
March 21st, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
Can I negbang Brian for being absolutely wrong?
March 21st, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
The be honest, the last couple times he has been wrong have resulted in me being very happy.
March 21st, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
Midwest (Fort Wayne)
1. Miami vs. 4. Alabama-Huntsville
2. Bemidji State vs. 3. Michigan
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/
March 21st, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
Oh man. Thank you selection committee.
March 21st, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
Well, they just published the brackets on ESPN, and Michigan is in the Fort Wayne regional, as a 3 seed, playing Bejmidi State, with Miami as the 1 seed.
EDIT - beaten to it.
March 21st, 2010 at 11:53 AM ^
Time to create Yost Southwest!
March 21st, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
O LET DO IT
March 21st, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
Michigan will face Bemidji State as a #3 seed.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/032110aaa.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/bracket?id=5015104
Miami (Ohio) number one overall seed.
I'm thrilled we're in anywhere, but I think the committee blew this one. Why so many potential conference re-matches in the second round? I don't get having two CCHA and two CHA teams in the same bracket. They could have avoided all conference re-matches...
Atlantic Hockey - 1
CCHA - 4
CHA - 2
ECAC - 2
Hockey East - 3
WCHA - 4
Swap Michigan for New Hampshire and St. Cloud and Bemidji. Done.
I'm doing this quickly, so I may still be off, and I appreciate the desire for snaking the seedings/teams, but still, separating the conference would make for a better National tournament.
Well, given the way the tournament pairings are determined, with the CCHA fielding as many teams as we do each and every year, there's bound to be conference matchups at the regional level.
If you look at the whole thing, UM could have easily been swapped with NMU in Minnesota, but if the NCAA wants to sell tickets in both Fort Wayne and St. Paul, it makes infinitely more sense to put Miami and Michigan in Fort Wayne and Northern close to home up in Minnesota.
Regardless, as long as there are neutral-ice regionals, the NCAA is going to struggle to sell tickets almost everywhere unless you've got a one-seed in their home market, and you're going to have at least 2 regionals year in and year out where 70%+ of the arenas are empty. That's just the nature of the beast, especially when the home market teams are low seeds with next to no following (Albany in 2008 immediately comes to mind).
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