Rankings (for those who care)

[BGFan]

Non-biased computer rankings:
- PWR - 8th
- RPI - 8th
- KRACH - 6th

Biased media polls
- USCHO (top 20 poll) - 15th
- USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine (top 15 poll) - 15th
- ESPN's John Buccigross (non-official personal poll ) - 10th

[gmartin]

Don't care about rankings.

Just keep the W's coming. Win our home games. Win the games on the road that we should win. Have a few upset wins and we will be in the tournament for the first time in a very long time.

[BGFan]

Don't care about rankings.

Just keep the W's coming. Win our home games. Win the games on the road that we should win. Have a few upset wins and we will be in the tournament for the first time in a very long time.

This post, obviously, wasn't meant for you, then,

The computer rankings are the most important due to their use in determining who is in the tournament, which is why I included them. In particular the PWR rankings. At this point in the season they are starting to become relevant.

[Freddie]

KRACH is meaningless expect that some of the poll voters may look at it to judge teams they are not familiar with.
PWR is the key, as it mimics the NCAA tournament selection process.
RPI is critical, as it is a major component of PWR.

It's still a bit early for these numbers to mean much. Generally I don't put much stock in them till January. Yes, I realize that we have only 2 games left before then, but other teams are playing...including teams we have or will play. Tough as it may be, we need to root for teams we have already played (like Miami and tOSU) to do well. Every time they win, we look stronger.

While it's easy to dismiss the polls as merely subjective "beauty contests", it's GREAT to see that we're being noticed again. That's got to help on the recruiting front.

Next weekend's series at NMU is huge, both in terms of WCHA points and nationally.

[BGFan]

Non-biased computer rankings - Week 10
- PWR - 7th
- RPI - 7th
- KRACH - 5th

Biased media polls
- USCHO (top 20 poll) - 14th
- USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine (top 15 poll) - 14th

[apollo]

If BG is legit this weekend will say a lot. We lose a little momentum because we are coming off the bye. Long bus trip and a decent opponent. If they find a way to get out of there with 2 wins or a win and a tie, they'd be in great shape for the second half. We haven't really had many tough road games (loss vs Miami, W vs a avg to below avg OSU, W and T vs avg Clarkson team) so this will be a good test.

[pdt1081]

If BG is legit this weekend will say a lot. We lose a little momentum because we are coming off the bye. Long bus trip and a decent opponent. If they find a way to get out of there with 2 wins or a win and a tie, they'd be in great shape for the second half. We haven't really had many tough road games (loss vs Miami, W vs a avg to below avg OSU, W and T vs avg Clarkson team) so this will be a good test.

Northern spent the past 2 weeks in Alaska. BG comes off a bye. Need to win two to keep pace with Tech and Kato.

[BGFan]

If BG is legit this weekend will say a lot. We lose a little momentum because we are coming off the bye. Long bus trip and a decent opponent. If they find a way to get out of there with 2 wins or a win and a tie, they'd be in great shape for the second half. We haven't really had many tough road games (loss vs Miami, W vs a avg to below avg OSU, W and T vs avg Clarkson team) so this will be a good test.

A sweep of Alaska on the road is ALWAYS an accomplishment. The Alaska teams are historically tough at home.

NMU has yet to play anyone with a winning record.
Wisconsin (1-8-1) sweep,
LSSU (3-13-0) sweep,
UAH (3-11-2) tie and win,
Ferris (7-7-1) tie and win,
UAA (5-7-2) win and loss,
UAF (7-7-0) loss and win.

Their splits in Alaska are their most impressive wins, IMO. Their SOS is ranked 55 compared to ours at 11. On paper we should sweep them, on the ice is always another story, however. We can't go in being over confident...

[Freddie]

I'd expect both these games to be tight, low-scoring affairs.
NMU's goalie Mathias Dahlstrom has played all but 18 minutes of their 12 games, and he's got a 1.19 GAA and .952 save percentage.

[apollo]

BGFan....
You're absolutely right with Alaska...I forgot about those wins. Not that they are a good team, but going up there and getting two wins is never an easy task.

[poltergeist]

Jim Dahl's College Hockey Ranked
When to start looking at PWR (revisited)
This entry was posted in Analysis of PWR on December 4, 2014.

http://collegehockeyranked.com/2014/12/ ... revisited/" target="_blank

[Freddie]

Jim Dahl's College Hockey Ranked
When to start looking at PWR (revisited)
This entry was posted in Analysis of PWR on December 4, 2014.

http://collegehockeyranked.com/2014/12/ ... revisited/" target="_blank

This is the work of somebody with WAAAAAAY too much time on their hands.
Here is Freddie's analysis of the probability that Mr Dahl works in the private sector:
Absolute ZERO.

[poltergeist]

Jim Dahl's College Hockey Ranked
When to start looking at PWR (revisited)
This entry was posted in Analysis of PWR on December 4, 2014.

http://collegehockeyranked.com/2014/12/ ... revisited/" target="_blank

This is the work of somebody with WAAAAAAY too much time on their hands.
Here is Freddie's analysis of the probability that Mr Dahl works in the private sector:
Absolute ZERO.

says the guy who spends too much time making thousands of forum posts, lol.
and we give a rat's ass where he works, why? but if you insist:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-dahl/84/580/6b5" target="_blank
http://www.goseawolves.com/ViewArticle. ... LID=675341" target="_blank
https://twitter.com/jimmydahl24" target="_blank

[BGFan]

Non-biased computer rankings - Week 10
- PWR - 8th
- RPI - 8th
- KRACH - 7th

Biased media/coach's polls
- USCHO (top 20 poll) - 13th (up one)
- USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine (top 15 poll) - 14th (unchanged)

NMU's weak strength of schedule affected our computer rankings a bit.

[apollo]

Looking at our schedule....there really won't be any excuse for us to not make the tourney at this point. Other than Robert Morris and Michigan Tech we don't have anyone else in the top 20 currently. There are definitely a solid group of teams behind us in the pairwise and my guess is a team like a quinnipiac and a Boston College will make their way into the top 12 when it is all said and done. Looking at where us, Michigan Tech and Minnesota State are ranked, it would be hard to think all three don't get in at this point.
The funny thing is, if you put any of those 3 in the NCHC, Big Ten, or Hockey East, you'd be looking at a 3rd or 4th place team. We are definitely benefiting from being the big fish in the small pond with all these D2 schools. If 3 teams from the WCHA make it this year, you'll see some type of changes. Either from the conference landscape or the computer formulas.