After I put up this year’s ECAC permutations last week, I was asked
(seriously, I think?) if I could come up with something similar for the
WCHA, so here’s a crack at it.  This one’s a bit more boring than the usual
ECAC version, partly because two of the WCHA teams have already finished
their league seasons, and partly because the WCHA tiebreakers are
mind-numbingly straightforward.  No infinite loop possibilities -- where’s
the fun in that??

Anyway, three of the WCHA seedings have already been determined.
Regardless of this weekend’s results, Minnesota has wrapped up the #1 seed,
while Minnesota State will finish seventh and Alaska-Anchorage tenth.  (The
latter two teams are the ones that have finished their seasons)  Here’s a
breakdown of where the other seven teams could finish.  For each team, I’ve
listed the following:

THIS WEEKEND:  The team’s last two games of the season.
ON THEIR OWN:  The highest the team could finish with no help from the
    competition.  Generally, this involves a sweep.
BEST CASE:  The highest the team could finish if everything goes right.
WORST CASE:  The lowest the team could finish if everything goes wrong.
    This generally involves getting swept while teams nearby in the
    standings win.
TIEBREAKERS:  How the team would fare if they finished the season tied with
    some other team which is currently close (i.e. within 4 points) in the
    standings.  Note that there may be cases in which Team A “could win or
    lose” the tiebreaker against Team B, depending on whether there are more
    than those two teams tied.  For example, North Dakota would win the
    tiebreaker against Colorado College based either on league wins or goal
    differential; however, in a three-way tie involving those two and St.
    Cloud State, North Dakota would actually be seeded below Colorado
    College.

For two or more teams tied in the standings, the WCHA tiebreakers are:

1.  Head-to-head record in WCHA games (non-conference meetings, such as in
    tournaments, do not count).
2.  Most WCHA wins.
3.  Fewest goals allowed head-to-head (used only if the teams played a four-
    game series against each other).
4.  Goal differential in WCHA games.


Denver:
     THIS WEEKEND:  At Colorado College, Colorado College.
     ON THEIR OWN:  Wraps up second place with three points.
     BEST CASE:  Second.
     WORST CASE:  Falls to fourth if they lose twice and Wisconsin gets at
     least two points.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Beats Wisconsin.  (Denver and Colorado College cannot
     finish tied)

Wisconsin:
     THIS WEEKEND:  St. Cloud State, St. Cloud State.
     ON THEIR OWN:  Clinches third with two points.
     BEST CASE:  Climbs to second with a sweep if Denver gets no more than
     two points.
     WORST CASE:  Would finish fourth if they lose twice and Colorado College
     gets at least three points.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Beats Colorado College; loses to Denver.

Colorado College:
     THIS WEEKEND:  Denver, at Denver.
     ON THEIR OWN:  A sweep gives CC third place.
     BEST CASE:  Finishes second with a sweep if Wisconsin gets no more than
     one point.
     WORST CASE:  Drops to sixth if they lose twice, St. Cloud State sweeps,
     and North Dakota gets at least three points.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Beats St. Cloud; could win or lose against North Dakota.

St. Cloud State:
     THIS WEEKEND:  At Wisconsin, at Wisconsin.
     ON THEIR OWN:  Gets fifth with two wins.
     BEST CASE:  Clinches fourth with a sweep if Colorado College loses
     both games.
     WORST CASE:  Finishes sixth if they lose twice and North Dakota does
     not.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Beats North Dakota; loses to Colorado College.

North Dakota:
     THIS WEEKEND:  Michigan Tech, Michigan Tech.
     ON THEIR OWN:  Can do no better than sixth without help.
     BEST CASE:  Finishes fourth with two wins if St. Cloud State does not
     sweep and Colorado College gets no more than one point.
     WORST CASE:  Sixth.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Loses to St. Cloud State; could win or lose against
     Colorado College.

Michigan Tech:
     THIS WEEKEND:  At North Dakota, at North Dakota.
     ON THEIR OWN:  One point gives Michigan Tech eighth place.
     BEST CASE:  Eighth.
     WORST CASE:  Would finish ninth if they lose twice and Minnesota-Duluth
     sweeps.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Beats Minnesota-Duluth.

Minnesota-Duluth:
     THIS WEEKEND:  At Minnesota, at Minnesota.
     ON THEIR OWN:  Has clinched ninth and can do no better without help.
     BEST CASE:  Gets eighth place with a sweep if Michigan Tech loses twice.
     WORST CASE:  Ninth.
     TIEBREAKERS:  Loses to Michigan Tech.


--
Bill Fenwick                                                 DJF   5/27/94
Cornell '86 and '95                                          JCF   12/2/97
LET'S GO RED!!