{"id":30339,"date":"2009-02-19T14:34:37","date_gmt":"2009-02-19T20:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2009\/02\/19\/this-week-in-the-ecac-east-and-nescac\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:57:23","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:57:23","slug":"this-week-in-the-ecac-east-and-nescac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2009\/02\/19\/this-week-in-the-ecac-east-and-nescac\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in the ECAC East and NESCAC"},"content":{"rendered":"
Quick someone find me a mathematician–the possible playoff permutations are mind boggling as we head into the regular season\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s final weekend. What we know about next week\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s conference playoffs won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t fill a thimble compared to what is completely up in the air including: who is in, who is out, who can win the regular season crown, who has a shot at home ice, and who can put together a strong couple of games as a prelude to play for the big conference prize over the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
So, despite not being a stats whiz or math guru, your intrepid reporter will boldly go where no sane SID dares to tread this week: to the list of possible, probable and otherwise far-fetched scenarios for the conference playoffs. <\/p>\n
Take a deep breath because here we go!<\/p>\n
Okay–so here is what we do know. Other than the two D-II schools preparing for their Northeast-10 tournament, everyone is in the ECAC East conference playoffs so there will be no team omissions. That said, where everyone will end up is absolutely wide open with but one exception.<\/p>\n
The University of Massachusetts-Boston is guaranteed the eighth seed regardless of this weekend\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s results. That said, does anyone really want to play the Beacons? They have been very close in a number of one goal games and last week rallied in the third period to tie Middlebury on the road before winning the game in the first minute of overtime. Whoever ends up in the top spot will have a difficult first round game.<\/p>\n
Well so much for clarity because after figuring out No. 8–no rocket science there–it does get very confusing in looking at one through seven, which are only separated by five points.<\/p>\n
Norwich is at home this weekend hosting the NESCAC contingent from Maine. The Cadets have seemingly always won the regular season title and to repeat this year they will need some points this weekend against Colby and Bowdoin. Expect home ice and what is at stake overall to be the difference makers as Norwich should be hosting the Beacons from UMass-Boston next weekend.<\/p>\n
Cross state rival Castleton–who holds the head-to-head tiebreaker with Norwich after beating the Cadets will have to beat Wesleyan and Trinity this weekend to have a chance for the top spot. The unofficial Vermont sub-division champions (having beaten Middlebury, St. Michael\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and Norwich this season) will be pushing hard to win their first ever regular season title. <\/p>\n
They will need to take points from a Wesleyan team playing with an outside shot at the final playoff position and for pride as well as Trinity who can finish no worse than fourth in the final home ice spot. I believe Castleton will ultimately finish second, but not for lack of want for the top prize.<\/p>\n
New England College sits in third place just two points out of first but just three points out of seventh. The Pilgrims face Salem State and Southern Maine in the final weekend and both teams are just two and three points behind so these games really do matter. <\/p>\n
NEC has fought off the flu season and injury bug but will need to rekindle the level of play that got them off to a 9-2 start. The playoffs really start for NEC this week on the road trying to keep their home-ice berth. Earning a split gets it done for Tom Carroll\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s squad.<\/p>\n
Salem State has a tenuous hold on the final home position in this their final season as a member of ECAC East. Three teams are all within one point so there is little margin for error. Head coach Bill O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Neill has been consistent in stating he just wants his team to be playing its best at the end of the year. <\/p>\n