Just back from the Fleet Center, so here's my take on the numbers.
 
In the East,
 
Maine and St. Lawrence are clear 1 and 2
Niagara beats BC, BU, Colgate and loses to UNH
UNH beats BC and Niagara and loses to BU and Colgate
Colgate beats BC and UNH and loses to Niagara and BU
BU beats Colgate and UNH and loses to Niagara and BC
BC beats BU and loses to Niagara, UNH, and Colgate
Quinnipiac, if in, loses to all of the above.
 
So, if Niagara is included, the rankings are 3 Niagara; 4 UNH; 5 BU; 6
Colgate; 7 BC.
If Niagara is excluded, then 3 BU; 4 Colgate; 5 BC; 6 UNH
 
In the West, the rankings are clearly 1 Wisconsin; 2 North Dakota; 3
Michigan State; 4 Michigan; 5 St. Cloud; and 6 MSU-Mankato (if Niagara is
excluded).
 
So if Niagara is in:
1. Place UNH and Niagara as the 3 and 4 in the East, but switch them to
avoid the Maine-UNH matchup.
2. Send BC and BU to the West to keep the Hockey East teams apart, and send
St. Cloud to the East.
 
This leaves:
Maine - Niagara - Colgate
St. Lawrence - UNH - St. Cloud
Wisconsin - Michigan - Boston University
North Dakota - Michigan State - Boston College
 
If Niagara is out:
1. Send BC and UNH to the West, and send St. Cloud and MSU-Mankato to the
East.
 
This gives us:
Maine - Colgate - St. Cloud
St. Lawrence - Boston University - MSU-Mankato
Wisconsin - Michigan - Boston College
North Dakota - Michigan State - UNH
 
Neither one of these brackets seems controversial to me (except for the
issue of whether Niagara makes it or not). Certainly things have been
complicated by the closeness of the race in the East among the top seven
teams. (It was virtually a seven-way tie going into this weekend).
 
So, BC and St. Cloud fans, it looks like you're traveling. BU and UNH, the
only question is where. MSU-Mankato and Niagara, one of you is in.
 
Congratulations to all the teams, especially the first time qualifiers. See
you at the rink (as a BU fan I don't know where yet).
 
Patrick Abegg
 
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