HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all the college hockey fans out their who read GOON'S WORLD. I know everyone's in the holiday spirit, and ready to eat copius amounts of turkey and pumpkin pie. We hope if you have the time (or tournament) that you will also gobble up some WCHA games or a Thanksgiving Holiday Tournament.
Current WCHA Standings
#..TEAM................GP..W-L-T...PTS
1 Colorado College.......8...6-1-1....13
1 Denver..................8...6-1-1....13
1 Minnesota-Duluth.....10...6-3-1....13
4 North Dakota..........10...5-4-1....11
4 Wisconsin..............10...5-4-1....11
6 St. Cloud State..........8...4-3-1....9
6 Minnesota...............10...3-6-1....7
8 Alaska-Anchorage......10...3-7-0....6
8 Minnestoa State.......10...2-7-1....5
10 Michigan Tech.........8...2-6-0....4
Holiday Classic (Grand Forks, ND)
Friday
#1 Miami (9-1-4 overall) vs #6 Bemidji St.(10-1-1 overall) (4pm)
Miami took 3pts at fellow CCHA member Western Michigan last week and Bemidji St. swept CHA rival Alabama-Huntsville.
What more could you want on Black Friday, than a clash of top ten teams in the top college arena? (More turkey and pie?) The Beavers will be looking to cook a bird on Friday afternoon, and it's not a turkey. BSU will look to further their ranking by basting the RedHawks in what is sure to be a game that's as hot as an oven. Miami will be looking to solidify their number one rank. The RedHawks have tied three of their last four games. Unlike Thanksgiving day, this Friday, both teams will be wanting more, the prediction, TIE.
Ohio State (5-8-1 overall) at #4 North Dakota (7-4-1 overall) (7pm)
OSU was swept by Ferris St. and UND was swept by Denver last week.
The Buckeyes have not played the Sioux since 1979, I think...(help me if you can)
The Sioux are now on a three game losing streak, ugh. I think the Buckeyes are what UND needs right now, a non-conference game that they should win. I'm going with my boys in Green & White tonight, SIOUX WIN.
Saturday
Ohio St. vs #6 Bemidji St. (4pm)
This game should go the way of the Beavers. We all know that Beavers gnaw on trees to build damns (industrial little fella's aren't they), and well, the Buckeye is a tree. The Beavers chew through the trees base and the tree falls over, thump, BEAVERS WIN.
#1 Miami at #4 North Dakota (7pm)
Ladies and Gentlemen, lets get ready to rumble. This is the heavy weight bout of the weekend in college hockey, RedHawks versus Sioux, this bout is scheduled to go three 20 minute rounds. The CCHA seems go be down as a whole this season, with only Miami and Mich St. as the powerhouses, Michigan and Notre Dame both have struggled this year. As always I have to pick my favorite team, SIOUX WIN.
(I bet DU would love to see Miami get swept in this tourney!)
College Hockey Showcase
Friday
Minnesota (4-7-1) at Michigan (5-7-0 overall)
Last week the Gophers were sweep at Mariucci by the UMD Bulldogs, and Michigan split with fellow CCHA member Bowling Green.
Most years this game would be between two ranked teams, not this year. Both UM's have struggled this season, when both were preseason picks for title contenders in their conferences. Both teams want to turn that M upside down for a W in this game.
I don't know who to go with in this game, both have talent, but haven't got the chemistry going yet. For the sake of the WCHA, I'm forced to cheer for the Gophers to win, to help out our conference as a whole. GOPHERS WIN.
#15 Wisconsin (7-4-1 overall) at #8 Michigan State (9-3-2 overall)
Last weekend the Badgers split with St. Cloud St., and the Spartans split with Notre Dame.
This should be the best game of the CHS Tournament, with both teams being ranked and looking for respect in their conference as well as Big Ten bragging rights. The Badgers haven't got a good winning streak going yet, and MSU had their 8-game unbeaten streak end last Saturday. I have to go with our conference, the Woo-cha, the big picture, BADGERS WIN.
Saturday
Minnesota at #8 Michigan State
Sparty is hot right now, and Goldy is not. SPARTANS WIN.
#15 Wisconsin at Michigan
In this battle between UW and UM, there is only one team wearing a W on their jersey, and that team will get the W. BADGERS WIN.
WCHA
Alaska-Anchorage at #5 Colorado College
Last weekend the Seawolves split at home with the Mavericks, and the Tigers swept Robert Morris at home.
UAA is win less on the road this year posting a 0-4-0 record. CC has done well in the World Arena this year, garnering a 6-2-0 record there. I'm not convinced the Tigers are one of the top teams in the country, after this week CC's schedule gets much tougher, so we'll have to wait and see. The Seawolves have played sporadically in most of their series, scoring 7 against DU, and then giving up 8 goals to MSU-M last week. You just don't know what Seawolves team is going to show up. I'm going CC one night and UAA the next, SPLIT.
St. Cloud State at #2 Denver
Last week SCSU split with home with UW, and DU swept UND in Denver.
This is the only series between the teams this year, last year SCSU won the series 3-1-0 (the 1 loss was in Denver). The Huskies have played well this year, a little inconsistent, but well. DU could be suffering from a UND hangover as well as looking ahead to CC next week. The Pioneers have all their star players back in the line up, so they should be up to full speed. The Huskies appear to be the sleepers in my book, they can't be taken for granted. If you look past them they will certainly steal your turkey and all your fixin's. I see a Huskies win on Friday, with the Pioneers getting their just desserts on Saturday, SPLIT.
Michigan Tech at Minnesota State
Last week the Huskies enjoyed a week of rest and relaxation, while the Mavericks split with the Seawolves in Anchorage.
The Huskies will look to move out of the basement and send Mankato into the 10-spot this weekend. If someone gets swept in this series, the sweep-ee will most likely be out of the running for home ice in the playoffs. (And yes I do realize that the playoffs are 4 months away.) The Mavericks are 3-3-0 at home and the Huskies are 1-3-0 on the road this year. These will be games three and four on the road for MTU in a six game road stretch. I'm going to say each team is into the Thanksgiving mood and give each other a win, SPLIT.
BYE WEEK - OFF
#14 University of Minnesota - Duluth
I'll end this little article with a Thanksgiving poem...
"May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!"
– Anonymous
Those are pretty good there
ReplyDeleteSioux7. The one prediction I question a little bit is the UND-Miami game. Miami has won like 7 games in a row against the WCHA, so they clearly know how to beat the best competition in the country. I think the Redhacks win that one, but I would certainly like to see the Sioux beat them (and not only beat them, whoop the snot out of them too). When was the last time Wisconsin and Michigan State were ranked like this and Minnesota and Michigan were struggling? I honesly can't remember. I think Bucky puts up a couple wins.
I think Donn made a pretty good prediction, it's in UND barn and Miami really hasn't been that impressive lately, not saying there not a good team but UND is better than your giving them credit for.
ReplyDeleteAlso you seem to have a chip on your should about UND. Last time I checked they are one of most balanced teams in college hockey, defensively and in the nets. I will bet you that UND finishes higher than SCSU and goes just as far or further than DU. Like I said it the first half of the season and there are no awards for winning in the first half.
I did not realize this tournament was being played in Grand Forks. That completely changes things. By no means is UND a bad team, and far from it. They are a very good team and certainly no doubt have a top tier program. I don't have to like it and I definately do not like the Sioux, I'm just saying that they're not as good as Denver (and I don't think no one is). SCSU will likely get swept this weekend playing there. If they pull out just one tie on the weekend I bet they'll be happy with that. As I've already mentioned, when it comes right down to, I'll take ANY wcha team over a member of the cup cake or other conference, even if it is UND.
ReplyDeleteAnd Goon, I'm just trying to play devil's advocate, provide controversy, and add a few cents in the world of college hockey here, I'm not trying to start a debate about who's better than who or whatever. You blog is pretty good and that is why I like to read and comment on it. The predictions every week are what I especially like reading, mostly because there's reasons, stats, and other pertinent information to back it up.