Predictably, the responses came in to Steve T's impassioned plea for more
respect for UMass-Lowell. I would have let the comments pass and not get
involved in the flames, but there have been some comments made about UML's
strength of schedule that I feel obligated to rebut.
It was (rhetorically) asked what top ten teams have the Chiefs beaten? The
facts are that they HAVE beaten top ten teams. UNH has been in the top ten
and in UMass-Lowell's home-and-home they beat UNH 6-3 at home and lost 3-1
at UNH (a 2-1 game plus an open netter and as I recall there was some
controversy in the game, but in any case a loss is a loss is a loss).
Northeastern has been in, or hovered around, the top 10 and UML has taken 5 out
of 6 points from them. UML shut out Maine 5-0 at Alfond at a time when I'm
quite sure Maine was still in the top ten, at a time when beating Maine was a
BIG achievement. They beat Brown 10-1, and Brown has been a top fifteen team
and second in the ECAC.
In fact, if you look at opponent's win percentage, Umass-Lowell has a higher
opponent's win percentage than many top teams. There is nothing substandard
about UML's schedule. (I include part of Erik Biever's index as exhibit A.)
Opp OppOpp
G W L T Win% Win% Win% RPICH
1 Michigan 28 25- 2- 1 .9107 .5052 .4998 .5842
2 Boston University 23 18- 5- 0 .7826 .5431 .5225 .5828
3 New Hampshire 25 16- 8- 1 .6600 .5537 .5074 .5564
4 Minnesota 26 15- 8- 3 .6346 .5435 .5163 .5508
5 Northeastern 24 15- 6- 3 .6875 .5026 .5276 .5496
6 Northern Michigan 26 16- 9- 1 .6346 .5430 .5129 .5493
7 Mass Lowell 24 14- 5- 5 .6875 .5099 .5038 .5430
8 Colorado College 26 17- 7- 2 .6923 .4791 .5186 .5375
9 Michigan State 25 15- 7- 3 .6600 .5036 .5069 .5362
10 Wisconsin 26 15-10- 1 .5962 .5176 .5193 .5340
11 Lake Superior 29 18- 9- 2 .6552 .4720 .5096 .5237
12 Western Michigan 24 13- 9- 2 .5833 .5094 .4999 .5204
13 St Cloud 24 13- 8- 3 .6042 .4641 .5234 .5159
14 Boston College 23 10-10- 3 .5000 .5318 .5070 .5155
15 Maine 21 9-11- 1 .4524 .5532 .5088 .5153
16 RPI 19 12- 5- 2 .6842 .4600 .4852 .5149
IMO were it not for UML's terrible performances against RPI and BU right
after the Christmas break, they would legitimately deserve a top five ranking,
perhaps as high as third.
Were those losses the result of the Christmas break, or did the Chiefs not
belong on the ice with those two teams? I think the Christmas break DID have
a lot to do with the Chief's showings. I will grant you that BU is a better
team than UML, but certainly not 9-1 better. I don't believe that RPI is a
better team and certainly not 11-3 better. Play that game today and I think
you'll get a very good game. ANd I'll put my money on UML. Against BU I'll
want some odds. :-)
Let me just add that I don't bow down at the shrine of UML hockey. I am a fan
and enjoy the team, but I think I'm reasonably objective, too. After the
two damaging losses, UML dropped out of my top 15. But I think the entire
season shows that those two losses were an abberation and not a true indicator
of the team's strength.
We'll find out this week. If UML splits with BU, then you've got to look past
the post-holiday blowouts and put them around 5th or so. If they lose
both games, but they're both close, then around 9th or so would seem to be
fair. And if they get blown out both games... kiss them off, they'll have no
claim to top ten status until they prove otherwise.
***************************************************** ,-******-,
* Dave Hendrickson "Robo" [log in to unmask] * *' ## '*
* A Hockey Polygamist and Get-A-Lifer * *## ___##___ ##*
* GO BROONS!!! Go Red Wings!! Go LA Kings! * * ##| ___ \## *
* GO UMASS-LOWELL!!! Go Maine!! Go BU! * * | |___) | *
* --------------------------------------------------* *######| ___ <######*
* Although I can't remember ever having an original * * | |___) | *
* thought, and am certainly parroting someone who * * ##|________/## *
* actually has a brain, these opinions are mine, * *## ## ##*
* not Hewlett-Packard's. * *, ## ,*
***************************************************** '-*******-'
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