At 10:11 AM 3/10/97 -0400, David Morgenstern wrote:
 
>I am curious to see the tourney seeding predictions from the people that
>usually post them.  I don't think I know enough about the west to make them
>so I am interested in those posts.  Particularly what might happen in the
>East.  My personal feelings is that Clarkson has sewn up #1, and that if BU
>or UNH wins the HE tourney they will get the other.  I know from the
>previous posts that Vermont was the favorite for #2, but I don't see the
>justification for them getting a bye now.  They finished third in their
>league (barely) and lost on home ice in the ECACs.  I think that will weigh
>heavily against them when the committee looks into the seedings.
 
If BU wins the HE Tournament, they will receive an automatic bye.  According
to USCHO Correspondent Dave Hendrickson, this was discussed on a conference
call with the NCAA Selection Committee today and if a team wins both the
regular season championship and the postseason tournament, they will be
given a bye.
 
Since BU is the #1 seed in Hockey East, if they win the HE Tournament, they
will be at least the #2 East team.
 
If Clarkson wins the ECAC, they'd be assured a bye too, but it looks as
though that will happen anyways.  Michigan and North Dakota can also earn
automatic byes with wins in their respective conference tournaments.
 
What is potentially interesting is that if BU and UNH meet in the HE finals
and BU wins, UNH could have a better PWR but would likely be no better than
a no. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, thus having to play two games to get to
the final four.  This rule of automatic byes could really hurt UNH.
 
 
 
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Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])
 
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