Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

The WCHA Final 5 is over, with North Dakota prevailing as the champions. Up until last year, no team had ever played the play-in game and won the Broadmoor. Now it has been accomplished two years in a row, last year by UMD and this year by UND.

My predictions last weekend turned out really good, the only thing I really missed was SCSU beating UW in the first semi-final game. To go along with that, the Goon and I witnessed SCSU’s Roe’s going head first into the boards. The stadium was awfully quite when that happened. When he was being taken off the ice on a stretcher, he gave the fans a thumbs-up. So we all wish him a speedy recover, from a very, very stiff neck.

Here is a quote from over at INCH, that I loved reading.

“We’ve noted it before, but it bears repeating: North Dakota’s green road sweaters are the sweetest-looking in the WCHA, and possibly all of college hockey. And if that logo on the front is forced to go away someday, it will be a shame.”

I just hope this isn't the last NCAA tournament feature the Fighting Sioux from North Dakota. (There is still the November deadline to get the issue resolved.)

Here are the NCAA first round match-ups featuring our WCHA teams.


FRIDAY (East Regional 2pm CT)

RIT (26-11-1) vs Denver (27-9-4)
Last weekend the Pioneers lost to the Sioux and the Badgers, which was the first time they dropped back to back games all season. The RIT Tigers won the Atlantic hockey tournament to qualify for the tourney.

RIT has not won a game outside of its conference all season, which doesn’t bode well this time of year. This is also RIT’s first appearance in the tournament, and it will be Denver’s 20th trip to the NCAA’s. The only thing I can think of that might allow RIT to win this, is if DU is not mentally ready, after losing twice last weekend. PIONEERS WIN.


FRIDAY (West Regional 4:30pm CT)

Northern Michigan (20-12-8) vs. St. Cloud State (23-15-5)
Last weekend the Huskies beat the Badgers and then lost to the Sioux in the Final 5 championship game in St. Paul.

The Wildcats of NMU use to be in the WCHA many years ago, I believe their last in the WCHA was the 1990-91 season, the year they won a national title. This will be the 8th appearance in the NCAA tournament for both teams. The Huskies have never won a game in all their previous trips to the tourney, could this be their year? If Roe can heal and play in the game, I think the Huskies can win, if not, the Wildcats. HUSKIES WIN.


FRIDAY (West Regional 8pm CT)

Vermont (17-14-7) vs Wisconsin (25-10-4)
Last weekend the Badgers lost to the SCSU Huskies and then rebounded and beat the Denver Pioneers, to capture 3rd place at the Final 5 in St. Paul. (With next year’s new format, no 3rd place game, Wisconsin will hold the distinction as the last team to capture a 3rd place playoff trophy in the WCHA.)

This will be Bucky’s 23rd and the Catamounts 5th appearance in the NCAA tournament. I’ve said it all year; the Badgers have a good deep team, which makes them hard to beat. The only thing is UW has yet to win more than 3 games in a row. The Badgers offensive was missing last Friday, but returned big time on Saturday, they’re back. BADGERS WIN.


SATURDAY (Northeast Regional 4pm CT)

Yale (20-9-3) vs North Dakota (25-12-5)
Last weekend the Sioux defeated UMD, DU, and SCSU to win the WCHA Broadmoor Championship. The Bulldogs had last week off.

This will be Yale’s 4th and UND’s 25th appearance in the NCAA tournament. In the all time series UND leads 5-0-0 and the results are as follows:

Date........Score......Site
01/01/60---15-0--at RPI Tournament
11/30/86----6-4--at Grand Forks
11/02/02----7-3--at New Haven
10/31/03----8-4--at Grand Forks
11/01/03---10-0--at Grand Forks

Both teams were in the tourney last year, so experience is awash in this game. UND is still hot going 12-1-0 in their last 13 games. I’m going to have to go with my boys in this tilt. SIOUX WIN