Craig McGowan notes and asks:
 
> I have seen a couple of predictions which put a Alaska into the east
> bracket, somewhere between 5th- and 3rd.
>
> A couple of questions:
>
>       1) Will Alaska be the team that crosses over?  I thought that they
>          were given equal status to all other teams from the west, and if
>          so, it looks to me like N. Michigan is the crossover team.
>
Craig, I don't understand your reasoning here.  Isn't the crossover
team the lowest-ranked in the region?  In the NCAA poll (and TCHCR,
UAA is ranked below NMU.
 
Thanks for Mike Machnik for his thoughtful analysis of the NMU/Wis/PC
probabilities.  They make great sense to me, Mike, and thanks if this
was in response to my earlier query, in particular.
 
> I don't think Wisconsin and NMU are guaranteed spots in the tourney.  PC
 
At this point I certainly agree!
 
> The winner of Wis-NMU in the WCHA semifinals is a good bet to be seeded
> higher and even has a shot at 4th or better.  The loser may not go at all,
> especially if it also drops the consolation.  . . .                   ted,
 
Most people around here seem to seriously disagree with the implication
that the semifinal loser would be omitted from the NCAA EVEN if it
goes on to win the consolation game.  But maybe we're dreamers . . .
 
And Justin Doherty remarked:
 
> To answer John Hughes' question regarding why the NCAA hockey
> tournament only has 12 teams...
>
> It has to do with the NCAA wanting to keep its national tournaments
> to a particular ratio, i.e., number of teams in the tournament vs.
> number of teams competting in that sport.  If I remember correctly,
> the NCAA's desired ratio is considerably higher for basketball than
> it is for hockey, which happens to be approximately 1 in every four
> teams.
>
Justin, in fact aren't the ratios pretty close in basketball and
hockey?  There are about 300 Div I basketball programs, and 64 teams
go to the tournament.  Thats about 21%.  12 of 45 hockey programs in
Div I which go to the nationals gives a ratio of 27%--not a great
difference, anyway.
>
And finally, Carol of U. Minn said:
 
>  If you're planning on coming to St Paul for the WCHA final four and would lik
>  to meet up with the local Minnesota contingent I will give you my seat locati
>   for a place to meet at the games.
>
>  I'll be in section 117 row S seat 9. Erik and his wife Paula are only one
>  section over so we all get together in-between the periods. Please DO stop by
>  and say hello!
>
>  If you would like to let us know you are coming...(especially you Duke, and
>  Steve C. if you're coming) please e-mail me where you'll be staying and if yo
>  know your seat assignments.
 
Carol, I'd LOVE to be there, but time constraints (my stacks of work
seem to be growing, not shrinking) prevent it.  Fortunately the local
cable TV system will carry both NMU games from St. Paul, so I will
at least sneak off Friday afternoon for the broadcast of the semis,
and will watch whichever second round game (hopefully the championship!)
the Wildcats are in on Saturday.
 
>
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                     *      Steve Christopher, NMU       *
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