This is a little thing that I wrote for a group of friends of mine.
This is simply my opinion.  Please, if you guys disagree, LET ME KNOW!!
I will be at Yost so I will see for myself if my picks are correct.
Remember, this was intended for a few friends so you will be able to see
that I love my Spartans and hate the "Skunk-bears" to the East.
 
 
Pairings for Each Region
 
5W Yale vs. 4W Ohio State
 
Both Ohio State and Yale are surprises to be here.  Yale was picked to
finish 10th in their conference, and Ohio State was picked to finish
8th.  It didn’t happen that way.  Yale won the regular season ECAC race
and Ohio State finished a strong third behind top ranked MSU and #5
Michigan.  Yale got the bid to the tourney because of winning the ECAC
regular season, but they didn’t get past the second round of the ECAC
tourney.  Ohio State, on the other hand, advanced to the CCHA finals
against MSU and gave them a great game that went to double overtime.
Ohio State, despite their history, is a very talented team and currently
ranked 6th in the Pairwise.  They received an at-large bid to the
tourney and certainly deserve to be there.  Yale lost their senior
captain to injury this weekend.  Taking everything into consideration,
look for Ohio State to easily advance to the second round.
 
Derek’s Pick: Ohio State 5 Yale 1
 
1W Michigan State vs. (5W Yale/4W Ohio State) winner
 
#1 ranked MSU is the only team this year to win both the conference race
and the tourney.  Although it took double overtime to do it, MSU won
their first title since 1990.  MSU has put 4 trophies in the case this
year (IceBreaker, GLI, CCHA Regular Season, and CCHA Tourney) and there
is no reason to think they won’t finish with a fifth.  No matter who
advances to play MSU, they will be outmatched in every department.  Chad
Albon (who is the current front-runner for the Hobey Baker) is the best
goaltender in the country with a 1.54 GAA.  In front of Albon is the
best defense in the country (leading in every stat except powerplay).
MSU offence features Hobey Baker finalist Mike York as well as Sean
Berens centering the wingers.  MSU is loaded as well in offensive talent
on both wings, with a powerplay currently running at 22%.  I expect MSU
to roll over their first objective for a couple of reasons (none of
which I mean disrespect to the other teams).  First, 17 of the last 20
bye teams advanced.  There are reasons for that.  Fatigue was a factor
in the CCHA championship game, and Ohio State is playing the late game.
MSU has faced Ohio State four times this season, and beaten them 3 out
of 4.  If Yale is their opponent, MSU’s defense should keep a mediocre
offense at bay.  Both Yale and Ohio State deserve to be in the tourney,
but MSU is simply too much for either squad in NCAA play.
 
Derek’s Pick: MSU 5 Ohio State 2
 
6E Colorado College vs. 3E Clarkson
 
If you notice, all four of the first games are a west vs. east game.
Colorado College was certainly on the bubble, and they get shipped out
east to play the Knights of Clarkson.  Clarkson finished just one point
behind Yale in the ECAC points race, and received an at-large bid to the
tourney.  Colorado College finished third in the WCHA behind #2 North
Dakota and #10 Wisconsin.  Colorado College finished the season with 10
loses, just as many as Wisconsin but played a much easier schedule than
the Badgers.  I see
Clarkson winning this game based solely on what they did all season.  I
did not follow these teams throughout the season and expect neither one
to pack their bags for Boston.
 
Derek’s Pick: Clarkson 3 Colorado College 2
 
2E Boston College vs. (6E CC/3E Clarkson) winner
 
The only chance Clarkson has here is the fact they are the host school.
Maybe a fluke goal or two will let Clarkson (if, in fact, they even get
here) move on, but I really doubt it.  Boston College is arguably the
hottest team in the country with a 10-0-2 mark to end the season.  B.C
won the Hockey East Tourney earning their bid.  Regardless of the Hockey
East results, Boston College would be here any ways.  I expect Boston
College to move onto the Final Four in Boston with a resounding win over
the host school.
 
Derek’s Pick: Boston College 6 Clarkson 2
 
5E New Hampshire vs. 4E Wisconsin
 
Wisconsin is good.  It’s that simple.  Wisconsin has played MSU,
Michigan, and North Dakota during the regular season.  They lost to MSU
twice, Michigan once, but they beat then #1 North Dakota in the WCHA
finals.  Wisconsin may have not been here if they didn’t win the
tourney, but they should have been based on what Wisconsin has done
during those games.  Granted, they lost a lot but at least they played
those teams.   New Hampshire, on the other hand, has really struggled of
late.  The Wildcats are a tough team to figure out.  I think Wisconsin
is going to carry the momentum from their North Dakota win into this
game, and send New Hampshire packing.  If there was any team I would not
want to face in the first round, it’s the Badgers.  Look for the
Badger’s to thump the Wildcats.
 
Derek’s Pick: Wisconsin 5 New Hampshire 2
 
1E Boston University vs. (5E NH/4E Wisconsin) winner
 
It seems that Boston University gets no respect.  The #1 ranking in the
national polls switched between MSU and North Dakota.  Boston University
deserved a #1 nod at certain times of the season.  Whoever wins the New
Hampshire/Wisconsin game might as well stay home.  Boston is loaded with
offense including Chris Drury who is a finalist (and possible winner)
for the Hobey Baker.  Although Chris’s numbers have slipped this year,
the rest of the team certainly hasn’t.  Boston U went 18-4-2 during the
Hockey East regular season.  I don’t care about Merrimack beating them
because I think BU was caught looking ahead.  Well now the tourney is
here, and Boston is a contender.   Boston will advance to the final
four, and turn some heads doing it.
 
Derek’s Pick: Boston University 6 Wisconsin 1
 
6W Princeton vs. 3W Michigan
 
Whenever we get a match-up like this, people always talk upset.
Princeton is not that good. They are lucky.  They finished 7th in the
ECAC but won the Tourney.  In fact, they only won seven games in the
conference (a weak conference).  Remember that Yale won the ECAC race,
but bowed out early in the tourney.  Michigan is the host school, and
Yost is a miserable place to play.  Michigan led most of the season in
the CCHA points race, but looked awful in the CCHA playoffs.  This is
certainly not the same team Michigan had last year, but they are still
really good.  The Wolverines might get caught looking ahead to North
Dakota, but that still won’t make a difference.  The more interesting
game is the next night.
 
Derek’s Pick: Michigan 4 Princeton 0
 
2W North Dakota vs. (6W Princeton/3W Michigan) winner
 
Okay, a little history we can all appreciate here.  Before we go on,
STATISTICS LIE!  However, take a gander at what I have noticed about
Michigan this year:
 
October 17th, 1997 Colgate 2 Michigan 1
This was Michigan’s first home loss in two years.  Is Michigan slipping?
 
October 25th, 1997 Michigan State 4 Michigan 2
What?  MSU beating Michigan in Yost???  How can the Wolverines let this
happen?
November 11th, 1997  Northern Michigan 1 Michigan 0
This was Michigan first goal-less game in nearly three years.
Michigan’s awesome offense shut out?
December 28th, 1997 Michigan State 5 Michigan 3
Hold on, Michigan lost the GLI to the Spartans at Yost West???  Nine
year run is over?
February 21st, 1998 Michigan State 4 Michigan 1
Once again, Michigan losing at the Joe?
March 3rd, 1998   Notre Dame 4 Michigan 2
Whoa!  Michigan lost to Notre Dame?  At home?  In the playoffs?
March 15th, 1997   Michigan wins three game series at home against Notre
Dame, but Michigan only lead in the three games for 14 minutes.
March 29th, 1998  Michigan again loses to Ohio State in the Joe due to
fluke goals let in by Turco.
 
What does all this mean?  Michigan can be beaten.  They can be beaten at
the Joe, and at Yost.  Look, if Michigan let MSU beat them four times
this season, what does that tell you?  Michigan’s so called “home ice
advantaged” isn’t much of one.  Michigan fans have the stupidest chants,
the most bandwagon fans, and one of the worst buildings in the country.
Even with all that help, Michigan still loses, and loses the big games.
This game will be a good game, but the fact is North Dakota is better.
Much better.  North Dakota has most of that years's NCAA championship
team..  Michigan may score first, or Turco will make a save we will hear
about for a week, but I don’t think that will be enough.  Michigan is
done making National Title runs for a while.  A lot of Michigan streaks
ended this season.  We know that, and the Michigan team certainly knows
that!  Michigan will fall to North Dakota, but Michigan will make it
look good.
 
Derek’s Pick: North Dakota 3 Michigan 2
 
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