-- [ From: Adam Wodon * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --
 
All my hard work on Friday night went for naught <G>.
 
I spent a couple hours figuring all the permutations and combinations
of the ECAC playoff possibilities, and, as it turns out, the ONLY tie
that actually occured was between BROWN and RPI for 7th,
   but that was the easiest to break -- Brown swept the season series,
2-0.
 
   ALL of the other potential ties between two teams following Friday's
games, would have consisted between teams that split the season series -
- is that amazing or what? That includes a potential 3-way tie for 1st
with UVM, SLU and Clarkson -- all split with each other (SLU would've
won a 3-way tie).
 
   The most interesting tie that never materialized would've been
between SLU and Vermont.
   Had SLU won and Vermont lost, combined with the tie of Colgate and
Clarkson -- it would've caused the tie to be broken by having to
utilize the FOURTH tiebreaker ... head-to-head goal differential (which,
again, SLU would've won).  As a matter of fact, SLU won almost all
tiebreaker possibilities with Vermont and Clarkson, while Clarkson won
none, and therefore, had no chance for first after Vermont's win on
Friday.
    Anyway, had that tie panned out, as I mentioned, you would've had
to go to Record vs. Top 4, which was dependent upon whether Cornell or
Colgate finished 4th!
    And since a SLU win over Cornell, and Colgate tie would've caused a
tie for 4th -- things got VERY sticky.
    That's because Cornell/Colgate split, AND had the same record vs.
the TOP 4.
    If Princeton had beaten RPI (and finished 8th), then Cornell
would've won in the RECORD vs. TOP 8 tiebreaker -- BUT -- RPI won, and,
therefore, CORNELL and COLGATE WERE STILL TIED in Record vs. Top 8!
    Therefore, in order to find out who finished 4th, you would need
goal differential in the head-to-head games, which Cornell would've won
also.
    AND THEREFORE, SLU would've won the tiebreaker because of the
better record vs. the TOP 4 than Vermont.
 
    Unfortunately, this didn't work out that way.  DARN!  It was fun
figuring it out -- I just wish it was useful <G>.
 
    Anyway, quick thoughts on the series.
 
PRELIM
------
#7 Brown vs. #10 Princeton
       Princeton is 4-3-1 in the last 8 - the best of any team in the
bottom 7 in the standings. Brown, I believe, has lost 6 in a row and
recently had a key senior quit the team.
   What does this mean -- well, if there's one thing I've learned in my
life of watching sports is, expect the unexpected, and I don't think
past records are going to mean a thing.
   Still, I'll take Princeton - (only because the coaches and players
reading the list will kill me if I say otherwise).
 
#8 RPI vs. #9 Dartmouth
       RPI turned things around with a good final weekend, but so did
Dartmouth.  Whoever gets the better goaltending will win. I say, RPI.
 
 
QUARTERS
--------
#10 Princeton at #1 Vermont
      Princeton always plays close vs. Vermont, but always loses.
Actually, last time they beat Vermont was in a 7 vs. 10 game in 1993 at
Gutterson - the last time Vermont didn't sell out.  Don't expect a non-
sellout this time -- sorry guys, have to go with Vermont (prove me
wrong).
 
#8 RPI at #2 Clarkson
      Clarkson always make the Final Four, right? Clarkson sweep.
 
#6 Harvard at #3 St. Lawrence
      The best chance for an upset -- though Harvard has just gone down
the proverbial hill, very quickly.  It can't all be because of Mike
Bent. SLU only got 1 pt. at home in the last weekend, that's a
disappointment, but there's no sign Harvard will turn things around,
and SLU did play two good teams.
    SLU in 2
 
#5 Colgate at #4 Cornell
    If Princeton loses Tuesday, I'll be at this series.  This will be a
great series.
    It will match two former Assistant Coaches under Brian McCutcheon --
Don Vaughn and Mike Schafer. Most people credit those two with
recruiting the players that led Cornell to the Boston Garden every year
between '88 and '92.
    Actually, the last time Cornell hosted a quarterfinal series was
1991 against Colgate -- they blitzed them in two straight -- the scores
were like, 7-2 and 8-1.  This came a week after Cornell blew a chance
to win the ECAC regular-season title. Cornell went 0-3-1 in the last 4
to blow a comfortable lead.  They went on to lose in OT to SLU in the
semifinal, made the NCAA Tournament, beat Michigan in game 1, then lost
the next 2.
    This is the best Cornell team since then.  Lynah will be raucous
and that makes a BIG difference.  But, I like Colgate and Vaughn gets
his teams up - they have a great coaching staff.
    I see a war, and I'm picking Cornell, in OT, in Game 3.
 
 
After that ... stay tuned.
 
AW
 
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