Here is the current status (Max Pts is the amount each team could get by
winning all their remaining games):
Max
GP W-L-T Pts Pts Remaining Games
===========================================
1 New Hampshire 21 17-4-0 34 40 @Me, Prov, @BU
2 Boston University 20 14-2-4 32 40 @Me(2), Merr, UNH
3 Maine 20 12-7-1 25 33 UNH, BU(2), UMA
4 Providence 21 10-10-1 21 27 UML, @UML, @UNH
5 Merrimack 20 9-10-1 19 27 @NU, NU, @BU, BC
Mass Lowell 21 9-11-1 19 25 @Prov, Prov, @NU
7 Boston College 21 7-11-3 17 23 @UMA, NU, @Merr
8 Mass Amherst 22 7-15-0 14 18 BC, @Me
9 Northeastern 20 2-17-1 5 13 Merr, @Merr, @BC, UML
UNH and BU are locks for the top two positions; 1st place to be determined.
Maine is ineligible and probably third. Assuming Maine beats
UMass-Amherst, UMA will finish 8th, and Northeastern will finish 9th. The
other four teams (Providence, UMass-Lowell, Merrimack, and BC) are jammed
close together in the middle. Two will get home ice, and host the
remaining two teams; who plays who will be determined by the remaining
league games.
Providence and UMass-Lowell play this weekend; if either sweeps, they will
get home ice due to head-to-head tiebreakers. Merrimack can get home ice
by winning 3 of 4; maybe just 2 of 4 depending on other results. BC
probably needs to win all 3 of their games and get help from NU, BU, and
UNH to get home ice.
I see that it is possible for the 4 middle teams to all finish with 23
points. (PC split with UML, PC lose to UNH. Merrimack sweep NU, lose
to BU, BC. UML split with PC, beat NU. BC win all 3 remaining. There
are other combinations that can produce the same 23 points for all, or
ties at other point totals.) I hope the Hockey East tiebreakers can handle
that situation, as unlikely as it might be.
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Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask]
"Volunteer reporter" A positive BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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