Greenie wrote:
>
>How do other coaches around college hockey feel? Are people of the mind
>that you must CRUSH every single opponent by as many goals possible to
>prove dominance and help your standing in the polls (like in football)? Or
>do coaches simply concentrate on the key games of the season?
 
This has been one of the aspects of polling that really bugs me.  Over the
years, it has become apparent to me that the margin of victory over weak
opponents has very little to do with a team's ability to beat top
competition.  The perfect example is the Northwestern football team this
year.  (Ooooh, I'm jealous that my sister get to go to Pasadena.)  Unless
the other team completely handed them the game (I'm not naming names, but
there's a traditional hockey power that should be pretty embarrassed.) the
score remained close.  Heck, even the Gophers played them within ten
points.  This did not keep the Wildcats from beating some of the best teams
in the country.
  The same thing happens in hockey.  A few years ago, Michigan routinely
destroyed all of the weaker teams on their schedule, but couldn't yet get
over the hump to beat the Lake State's of the world.
  In answer to your last question, then, I'm not yet ready to put Colorado
College at the top.  I would still rank BU ahead of them.  (Hey, maybe I
should start mailing Glen Keeney?)
 
J. Michael Jackson
 
NOT IN THE FACE! NOT IN THE FACE!
 
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