Doesn't one of the other ranking systems (HEAL???) consider home versus away games?  What does it show with respect to rankings?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Erik Biever 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 5:02 PM
Subject: Re: Schedule Strength


William Sangrey writes:

> I may be asking for it, but after the seedings came out, I am so frustrated
> with how the eastern teams were left out, I went looking at schedules.  After
> looking at the 5 teams from the WCHA that were deemed worth of a bid, and the
> best ECAC teams, it appears the way to get good RPI is to only play
> non-conference games at home.  Of the top five teams in the west, only North
> Dakota played more games away or on neutral ice (2H, 5A, 3N).  The other four
> teams played as follows:
> SCSU 5H3A
> Wis  4H 2A 2N (although those 2 N are the Badger Shootout)
> MN (7H 1A)
> CC (6H)
>
> While the top two in the ECAC
> SLU (1H 5A 3N)
> Clarkson (2H 4A 4N)
>
> On top of this, those home games are MAAC teams.  No one from the other
> conferences would go to the North Country.  How does the PWR/RPI take into
> account this bias in games?  It seems to me that there is a positive feedback
> on your opponents (especially conference teams) winning percentage if they
> play most of there games at home (thus aiding all the WCHA teams.)
>
> Comments?

OK, I'll bite.  Let's look at Minnesota's non-conference record:

NEUTRAL Notre Dame           W 7-3
AWAY    Bemidji State        W 9-3
HOME    Michigan State       L 3-2
HOME    Michigan             L 4-1
HOME    Quinnipiac           W 11-2
HOME    Union                W 3-2
HOME    Lake Superior State  W 5-4
HOME    Brown                W 3-1
HOME    Bemidji State        W 5-1

I don't think the record would have differed much regardless of where the games
were played.  That's just the way the schedule worked out this season.  Next
year, the College Hockey Showcase games against Michigan and Michigan State
will be played on the road.

The RPI formula, like it or not, treats all games equally.  That's not likely
to change anytime soon.  To alleviate the alleged bias, the Ice Hockey
Committee could add something like 'ratio of home/away non-conference games' as
a selection criterion.  That seems unlikely.


-- Erik