Current Conference Leaders
Atlantic: American International
Big 10: Penn State
ECAC: Cornell
Hockey East: Boston College
NCHC: North Dakota
WCHA: Minnesota State
Current Top-16 In PairWise
- North Dakota (24-4-4)
- Minnesota State (28-4-2)
- Cornell (21-2-4)
- Boston College (21-8-1)
- Minnesota Duluth (18-10-2)
- Denver (19-8-5)
- Penn State (20-10-4)
- Massachusetts (19-10-2)
- Ohio State (18-10-4)
- Clarkson (23-7-2)
- Bemidji State (19-8-5)
- Northeastern (17-10-3)
- Arizona State (22-11-3)
- Minnesota (14-12-6)
- Western Michigan (16-11-5)
- UMass Lowell (16-10-5)
Now we adjust the top-16 in the PairWise to accommodate potential conference champions. AIC slides into No. 16 and UMass Lowell loses its spot.
- North Dakota (24-4-4)
- Minnesota State (28-4-2)
- Cornell (21-2-4)
- Boston College (21-8-1)
- Minnesota Duluth (18-10-2)
- Denver (19-8-5)
- Penn State (20-10-4)
- Massachusetts (19-10-2)
- Ohio State (18-10-4)
- Clarkson (23-7-2)
- Bemidji State (19-8-5)
- Northeastern (17-10-3)
- Arizona State (22-11-3)
- Minnesota (14-12-6)
- Western Michigan (16-11-5)
- American International (20-11-1)
With the 16-team field set we can assign seedings, beginning with the No. 1 seeds.
No. 1 North Dakota is placed in the West Regional in Loveland, CO.
No. 2 Minnesota State is placed in the Midwest Regional in Allentown, PA.
No. 3 Cornell is placed in the East Regional in Albany, NY.
No. 4 Boston College is placed in the Northeast Regional in Worcester, MA.
Two Seeds
No. 8 UMass is placed in No. 1 North Dakota’s regional, the West Regional.
No. 7 Penn State is placed in No. 2 Minnesota State’s regional, the Midwest Regional.
No. 6 Denver is placed in No. 3 Cornell’s regional, the East Regional.
No. 5 Minnesota Duluth is placed in No. 4 Boston College’s regional, the Northeast Regional.
Three Seeds
No. 9 Ohio State is placed in No. 8 UMass’ regional, the West Regional.
No. 10 Clarkson is placed in No. 7 Penn State’s regional, the Midwest Regional.
No. 11 Bemidji State is placed in No. 6 Denver’s regional, the East Regional.
No. 12 Northeastern is placed in No. 5 Minnesota Duluth’s regional, the Northeast Regional.
Four Seeds
No. 16 AIC is placed in No. 1 North Dakota’s regional, the West Regional.
No. 15 Western Michigan is placed in No. 2 Minnesota State’s regional, the Midwest Regional.
No. 14 Minnesota is placed in No. 3 Cornell’s regional, the East Regional.
No. 13 Arizona State is placed in No. 4 Boston College’s regional, the Northeast Regional.
Resulting in this initial bracket:
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 UMass vs. 3 Ohio State
Northeast
1 Boston College vs. 4 Arizona State
2 Minnesota Duluth vs. 3 Northeastern
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Denver vs. 3 Bemidji State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Western Michigan
2 Penn State vs. 3 Clarkson
First and foremost, we must accommodate regional hosts. Penn State is the host of the Midwest Regional in Allentown, while Denver is the host of the West Regional in Loveland. We leave the Penn State/Clarkson matchup as it is for now and swap Denver with UMass.
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Ohio State
Northeast
1 Boston College vs. 4 Arizona State
2 Minnesota Duluth vs. 3 Northeastern
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Minnesota
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Western Michigan
2 Penn State vs. 3 Clarkson
With hosts accommodated and no inter-conference matchups in the first round, the goal now is to maximize attendance at each regional event.
*Note: No. 16 AIC must stay in Loveland in fairness to No. 1 North Dakota
It would be ideal to get multiple Big 10 teams into Allentown. We cannot swap in Ohio State as that would create an inter-conference matchup with Penn State. Minnesota will have to do, so we move the Gophers in and Western Michigan goes to the East.
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Ohio State
Northeast
1 Boston College vs. 4 Arizona State
2 Minnesota Duluth vs. 3 Northeastern
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Western Michigan
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Penn State vs. 3 Clarkson
Geographically, swapping Ohio State with Bemidji State seems like the right call. May as well make life a little easier for both teams as far as distance traveled plus Ohio State will do a lot better attendance-wise in Albany than they would in Loveland, vice versa for Bemidji.
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Bemidji State
Northeast
1 Boston College vs. 4 Arizona State
2 Minnesota Duluth vs. 3 Northeastern
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Western Michigan
2 UMass vs. 3 Ohio State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Penn State vs. 3 Clarkson
I don’t see any more changes. Obviously, we would love to get Clarkson into Albany and Ohio State into Allentown but it cannot happen due to Penn State hosting the Midwest.
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Final Bracket:
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Bemidji State
Northeast
1 Boston College vs. 4 Arizona State
2 Minnesota Duluth vs. 3 Northeastern
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Western Michigan
2 UMass vs. 3 Ohio State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Penn State vs. 3 Clarkson
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Last Week’s Bracket:
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Arizona State
Northeast
1 Minnesota Duluth vs. 4 Maine
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Ohio State
2 Clarkson vs. 3 Northeastern
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Boston College vs. 3 Penn State
________________
Movement:
In:
- Western Michigan
Out:
- Maine
Flanny's Thoughts 