Dan Falk put out the request for ECAC predictions with out all the math
 
Sorry Dan, but here just a little math, but it's only multiplication.
 
4 teams play 4 games against each other with 3 possible outcomes
(win/loss/tie) to each contest......result 81 combinations.
 
With the 5 possible (and I stress possible) point totals for Vermont
(0-4), that brings the total to 405 combinations.
 
Now to add the tie breakers, you must consider who will finish 8th
(Assuming either RPI and Princeton [a Saturday night match up] will
finish in that position) a few more combinations are add on a case by
case basis to make a grand total of 442.  This does not include the
possibility of ties broken by goal differential.
 
Because the of the distinct possibility of tie games, thus ties in the
standings, some interesting things showed up looking at these combinations.
 
Cornell wins almost all tie breakers and Clarkson loses ALL tie
breakers.  Thus Cornell has the most to gain in the standings by getting
just a single point.  To Clarkson a tie in many cases is not better than
a loss.  With that in mind, the question is....do you pull the goalie in a
tie game not knowing how the outcome of the other game might effect your
standings??
 
With the four teams (SLU, Clarkson, Cornell, and Colgate) teams playing so
well the past month, something has got to give, but a few ties or
splits all around would not be surprising.  But, the home ice advantage
could be the difference in any of the North Country games.  Also, Vermont
better not "blink" playing Harvard and Brown, or they could fall in the
standings very quickly.
 
For the teams that finish 4th and 5th, it will be a rematch next
weekend.  Who has the advantage, the winner of this weeks game (probably
with home ice) or the loser?  Remember, it can difficult to beat a closely
matched team three times in a row.
 
Can't wait til Friday, lots of excitement....lots of tension.
 
KP
 
Let's go Tech!
 
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