NCAA Tournament 2022

[TommyG]

I really think the NCAA needs to rethink the tournament. I think they’d be better off playing at home rinks until the frozen four. I’d go 2 weekends of best 2 of 3 and then the normal frozen four format.
Top 8 host bottom 8 seeds round 1
Highest remaining 4 seeds host bottom 4 seeds round 2 (I’d reseed too to give top seeds best chance to make frozen four)
Most of these games are played in front of no one. Doesn’t make any sense. Yes it’s tough to give home ice advantage to someone in the national tournament, but too bad. Better environment to play in and it would make more money.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Wright got the game winner for Denver, who moves on to play Duluth in Saturday’s Loveland Regional final.

Happy to see the former Falcon succeed.

Rematch of the Nacho tournament final.

Gotta say I like the Mavs chances of getting back to the Frozen Four, they have the talent to beat Notre Dame.

Duluth vs Western Michigan was the tournament final

[jpfalcon09]

Wright got the game winner for Denver, who moves on to play Duluth in Saturday’s Loveland Regional final.

Happy to see the former Falcon succeed.

Rematch of the Nacho tournament final.

Gotta say I like the Mavs chances of getting back to the Frozen Four, they have the talent to beat Notre Dame.

Duluth vs Western Michigan was the tournament final

Yes, thank you. I forgot UMD and Denver played in the semis.

[jpfalcon09]

I really think the NCAA needs to rethink the tournament. I think they’d be better off playing at home rinks until the frozen four. I’d go 2 weekends of best 2 of 3 and then the normal frozen four format.
Top 8 host bottom 8 seeds round 1
Highest remaining 4 seeds host bottom 4 seeds round 2 (I’d reseed too to give top seeds best chance to make frozen four)
Most of these games are played in front of no one. Doesn’t make any sense. Yes it’s tough to give home ice advantage to someone in the national tournament, but too bad. Better environment to play in and it would make more money.

Problem is that Minnesota and Michigan haven't put in for host bids in forever. Now it's just the same sites every year, with a distinct advantage for east coast teams. Northeastern should not be essentially playing a home game as a #4 seed.

Either more states get involved in bidding for games, or yes go to on campus sites.

[mbenecke]

Western Michigan wins 2-1 in OT.

A really weird situation where the goalie left his cage to play the puck, got a weird bounce, and then the guy just beat him to get it across the line before he could dive back in front of it.

Broncos are through to the regional finals in Worcester.

[jpfalcon09]

Western Michigan wins 2-1 in OT.

A really weird situation where the goalie left his cage to play the puck, got a weird bounce, and then the guy just beat him to get it across the line before he could dive back in front of it.

Broncos are through to the regional finals in Worcester.

Amazingly enough it's the first NCAA hockey tournament victory for the Broncos.

[mbenecke]

Michigan beat AIC 5-3, and UMass leads Minnesota 3-2 after two periods.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Right before the start of the third period in the UMASS/Gopher game the camera panned the crowd and focused on a kid wearing a BG hat.

[mbenecke]

Minnesota takes down the defending champs UMass in OT, 4-3.

Gophers will play WMU on Sunday with a spot in the Frozen Four on the line.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

St. Cloud goes down. Two Nacho teams are out.

And with that win Q is the lone eastern team left in the tourney. 4-of-5 eastern teams are out.

[TommyG]

Don’t understand the NCHC team elimination update? It’s the deepest strongest conference in the country. Single elimination games anything can happen and it isn’t a big shock when one of them lose.

[mbenecke]

Weekend schedule for the regional finals:

Saturday
#1 Denver vs. #2 Minnesota Duluth 4:00pm ESPNU
#1 Minnesota State vs. #3 Notre Dame 6:30pm ESPNU

Sunday
#1 Western Michigan vs. #2 Minnesota 4:00pm ESPN2
#1 Michigan vs. #2 Quinnipiac 6:30pm ESPN2

I think I’ve got Duluth, Minnesota State, Minnesota, and Michigan. Anyone else with picks for today?

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I'll go with Dawgs, Mavs, Gophers, Wolverines.

In the various brackets I submitted I had NoDak in the Frozen Four so I still have 3 live picks including the championship game. Compare that to my March Madness brackets where I'm currently staring at a big, fat 0-fer on the Final Four (Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn). I learned that SEC basketball is not the same thing as SEC football.

[mbenecke]

Denver wins their backyard regional and advances to the Frozen Four following a 2-1 win vs. Duluth.

Duluth’s streak of 4 straight Frozen Fours is finally over.

[mbenecke]

Minnesota State shuts out Notre Dame 1-0 and the Mavs are in the Frozen Four for the second consecutive year.