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The field is set...

Wisconsin Vs. Michigan Tech Thursday 7 p.m.

UND Vs St. Cloud State Friday at 2 p.m.

Gophers play the winner of Wisonsin/Tech Friday 7 p.m.

Really would like to see the Huskies from St. Cloud take it...I think it'll go to the Sioux, however.

North Dakota seems to be the hottest team in the WCHA still playing right now. The Gophers and JBSU are strong but stumbling. I do not see the lower seeds getting past Hockey U. So UND vs. Minn Saturday night with UND in a close one.

ND is extremely hot, but if SCSU gets goaltending like Sunday against UMD I doubt many teams in country can stop them. The difference will be special teams and SCSU PP looks awful-1-22 against UMD

Predictions for the Final Five:

Play-in game:
(6) Michigan Tech - 1
(7) Wisconsin - 2

Final four:
(1) Minnesota - 2
(7) Wisconsin - 3

(2) St. Cloud State - 2
(3) North Dakota - 3, OT

3rd Place game:
(1) Minnesota - 4
(2) St. Cloud State - 3

Championship:
(3) North Dakota - 3
(7) Wisconsin - 2

I expect every game to be really close. North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan Tech are playing really well right now. Minnesota and St. Cloud State are not. If Wisconsin can beat Tech, I believe they will beat Minnesota. The UND/SCSU game will be a classic, the Huskies are due to beat the Sioux, but I don't see it happening. The Sioux are 2-0-2 against them this year, look for this one to go to OT as well. Wisconsin has had UNDs number this year, but the Sioux are playing A LOT better then earlier in the year, I like the Sioux to win the Final 5.

My Final 5 Predictions:

Play-In Game:

(7) Wisconsin 2
(6) Michigan Tech 1

First team to 2 probably wins this game as both teams play a defensive style that tries to suffocate the others team's offense. Both have good goaltending, but I think Elliot outduels Teslak to a narrow victory.

Friday Afternoon Semi:

(3) North Dakota 4
(2) St. Cloud State 2

North Dakota is the best team in the conference right now and the hottest team in the nation. They have the best PP out there and that will be the difference as they square off against SCSU's average PK. Unless Goepfert absolutely stands on his head, I see UND moving onto to the finals.

Friday Night Semi:

(1) Minnesota 3
(7) Wisconsin 1

Wisconsin is playing better but still have glaring offensive shortcomings. Minnesota's superior depth and talent at forward should prevail as Wisconsin struggles to find scoring opportunities. Elliot could carry them, but Minnesota has shown an ability to shut down the Badger offense, allowing only 4 goals in 4 meetings this year.

Final:

(3) North Dakota 4
(1) Minnesota 3

North Dakota's 1st line is unstoppable at this point and Minnesota struggled to contain them during the February series. Big special teams advantage to UND and that will be the difference as they win the Broadmoor.

Third Place Game:

(2) St. Cloud State 3
(7) Wisconsin 0

MnHockey although SCSU is struggling on specialty teams lets get serious about them not playing well. They swept Minnesota and tied ND when the game counted. They played absolutely the worst game of year with a backup goalie in ND win. They played a UMD club whose goalie was phenomenal the whole weekend so lumping them in with Minnesota is wrong. The difference between SCSU and Minnesota is SCSU has a goalie. I do believe SCSU will have trouble with ND in the semis, but I would have to say they are a lock for a #1 seed in NCAA no matter what happens this weekend.

Im going with ND

I have to with St. Cloud St. Their goalie is awsome.

2007 Red Baron WCHA Final Five:

Play-in game:
(6) Michigan Tech University - 1
(7) University of Wisconsin - 3

Final four:
(2) St. Cloud State University - 3
(3) University of North Dakota - 4

(1) University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - 1
(7) University of Wisconsin - 2

3rd Place game:
(1) University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - 7
(2) St. Cloud State University - 6

Championship:
(3) University of North Dakota - 2
(7) University of Wisconsin - 3

Brian Elliot carries the Badgers to the automatic NCAA bid and the WCHA Playoff Championship.

casualfan wrote:MnHockey although SCSU is struggling on specialty teams lets get serious about them not playing well. They swept Minnesota and tied ND when the game counted. They played absolutely the worst game of year with a backup goalie in ND win. They played a UMD club whose goalie was phenomenal the whole weekend so lumping them in with Minnesota is wrong. The difference between SCSU and Minnesota is SCSU has a goalie. I do believe SCSU will have trouble with ND in the semis, but I would have to say they are a lock for a #1 seed in NCAA no matter what happens this weekend.

Losing to Minnesota-Duluth and having to beat them in OT twice at home is what I call struggling. They will show up this weekend, there's no doubt. But you got to like the Sioux this weekend, who are a combined 4-0-2 against SCSU and Minnesota. And yes the game that counted was the 3-3 tie but you don't get beat 7-2 in the WCHA, I don't care who is in net. No matter what happens this weekend I hope to see four teams in the big dance, that last spot is up for grabs, who will it be? Wisconsin, Michigan Tech or Denver?

Go Bucky!

Lee

casualfan wrote:MnHockey although SCSU is struggling on specialty teams lets get serious about them not playing well. They swept Minnesota and tied ND when the game counted. They played absolutely the worst game of year with a backup goalie in ND win. They played a UMD club whose goalie was phenomenal the whole weekend so lumping them in with Minnesota is wrong. The difference between SCSU and Minnesota is SCSU has a goalie. I do believe SCSU will have trouble with ND in the semis, but I would have to say they are a lock for a #1 seed in NCAA no matter what happens this weekend.

The difference between SCSU and Minnesota is experience. The Huskies are a lot older, they're bigger, stronger, and are much better without the puck. Yes, they have a better goaltender, but it's not such a difference that it's the only thing seperates them.

Very true on experience-could be a reoccurring problem with Minnesota when you keep getting such talent and they defect early.

I'm hoping Tech takes the game tomorrow night, drops the semi to the Gophs, then takes down SCSU/UND in the 3rd place game. That should be enough to get them in the tourney, giving the WCHA 4 teams. To have Minnesota, St. Cloud, and North Dakota the only representatives would be a shame as the WCHA despite being a little down is still the best conference hands down.

I would agree that the WCHA should have more teams in the NCAA's since it truly is the best league in the country. I would say that the bottom 3 or 4 teams in the WCHA would be a top 3 or 4 team in any other league in the country. The WCHA wasn't as top-loaded as they have been in the past, but the overall league strength was much improved this year. Both Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech are much better this season than they have been in years past. Some might say it's parody, but I would agrue that it is really a sign of the league's strength and depth.

Looking forward to a great Final Five and St. Patrick's Day! This year will mark the fifth consecutive year that I have purchased the entire package for the Final Five and that myself and a buddy who is on this "bored" make a trip out of it. We'll be heading down tomorrow morning to get the weekend started right, hitting up Hooters before the Play-In Game! Maybe we'll even run into Blue Breeze at the best collegiate championship tournament in the country!

Thursday nights Play-in game:

Wisconsin - 4
Michigan Tech - 0

Todays semi-final:

North Dakota - 6
St. Cloud State - 2

SCSU up 3-2 at the 2nd intermission over Wisconsin in the 3rd place game. The Huskies need the win to snag a #1 seed in the tourney.

Tied at 3 late in the 3rd. The Badgers are showing a lot of character in a game in which they have nothing to play for.

Wisconsin wins it 4-3 with 9 seconds left in OT to take 3rd place. SCSU might have lost a #1 seed.

Blue Breeze wrote:Wisconsin wins it 4-3 with 9 seconds left in OT to take 3rd place. SCSU might have lost a #1 seed.

Will that get the chedderheads into the NCAAs?

State Champ 97 wrote:

Blue Breeze wrote:Wisconsin wins it 4-3 with 9 seconds left in OT to take 3rd place. SCSU might have lost a #1 seed.

Will that get the chedderheads into the NCAAs?

Highly unlikely. If Quinnipiac beats Clarkson tonight, it eliminates any possibility of them advancing. Assuming no upsets in conference title games, the odds are still against Wisconsin. They would need a lot to happen and for the selection committee to like their resume. I'd say Denver has a better shot at grabbing the last at-large bid from the WCHA than the Badgers do.

Battle for the Broadmoor in 25 minutes. Frazee in nets for the Gophers. UND is a clear favorite but if the Gophs play smart and physical it should be a classic.

how is UND a clear favorite?
the gophers haven't been playing as well as in the beginning, but they have been able to step up when it counts, they are #1 in the pairwise for a reason

jmpfan2008 wrote:how is UND a clear favorite?
the gophers haven't been playing as well as in the beginning, but they have been able to step up when it counts, they are #1 in the pairwise for a reason

I'm not taking anything away from the Gophers, but the Sioux were a clear favorite in this game. I think most everyone has thought they would come away with the win with how they have been playing.

End of 1, tied at 0. Great intensity, lot of physical play and a few cheap shots from both sides. Should be a great 2nd and 3rd.

1-0 Gophers
Erik Johnson from a bad angle.