The Minnesota Daily article was very interesting in its comments
about the remaining schedule in the WCHA. But I think I would like to
argue with its conclusions a bit, if I may.
 
 
First, there has been an amazing amount of parity in the WCHA so far
this season, with no teams establishing any sort of dominance. When
one of a large number of teams starts to sweep a few series, anything
can happen. There has been just one sweep in the WCHA since
Christmas: Michigan Tech sweeping @St. Cloud. Every other team has
managed to get at least a point, out of three weekends worth of
games, including top teams playing the bottom of the conference.
 
Let's take a look at the top few teams' remaining schedules:
 
Colorado College: The Daily states that CC has the easiest schedule
remaining, but I am not sure this is true. In strict terms of top
half/bottom half, it is factually correct, but we need to keep in
mind that the 2-7 spots are just 5 points apart in the standings.
 
Colorado College has to play these games:
 
Denver (home and home)
@North Dakota (2)
Michigan Tech (2)
Northern Michigan (2)
St. Cloud (2)
@Alaska Anchorage (2)
 
None of these series are particularly easy: Denver has won one game
from them already; North Dakota is very tough, especially at home;
Michigan Tech is a road team this year, having an outstanding away
record (and a sadly pathetic home record); Northern Michigan is
having a strong second half so far; St. Cloud is finally healthy
(although I am awaiting word on their goalie Leitza, who was reported
to be injured), and can do some damage (witness 9-2 win over North
Dakota this week, and a similar drubbing of Denver @Denver two weeks
ago); and in the last two weeks Alaska-Anchorage has beaten both
Minnesota and Denver, riding the big shoulders of goalie Lee Schill,
plus earlier this season, UAA took CC to overtime in Colorado. I can
easily see 4-6 losses to CC over this stretch. This is not an
obviously easy schedule.
 
Denver has to play:
Colorado College (home and home)
Wisconsin (2)
Minnesota (2)
?North Dakota (2)
?Michigan Tech (2)
?Northern Michigan (2)
 
Also not easy. It becomes decidedly more difficult if they have to
travel to Northern Michigan and North Dakota. One thing in Denver's
favor: of the top three teams they face, 5 of 6 games are at Denver.
 
Minnesota has to play:
@Wisconsin (2)
@Michigan Tech (2; Winter Carnival)
Minn-Duluth (2)
@Denver
North Dakota (2)
St. Cloud (home and home)
 
Minnesota hasn't played particularly well at home this season, so the
large number of road games is not THAT serious. Minn-Duluth may be
making a second half run, winning 8 of 12 points in three weekends
(more than any other team in the WCHA over that span), including wins
against Colorado College, Denver, and Michigan Tech (currently 1,2,6
in the conference).
 
The main problem with getting anywhere in the WCHA is the strong
level of play from each team. In the last three weekends, each bottom
half team has beaten one of the top teams in league play (and so,
conversely, each top team has lost a game to someone at the bottom).
 
It is difficult to say who is going to come out on top, although
certainly Colorado College has the early advantage. But any team that
can string together a number of wins is going to end up with home ice
advantage in the first round of the playoffs. This is the tightest
race I've seen in a while, in terms of every team in the conference
having a decent shot at good positions.
 
I predict that nearly all the teams will continue to split most of
their games, but one or two teams will win several series. Which
teams? Ooops! My crystal ball just blew a fuse! :-) This ain't over
by a long shot!
 
                                                Lee-nerd
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"Violence is the last resort of the incompetent." --Isaac Asimov