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mbenecke wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:27 am With one week to play in the regular season for us (and with other teams set to still play something like 5 or 6 more games), the current WCHA standings are, with how many games still to play:

1. Minnesota State - 30 (4)
2. Bowling Green - 21 (2)
3. Northern Michigan - 19 (2)
4. Lake Superior - 17 (5)
5. Bemidji State - 13 (6)
6. Michigan Tech - 12 (5)
7. Alabama Huntsville - 8 (4)
8. Ferris State - 3 (2)

If every team maximized their points by winning out (which is impossible, since we’re playing each other and not everyone can win out), the final standings would look like:

1. Minnesota State - 42
2. Lake Superior - 32
3. Bemidji State - 31
4. Bowling Green - 27
5. Michigan Tech - 27
6. Northern Michigan - 25
7. Alabama Huntsville - 16
8. Ferris State - 9

So, it's pretty clear that we should be rooting against Bemidji and LSSU the rest of the way (they do have to play each other), in order to maximize our seeding and shoot for a 2nd place finish. Why does the 2 matter, compared to the 3? Well, the 2 matches us up with Huntsville in the first round, while the 3 would force us to host someone like Tech or NMU. Obviously a significant advantage to finish in the top 2 of this league.

We badly need a sweep this weekend... and I'm cautiously optimistic we'll get one, if yesterday's offense is who we're going to be again moving forward.

mbenecke wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 6:55 pm Huge games in Bemidji, MN this week, when LSSU comes to town.

Would love a split - that’d clinch us the 2.

TommyG wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:36 am Normally I’d say who cares finishing 2nd or 3rd but obviously UAH is a much easier matchup than Bemidji or NMU....other underrated thing will be having the last change in semifinals. Not sure how much Eigner matches lines, but it can be a huge advantage if you can get your top lines away from the opposition’s better defenders.

jpfalcon09 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:45 am

TommyG wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:36 am Normally I’d say who cares finishing 2nd or 3rd but obviously UAH is a much easier matchup than Bemidji or NMU....other underrated thing will be having the last change in semifinals. Not sure how much Eigner matches lines, but it can be a huge advantage if you can get your top lines away from the opposition’s better defenders.

NMU at home wouldn't be terrible. If they had to play in their barn I'd be worried. BG always struggles on the international size ice sheet. UAH is ideal though and fingers crossed things break BG's way.

pdt1081 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:56 am

jpfalcon09 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:45 am

TommyG wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 9:36 am Normally I’d say who cares finishing 2nd or 3rd but obviously UAH is a much easier matchup than Bemidji or NMU....other underrated thing will be having the last change in semifinals. Not sure how much Eigner matches lines, but it can be a huge advantage if you can get your top lines away from the opposition’s better defenders.

NMU at home wouldn't be terrible. If they had to play in their barn I'd be worried. BG always struggles on the international size ice sheet. UAH is ideal though and fingers crossed things break BG's way.

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see UAH's first round games moved up a day. They'll be playing at Bemidji, LSSU, or BG. Their upcoming series in Bemidji is Saturday-Sunday. They'd get home Monday afternoon, then leave again Wednesday. Almost better to put them in a hotel in Michigan somewhere for a couple nights.