I'll preface this by saying that I am a Minnesota Alum but I'm also just a
plain old college hockey fan.
 
Minnesota has played a very tough (bordering on suicidal) schedule this
year.  They played the current top 3 teams in the nation very even and B.C.
was #1 when they lost to MN if I remember correctly.  If not for a very late
goal they would have tied Wisconsin in the first game as well.  One
different bounce in any of the games other than the first CC game and we
could be looking at Minnesota with 8-10 wins rather than 4.
 
#1 Maine (L 3-5, L 4-5)
#2 NoDak even (2-2, L 2-3)
B.C. (W 6-5 ot, L 1-4)
#7 C.C.  (L 0-3, W 2-1)
#3 Wisconsin (L 3-4, L 4-5 ot)
Mn-Duluth (W 5-3, W 4-0)
 
This weekend they head off to play #6 Michigan followed by #4 Michigan
State.  After the Gophers start playing a "normal" schedule you will see
them increase the number of wins drastically.
 
Is Minnesota a top 10 team?  Nope.  Do they deserve some recognition for
playing one of the toughest schedules on record?  I believe so.
 
-----Original Message-----
From: The College Hockey Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Paul Gentile
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 1999 8:59 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: U.S. College Hockey Online Polls
>> 1 Maine (33)                  9-0-2  392     2
>> 2 North Dakota (7)            8-1-1  365     1
>> 3 Wisconsin                  10-2-0  277     5
>> 4 Michigan State             10-3-0  239     5
>> 6 Michigan                   10-3-0  177     4
>> 7 Colorado College            8-3-0  168    10
>>Others receiving votes: Northern Michigan 33,
>>Boston College 13,  Boston University 11, Cornell 10,
>>Niagara 3, Harvard 2, MSU-Mankato 2, Minnesota 1
 
Is there some sort of WCHA-biased voter (probably one of the 13
beat-writers) who always votes for Minnesota? This really hurts the
legitimacy of the poll when some guy actually places Minnesota (4-7-2) in
the #10 spot.
{snip}
There is no way Minnesota should have received a vote. Also,
Mankato was placed in the #10 slot by two voters as well.
 
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