Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)

Western Collegiate Hockey Association logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I think it is time to do a top ten list, since I haven’t done with this season, so here it goes.

10 – Number of league games most teams have left
9 – Teams that realistically have a chance at home ice
8 – Games BSU has gone without a win currently
7 – Weeks left in the regular WCHA season
6 – WCHA Teams in the USA Today College Hockey Poll
5 – Number of tie games both UND and UW have
4 – Home games left for MSUM
3 – Periods per hockey game
2 – Outdoor games for the WCHA this season
       (UND/UNO, Feb-9 & UM/UW, Feb-17)
1 – Where SCSU sets to start February

WCHA STANDINGS 2012-2013

Team………………………W-L-T………Points

1. St. Cloud St……………12-6-0…….….25
2. Minnesota……………...10-4-4……..…24
2. Nebraska-Omaha…......11-5-2…....….24
4. Minnesota State……….10-9-1.…...….21
4. North Dakota.………..…8-5-5…….…..21
4. Wisconsin…....…………8-5-5………...21
7. Denver…………..……...8-6-4…….......20
8. Minnesota-Duluth….…..8-7-3…………19
9. Colorado College ……..7-10-1..…..….15
10. Bemidji State……..…..4-10-4......……12
11. Michigan Tech………..4-10-4…..……12
12. Alaska-Anchorage…....1-15-4…...……5

WCHA Games

#12 St. Could St.  @ Bemidji St.

Last weekend the Huskies took three points from NoDak (3-1, 2-2ot) in Grand Forks and the Beavers were swept by the UNO Mavericks (5-3, 2-1) in Bemidji.

The Huskies are on a four game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) entering this weekend and the Beavers on a eight game winless streak (0-6-2).  SCSU can put the on official notice that they are in the driver’s seat for the McNaughton Cup with a sweep of the Beavers this weekend.  However, BSU would like nothing better than to play the spoiler to one of their in-state rivals.  The Beavers need to get some timely scoring and stay out of the box, if they want a chance to beat SCSU.  But in the end, the Huskies will leave Bemidji with the points.  HUSKIES SWEEP

Colorado College @ Alaska-Anchorage

Last weekend the Tigers were on a bye and the Seawolves were swept by the Badgers (5-2, 2-1) in Madison.

The Tigers need to get a sweep this weekend if they want to have any chance of getting into the top half of the standings before the regular season ends.  The Seawolves appear to already be mathematically eliminated from home ice, sorry UAA.  The Tigers are 4-8-0 this year away from Colorado Springs, and the Seawolves are 2-7-3 at home in Sullivan Arena.  The Tigers might be a rusty after a weekend off, so look for the Seawolves to come out guns a blazing and try to put CC away early.  The Tigers have the firepower to put up goals, however they are giving up the lion’s share of goals too.  SPLIT

#10 Denver @ Minnesota-Duluth

Last weekend the Pioneers were on a bye and the Bulldogs beat the US U-18 team (3-1) in Duluth.

The Pioneers are on a three game winless streak now, and have been streaking all year, going on two 4 game win streaks, a 5 game win streak, and an 8 game winless streak.  DU has not won a road game since Nov-16 at Colorado Springs.  The Bulldogs have been playing five hundred hockey all season, winning some, losing some.  But looking a little deeper, the wins are against teams lower than them and the losses are against the teams above them.  This is a tough series to predict give the ups and downs of DU and UMD struggles against good teams.  SPLIT

#19 Wisconsin @ #7 North Dakota
Last weekend the Badgers swept the Seawolves (5-2, 2-1) in Madison and NoDak got a point from the SCSU Huskies (3-1, 2-2ot) in Grand Forks.

The Badgers have 1 loss in their last 14 games, going 10-1-3, since Nov-30.  However, in that stretch they have 4 wins versus UAA, 2 wins over Huntsville, and tied MTU twice, so it hasn’t been the toughest competition.  Meanwhile, NoDak is winless in their last four games, going 0-2-2 against UM and SCSU.  If UND wants to keep in the hunt for the last WCHA title as we know it they need wins this weekend.  If NoDak can get the ship righted and some timely saves, they can take the points they need to have.  The Badgers should be confident heading into this weekend give their current winning ways, but their confidence or over-confidence could be their undoing in Grand Forks. 

NORTH DAKOTA SWEEP

Michigan Tech @ #14 Nebraska-Omaha

Last weekend the Huskies were on a bye and the Mavericks swept the Beavers (5-3, 2-1) in Bemidji.

These teams met back in November, with the Mavericks sweeping the Huskies in Houghton by scores of 2-1 and 5-3.  UNO has gone 4-1-1 in their past six league games, and MTU is 3-2-1 over that same span.  The Huskies have just two wins on the road in WCHA play this year and those came at the expense of BSU.  The Mavericks are 8-3-1 at home this season and haven’t lost at home since Dec-14 to the other Mavericks.  The numbers point to the Mavericks which is what I’m looking at to predict this series. 

MAVERICKS SWEEP

BYE WEEK

#1 Minnesota
#15 Minnesota State