The playoffs have reached the big show now with the start of the NCAA tournament this weekend. Let’s take a look at all the first round match-ups. Sorry these analyses are not very in depth, but I dont' have much first hand knowlegde of the non-WCHA teams.
EAST REGIONAL (Bridgeport, CT)
#1 Yale (27-6-1) vs #16 Air Force (20-11-6)The Bulldogs and the Falcons have played each other this year, back in mid-November. Yale led the game 3-0 before the Falcons rallied for a 4-3 win in Colorado Springs.
Many fans think that Yale is overrated, well, after this weekend they will know, win or lose. Last year the Bulldogs upended the Sioux in the first round, now the Falcons will be looking to upset the higher seed.
YALE WINS 4-2
#8 Union (26-9-4) vs #9 Minnesota-Duluth (22-10-6)These teams have two common opponents this year, Minnesota and Bemidji State. The Dutchman beat the Gophers in Minneapolis with a 3-2 OT victory on New Year’s Eve, and then lost to BSU on New Year’s Day by a 3-1 score. The Bulldogs went 1-1-1 versus the Beavers on the season, winning and tying in Bemidji back in October and losing to them in the Final 5. UMD went 1-1-2 versus the Gophers on the season. Take that info for what it’s worth. Since this is the 8-vs-9 seed, whoever wins, it won’t be an upset.
BULLDOGS WIN 5-4
REGION FINAL – YALE/AFA vs UNION/UMD winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with
Yale over UMD.
NORTHEAST REGIONAL (Manchester, NH)
#6 Merrimack (25-9-4) vs #11 Notre DameMerrimack was excellent at home this season posting a 14-2-1 record, and they were good on the road too, 10-6-3. With this game only being about an hour from home, I like their odds of winning this game. The Irish are 9-5-2 away from South Bend this year. Since I haven’t seen either of these teams play this year, I’m taking the easy way out and going with the higher seed.
MERRIMACK WINS 3-2.
#4 Miami (OH) vs #13 New Hampshire (21-10-6)The Wildcats are 11-4-4 at home this season and are 10-4-2 away, even though they are the host institution; it isn’t at their home arena. The RedHawks are 7-5-4 away from Oxford this season. I saw one of their games this year and they have speed and skill on their forward lines. I think Miami’s depth will be the key in this game, even though this will really be a “home game” for UNH. MIAMI WINS 4-2
REGION FINAL – MC/ND vs Miami/UNH winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with
Miami over Merrimack.
MIDWEST REGIONAL (Green Bay, WI)
#2 North Dakota vs #15 RensselaerThe Sioux return to the tournament keeping their coach’s perfect attendance record at the NCAA intact (7 in a row). RPI has not been in the tourney since 1995, but they do have history, they have two national championships, ’54 and ’85. (UND has seven, ’59, ’63, ‘80, ‘82, ‘87, ’97, ’00.) The Sioux are led by the Magnificent Seven, their seven seniors. After an early exit from last year’s tournament, they are looking for some redemption.
NORTH DAKOTA WINS 4-2
#7 Denver vs #10 Western MichiganWestern Michigan is only 5-6-7 away from Kalamazoo this season, and the Pioneers aren’t much better going 7-6-3 away from Denver. The Pioneers lost a heart-breaker to the Sioux in the Final 5 Championship game in double overtime. The question will be, how much do they have left in the tank after that? Last year DU was a number one seed and lost in the first round. The Broncos have been a pleasant surprise this year in the CCHA. No doubt both teams will come out swinging, and we’ll just have to wait and see who is still standing.
WMU WINS 3-2
REGION FINAL – UNC/RPI vs DU/WMU winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with
North Dakota over Western Michigan.
WEST REGIONAL (St. Louis, MO)
#5 Michigan vs #12 Nebraska-OmahaThese teams met earlier this season, mid-October, in Ann Arbor with the teams splitting that series 4-2 UNO in the opener and UM winning 6-1 in the closer. Obviously these two are familiar foes, since UNO played in the CCHA for about a decade. The Wolverines are 7-6-3 on the road this year and the Mavericks are 8-9-1 away from Omaha. Dean Blais know how to coach, as does Red Berenson, so this should be on helluva game to watch.
MICHIGAN WINS 4-3.
#3 Boston College vs #14 Colorado CollegeThis is the Eagles time of year, they won it all last year in Detroit, and three years ago too. The Tigers are back to the tourney again this year, and their coach has been here many times before. CC has an excellent top line, as does BC. Looking after that, BC has the edge, especially in goal tending; their starter hasn’t lost a game in the NCAA tournament. That said, people may say he is due to have a bad game this year, and the Tigers are hoping it is this one. In the one and done format anything can happen, but I don’t think it will be in this round.
BC WINS 4-2
REGION FINAL – UM/UNO vs BC/CC winners
If my predictions end up being right, I’m going to go with Michigan over Boston College.
