D1 Top Pool & Natty Winner

[HWood87]

So I just saw the pools...and al I can say is wow! I thought I'd share my thought on the advantages and disadvantages for these top 4 teams in MSU, LU, UMSL and Buffalo.

Advantages: So yea your paying a lot of money to attend the event in San Jose to play... so why not play against the top talent instead of beating up on teams.
-The top four teams want to prove who the best is...so this is another chance even though all these teams played in Chicago a few months back. This is like another interregional event but at the national tourney where the stakes are huge.
-God forbid something happens in the round robin or in the sweet 16...one of these top 4 teams may lose...and not have the chance to play against the top 3 other teams to prove themselves... so it lets them control their destiny in the round robin.

All these teams are so close in talent and any team could win on any night. These games between the top 4 teams are going to exciting to watch don't get me wrong...however...these games don't really help these teams chances of winning the championship at all...only hurt...and this is why.

Disadvantages (which I think outweigh the advantages): These 4 teams are going to seriously beat up on one another and let loose a ton of energy and legs in the round robin itself...before the games truly mean anything. If you saw the interregional they played in chicago...all four teams got pretty beat up come the end of the weekend. For those who have played in the national tournament before... you'd know that the round robin means nothing if your one of the top teams in the country...all that matters is once you get out of the robin and into the single elimination games. I sense that these four teams may not have their best stuff come the elite 8 games and on. If the teams were smart they would just play all their guys in the round robin games and not worry about what the outcomes are because either way there getting a top seed.

[teamcarramrod]

So what do the rest of the teams think of this?

[alex]

I play for ASU. We love it. Get to play all tough games in round robin and seedings still make sense in playoffs regardless.

I think the fatigue factor is negligible. Just as the top 4 teams are going to beat each other up in round robin and will be more fatigued from pool play than in past years, so will other teams. Top 4 teams or bottom 4 teams, everyone is playing teams of their relative same level so everyone should have a tough round robin. There's no reason to believe Lindenwood/UMSL/Mich. St./Buffalo will be any more fatigued from playing each other than the bottom 4 teams. It's all relative.

[FAUplayer]

As expressed previously, I really like this setup. It means better hockey for the viewers as more games will be closer and more competitive. For the better teams, instead of plowing over a bunch of weak teams and being "unprepared" for a tough next game, you will already been playing tough high competitive hockey before the elimination rounds (this may or not pertain). Also, this is great for the mid to weak teams. No one wants to pay $750 a person and get blown out every game if your a weaker team. This now makes this experience a lot more fun and memorable and more so, meaningful. This I believe is a key element now that will allow the national tournament to hold that large amount of teams (21 or 24)therefore get the money they need from having so many teams so it keeps overall costs down. Lower ranked teams will much enjoy this and now can reason why to go to nationals if they can afford it.

Alex, I agree with everything you said. I am really looking forward to playing you guys; should be fun (we already played Rhode Island twice this season).

[UmmaDoMe23]

For those who have played in the national tournament before... you'd know that the round robin means nothing if your one of the top teams in the country...all that matters is once you get out of the robin and into the single elimination games.

Believe me, all 4 of these teams have players that have played in plllllllenty of national championships, and I'm sure they will play these round robin games knowing what lies ahead in the playoffs. I think this setup really favors michigan state and lindenwood. Both teams have extremely deep benches that they can roll through and still be competitive in the round robin games. I'm not familiar with UMSL's bench but I know Buffalo doesn't have a lot of depth at all and unless they essentially decide to take the round robin off (which wouldn't be a bad idea because round robin means nothing this year with the D1 setup) they will have no legs for when it matters.

[mixingitup15]

Ya simple solution to not wasting 750 bucks if ur a weaker team. DON'T GO. Come one 8 out 9 teams from ecrha is going...ya I'm sure they all belong...

[letsgoisles89]

Ya simple solution to not wasting 750 bucks if ur a weaker team. DON'T GO. Come one 8 out 9 teams from ecrha is going...ya I'm sure they all belong...

is it safe to assume that your attitude regarding d-1 nationals reflects your opinion of ECRHA D-2? because they might as well just cancel the entire ECRHA d-2 season then, because minus the 10 matchups a year where the top 4 teams play each other, the rest of the league is SUCH A JOKE.

[mixingitup15]

Acutally isles if the teams that are in d2 moved up to d1 and the teams in d1 who don't belong there moved down...we would have a pretty sick national tournament. Hell id rather just take the top 12 teams in the country and put them in the A national championship next 12 B and last 12 C and it would be a lot better than what it is now.

[GoRangrHky]

If it's that bad, then why are you going, if you're even going at all?

[dan sangiorgio]

if he is going i bet he is a scrub on whatever team he plays for so really a non factor for him to show up

[tmr22]

the teams in d1 who don't belong there moved down

Playing in the ECRHA, I'd really like to hear exactly which teams you think should be moving down.

Every single game played in the East has potential to be an upset, perhaps with the exception of Buffalo, but even then, they have a tie on their record courtesy of Rhode Island, and we (I play for Stony Brook) were able to hold them to a one-goal game earlier this season. We also ended up making it to the final-4 in regionals, and ended up getting eliminated in a 10-8 loss to Rhode Island. Prior to Regionals, we were in 8th place out of 9 teams. If you ask any player or coach in the ECRHA, they'll be the first to tell you that even the 'blowout' scores hardly reflect the game at all. This isn't to say that you were picking out Stony Brook, I'm just using us as an example because obviously it's easier to speak from my own team's perspective. It can be said that any matchup in hockey has potential to be an upset, but I believe that in the East, the chance of an upset is a lot larger, for any of the teams.

[mixingitup15]

i dont mean to talk down any team and sorry about that...but come on 8 out of 9 teams to nationals is not good for the sport what is the point?

[GoRangrHky]

Please, enlighten us on how it's BAD for the sport. Are you concerned about people taking it seriously? It's not like there's an enormous fan following we have to worry about pushing away. People that like the game like it anyway, regardless if 10 teams or 24 teams make it to nationals. The NCAA expanding to 96 teams- that's a bit ridiculous.

[mustachemarty5]

Also, the ECRHA has 8 teams going because, a) it is a very competitive division (and I'm not talking down other divisions, but it may be one of the most competitive), and b) every team accepted their bid. Each DI team in the East is extremely organized and well run and they know what their goal is at the end of the year so they plan to go to nationals. Each team is going there to win hockey games no matter who they are playing. Maybe if other teams in other divisions took the same approach, more of them would be going instead of dropping out.

Also, I don't know of any teams that don't belong in DI besides maybe Western Michigan, New Orleans, and CSU Northridge. No offense, I don't mean to attack any teams, it's just that these teams are riddled with mercies and forfeits. Also, I haven't seen these teams play, so I really can't judge them, I'm just basing it on that and the lopsided goal differential for the season. These are probably hard working teams that would be better suited in DII for now. Kudos for trying at least. That's more than a lot of other teams can say. But other than teams like that, there has to be teams that lose. Everybody can't be over .500, it's quite literally impossible. So to attack good teams and saying that they shouldn't be in DI because they aren't dominant is a silly argument. Give it up.

And I agree with TMR22. From the example of Stony Brook who had a horrendous first half, probably due to a lot of things, I think injuries being one of them. Just because they had a bad record didn't mean they didn't deserve to be DI. Look at their second half. Also look at a team like Penn State. On a yearly basis, it would be tough to say they don't deserve to be a DI team. Even this year, despite coming in last in the East, they were able to win out of region games including a win over Ohio State. I think they are a good team in a good region. Going up from there, you would have to think a team like Hofstra who beat them twice is pretty good, and then teams in the middle of the East and not in the top 4 like UConn or Army who are actually really good, can make a splash at Nationals.

Back in 2002-03, a little team from Towson who were advised to go DII at the beginning of the year stuck it out, had a modest season, only to find themselves in Nationals going up against Lindenwood. After a convincing 7-3 win, them ended up in the Final 4. This stuff happens. Last years champion, UMSL was an okay DII team just a few years ago. Look what a lot of hard work can do. On paper they aren't the best team (okay, so they are extremely talented, but Lindenwood is easily better player for player), but they do the right thing, they work hard and they were a team. All I'm saying is that writing off teams before this thing even starts is a poor approach. What is the point of playing the game if you are conceding the winner before the games even happen?

[kevinsmithAZ]

The NCAA expanding to 96 teams- that's a bit ridiculous.

NCAA Hoops: 96 / 347 teams = 28% of teams

NCRHA: 24 / 39 teams = 62% of teams

gotta say mixingitup might have actually made a little sense there.