The playoff picture is starting to take shape with only four more weekends to go in the regular season. We have all 12 teams in league games this weekend again. The top 5 teams are separated by only 5 points. Also 6th place thru 11th place is only separated by 6 points. It looks like the last home ice playoff spot will come down to the last weekend of play, the way things are going. MTU is the first team to be eliminated from home ice contention. The most points Tech can end with is 19, and that would require them to win their last 8 games. The Sioux look to have the “easiest” schedule down the stretch, they do not playing any of the current top teams in the WCHA. (UND schedule has series with UAA, @ SCSU, BSU, and @ MTU to finish out the regular season.)
We at Goon’s World are still hoping Kristo will make a full recovery from his frostbite, keep going Danny.
WCHA standings
TEAM……………..…....W-L-T...Pts
1. Denver………….....……13-4-3…29
1. Minnesota-Duluth.....13-4-3…29
3. North Dakota…….….14-6-0…28
4. Nebraska-Omaha…..12-6-2…26
5. Wisconsin……...….…11-7-2…24
6. Colorado College…10-10-0…20
6. Alaska-Anchorage….9-11-2…20
8. Minnesota……….……8-9-3…19
9. Minnesota State……6-12-4…16
9. St. Cloud State….....7-11-2…16
11. Bemidji State……….6-12-2…14
12. Michigan Tech………1-18-1…3
WCHA
#7 Wisconsin @ #16 Nebraska-Omaha
Last weekend the Badgers enjoyed a free weekend and the Mavericks swept with the SCSU Huskies in Omaha.
This should be the marquee matchup this week in the WCHA. These teams are separated by only 2 points in the standings. This will be a battle to take possession of 4th place and keep pace on the league leaders. The Badgers and the Mavericks have played 5 times before this weekend, with Bucky winning all 5 times. The Badgers are leading the league in defense, giving up a league low 41 goals. The Mavericks are 3rd in the league with goals scored at 67 (trailing DU and UND with 70 each). Buck also have done well this year away from the Kohl Center posting an overall road record of 5-3-2, and the Mavericks have a 10-3-1 overall record at the Qwest Center in Omaha. The Badgers are red hot going 12-1-0 in their last 13 games, but they can’t look past UNO and to the Gophers next weekend. We’ll see what the Mavericks are made of the next month, after UW, they go to UAA, host DU, and finish up at UMD. With a schedule like that, they could easily end up in a fight for a home ice spot. SPLIT
#4 Denver @ Minnesota
Last weekend the Pioneers split with the CC Tigers and the Golden Gophers got a point against the Bulldogs in Duluth.
The Pioneers are owners of a 5-4-3 overall road record this season and the Gophers sport a 6-7-1 overall home record. The Gophers are in need of points, if they don’t want to travel the second weekend in March. DU has gone 6-3-1 in their last ten games, while the Gophers 3-4-3 in their last ten games. I watched both Gopher games last weekend, and they showed some resolve in their games against UMD. They also showed some defensive lapses too. This year’s Gopher’s season is shaping up to be like their last 3 seasons, where home ice is decided that last weekend. Like they say, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” I think that desperation will get them some points this weekend. SPLIT
Bemidji State @ Michigan Tech
Last weekend the Beavers split with the MSUM Mavericks in Mankato and the Huskies were swept by the Seawolves in Anchorage.
The Beavers can seal the Huskies fate this weekend. If BSU can sweep the hapless Huskies, MTU will be locked into the bottom spot. The Beavers have played better since the Christmas break, they are 5-4-1 overall over that span. BSU has seen overtime in 4 of their last 6 games. The Huskies are still winless since October 15th, this weekend is looking the best for MTU to get another win this season. After the Beavers, the Tech-sters play, DU, UM, and UND. This could be Tech’s weekend, the Beavers have scored only 44 goals in league play (2.20/game) and Tech has 36 goals (1.8/game) in the WCHA. With what could theoretically be a couple of 2-1 games, the Huskies have hopes of winning. SPLIT
Alaska-Anchorage @ #5 North Dakota
Last weekend the Seawolves swept the MTU Huskies in Anchorage and the Sioux were on a bye weekend.
The Seawolves keep their dream of hosting a first round playoff series alive with a sweep of MTU. But this weekend, they have a much taller order, the 5th ranked Sioux, in Grand Forks. These teams met once this season back in October, in Anchorage at the Kendall Classic, where the teams skated to a tie. The Sioux will be missing a couple of key players this weekend, forward Danny Kristo (frostbite) and their captain, d-man Chay Genoway. Fortunately for the Sioux have great depth this and should be able to manage this weekend. All the Sioux players had last week to rest up and get healthy, and now should be ready to start the stretch run. If UND isn’t rusty on Friday from the break and come to play they should be able to take care of business. SIOUX SWEEP
Minnesota State @ #19 Colorado College
Last weekend the Mavericks split with the BSU Beavers in Mankato and the Tigers split with the Pioneers in a home-and-home series.
These teams met back in October with the teams splitting that series, MSUM 5-4, and CC 1-0 in the rematch. The Mavericks will be down to four league games, after this series, so they direly need points if they want to climb into the 6-spot and host a playoff series. The Tigers are currently tied for the last home ice spot, with UAA, but have two games in hand on the Seawolves (and MSUM). The Tigers could assure the Mavericks a bottom half finish, if they can sweep them at World Arena. CC played their arch-rivals tough last weekend, so they proved they can play with the big boys, but they have also lost to lesser teams. SPLIT
St. Cloud St. @ #3 Minnesota-Duluth
Last weekend the Huskies were swept by the UNO Mavericks in Omaha and the Bulldogs got 3-points against the Gophers in Duluth.
The Bulldogs are slowly breaking in their new Amsoil Arena, they are 2-2-1 in their new home and are 9-3-1 overall at home this season. The Huskies are 4-6-0 overall away from the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud (3-1-0 at neutral sites). The Huskies need help if they want to host a first round playoff game, which is a long shot when looking at the schedule they face. SCSU had high hopes to start the season, and most coaches and the media thought that SCSU would be a MacNaughton Cup contender this season. Now they can play spoiler role. By getting some points over the last month they can try and avoid a bottom 3 finish and avoid playing the “big boys” in the first round. The Bulldogs will get home, barring some type of historic meltdown. UMD is a puck possession team, so if SCSU wants to win, they need to play keep-away with the Bulldogs. UMD’s weakness appears to be their defensive zone coverage, followed by their net minders. The Huskies need to exploit these aspects if they want some points. SPLIT.
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