At 08:18 PM 3/27/2005 -0500, Doug Peterson wrote:
>If nothing else, all those games can make a big difference when it comes
>down to Pairwise Comparisons, assuming you win most of them.

Yes, but even if you put the results aside and assume the WCHA teams (and
their PWR stats) are as good, but maybe no better than the other teams in
the tourney, perhaps they have an advantage merely from the fact that
they've had more experience playing tough opponents in a big-time
atmosphere (big arenas, TV timeouts).

Taking Minnesota and Cornell as an example.  Minnesota played 32 of their
41 games against TUCs (and 18 against tourney teams), while Cornell only
played 16 against TUCs and, if I count correctly, 7 against tourney
teams.  Minnesota had twice as much experience with tough
situations.  Twice as much opportunity to (learn to/gain confidence in
their ability to) deal with adversity against a tough opponent.  I don't
think anyone could say if this made a difference in this or any particular
game, but in the aggregate, it might help explain why the WCHA can go 8-1,
despite many of those victories being 1-goal or even OT games.

-Pam Sweeney
Go Gophers!!!