Hockey Plinko open thread

Submitted by mfan_in_ohio on March 23rd, 2018 at 5:53 PM

Hockey Plinko is upon us, and is already wreaking havoc. #1 overall seed St. Cloud is heading to the third period down 2-0 to Air Force (I feel their pain) on ESPNews. #2 overall seed Notre Dame is heading to OT with Michigan Tech on ESPN2. Great start to a bizarre tournament.

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mi93

March 23rd, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^

ND just missed multiple great chances to win.

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 5:58 PM ^

Almost had a heart attack when the puck was just lying in the crease for a second, and I'm only rooting for Tech out of spite.

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BigPuppy4

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^

I’m all for the refs giving leeway in OT, but they aren’t even playing defense anymore. Just grabbing and tackling.

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m1jjb00

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^

Thanks for the thread. Tuned in for the last couple minutes. Crazy action, sham about Tech.

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:20 PM ^

Tech had it on the goal line, then cleared away. ND gets stoned on a breakaway but puts it in a few seconds later.

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lhglrkwg

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:21 PM ^

they were dominating ND, then that stick broke and seconds later ND scored. Crushing defeat.

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EGD

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:23 PM ^

ND reminds me of those old Buffalo Sabres teams where Hasek would make 50 saves and they would win 2-1.

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^

Up 2-0 with 4 minutes left. So much more entertaining to watch a team other than Michigan unable to score against Air Force.

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crg

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:25 PM ^

Why so early in the day?

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:32 PM ^

They know not to start games at 10:30 Eastern. Also they need more time between games to clean up the ice and have warmups, so the second set of games still won't end until 10 pm even without OT.

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samdrussBLUE

March 24th, 2018 at 9:38 AM ^

Basketball knows people will watch regardless and most adults can handle being awake at midnight on a Friday.

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:26 PM ^

2-1 AF with 2:51 left.

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BVB

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:28 PM ^

To hell with Notre Dame. Great game though.

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:29 PM ^

Goalie got halfway to the bench, St Cloud turned it over, and goalie couldn't get back to stop the empty netter. 1:34 left, 3-1 AF.

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lhglrkwg

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:33 PM ^

I'm not sure it's quite Holy Cross over Minnesota, but it's in the same realm

Air Force is a program to be avoided at tournament time

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enlightenedbum

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:35 PM ^

It's a single hockey game. Weird shit happens.

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lhglrkwg

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^

That's the nature of the tournament. However, the #1 overall seed rarely ever loses right off the bat. I think it's only happened 2 or 3 times in the last 20 years

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Clarence Beeks

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:56 PM ^

Correct, it is, but it happens a lot with Air Force in the first game.

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sambora114

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:34 PM ^

Otherwise enjoy the chaos coursing through the blood stream

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Sons of Louis Elbel

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:35 PM ^

And St. Cloud goes down. Molly must be crushed.

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mfan_in_ohio

March 23rd, 2018 at 6:57 PM ^

Apparently since 2007 (and adding today's games) #1 seeds are 27-19 in the first round. That is an outstanding argument for home ice and 2 out of 3 series in the first round. Earning a top seed used to guarantee a bye in the first round before the tourney was expanded to 16 teams; those teams have earned a bigger first round advantage than a 59% win percentage.

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UMxWolverines

March 23rd, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^

St Cloud pulls an us! They have a choking reputation that they lived up to.

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stephenrjking

March 23rd, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^

They used to have one. They've performed pretty well in the recent Motzko era.

But literally every team in NCAA hockey gags in the first round occasionally if they're good enough to earn #1 seeds. We remember it happening to us, but it has also happened to BC, Denver, Minnesota...

It's a dumb tournament format. Some years a bunch of underdogs win. Maybe this is a year for that and maybe we're the beneficiaries. Who knows? It could happen.

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