Donovan (Fargo): Jess, Could you talk a bit about the state of officiating in the WCHA. When will the coaches and the league discuss calling the interference, hooking, and holding similar to the NHL? It is happening so much now it blatantly looks like the league wants this to continue in order to create a parity solely to improve everyone's SOS and national standing. Thoughts?
Jess Myers: Those topics will certainly be discussed in late April when the coaches and league officials meet in Florida for their annual postseason gathering. A month ago, WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod told me there's growing concern about the officials in terms of the way they're being treated by fans, players, and coaches in the league. Now, yelling at the refs and bad calls have been a part of the game for as long as it has been played on ice, so apparently league officials see something new and disturbing that's worth looking into. As for the way the game is being called, they're still searching for that happy medium between letting everything go and having someone in the penalty box at all times. Still, compare the college game to the ugliness on ice that the NHL (especially in the Western Conference) is so often and I like what I'm seeing in the WCHA.
Sorry if the league officials and the commish aren't feeling the love, they shouldnt because they flat out suck, frankly the refs brought this firestorm on yourselves. Incompetence in the name of the status quo is no longer acceptable and shouldn't have to tolerated by the fans. Think about this; we are paying way too much money for hockey tickets to put up with this crap on a week to week basis. Seems as if the other leagues aren't having these many problems. Look at it from Mike Eaves' point of view; shoddy officating in two game probably cost the Badgers home ice and an NCAA tourney bid.
If the WCHA officials called the game the way it is supposed to be called there wouldn't be this be this much disdain for the officials in this league. I do not feel sorry for them or do I feel any empathy for them. The WCHA needs to drain the swamp and start over, the league office needs an over hall. The criticism directed towards the officials is warranted and should be expected.
More whining about the PairWise:
Chris (Detroit, MI): The pairwise system confuses many of us. Dumb down the scenarios for us a bit...what are a couple of teams that must have excellent conference tournaments to sneak into the tournament?
Mike Eidelbes: The system is confusing to many of us. I think it's the whole strength-of-schedule thing, because it seems odd that a 22-win Notre Dame team is below a 13-win UMD club. The Irish, obviously, needs to play well and get some help -- and even getting to the CCHA championship game, plus flameouts by Wisconsin and Boston University, still might not be enough. I think Harvard is a team to keep an eye on, too, if they can sweep Quinnipiac this weekend and end up playing (and beating) Princeton in the ECAC Hockey semis.
If Notre Dame doesn't win this weekend they don't deserve to be in the NCAA playoffs and their is a good chance they lose to Ferris State. Frankly; based on who Notre Dame has lost to in the second half of the season (Massachusetts Northern Michigan, Ohio State, Ferris State) the Irish are going to be hard pressed to make the tourney.
Finally Jess Meyers will get a little love from Goon's World after this comment. I suppose now he just gave us the kiss of death. Sioux hockey players take note we do not want you to have to play on Sunday night so lets get the job done on Saturday night. So we can be kicking back on Sunday watching the Mavericks putting the finishing touches on the Gophers.
Ryan (Minneapolis): Who makes it to St. Paul next weekend and who comes out of St. Paul with the WCHA tourney title?
Jess Myers: Ah, the annual "make the so-called experts look like fools" exercise. OK, here goes: I'll pick four of the five home teams to win this weekend -- CC, NoDak, Minnesota State, and SCSU. I see the NoDak and Minnesota State series wins taking three games. I'll pick a UMD upset of Denver in three games for the reasons I detailed earlier -- namely the Bulldogs' solid defense and goaltending versus the Pioneers undermanned offense. Don't forget UMD taking SCSU to three games (and multiple overtimes in game three) last year. The Bulldogs are a tough out come playoff time, but with two great goalies facing each other (Stalock versus Mannino) don't expect to see many goals. As for the Final Five, if North Dakota is healthy I see the Fighting Sioux erasing the demons of last season, and beating CC for the playoff title. And to secure a NCAA tourney invite, SCSU will beat Minnesota State in the third place game, before an audience of hundreds.
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