Carol White quotes an interesting Star Tribune article:
 
> The strength of schedule now is based on a formula in which winning percentage
      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> is 20 percent, opponents' winning percentage is 40 percent, and the winning
> percentage of a team's opponents' opponents is another 40 percent.
 
This is wrong. I don't know if Laing mis-spoke, was mis-quoted or what
(but I am calling around!), but the STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE does not include
winning percentage. What they are describing here is the power rating system,
of which schedule strength is a part of.
 
The NCAA first used these 20-40-40 numbers for baseball & basketball
a while back. This is the first year the hockey dudes have used them.
I don't know where the 20-40-40 numbers came from, but they do a decent
job of combining performance and schedule in an equal way.
 
> Gophers coach Doug Woog said he was disappointed to find out before the game
> that his team, the WCHA runner-up at 28-6-5, was summarily dismissed as
> inferior to Michigan, the CCHA runner-up at 32-7-3.
 
> "I'd like to play Miami of Ohio four times," Woog said, referring to
> Michigan's schedule and renewing the annual question of whether the WCHA or
> the CCHA is better. "And then Ohio State. You would think that we might be
> judged close enough to Michigan that this game could be a factor in the
> decision.
 
Doug does have a case, but why he chose to bash OSU & Miami, I do not
understand. The WCHA has its cellar-dwellers, too (and he padded his
record with 7 wins against Denver & CC this year). Even if the Gophers
win the title, Michigan still has a better winning percentage. And
remember folks, the title game is just another game when the SEEDINGS
are figured. Winning the cup will ensure that you get in the tourney,
but it does *not* guarantee any other special consideration.
 
Actually, Doug, you would have been judged a lot closer to Michigan if
you played better teams out of conference. In fact, your only two wins
in Division I out of conference were against Huntsville & Notre Dame
(they lost to BC in the only other game). Not surprisingly, Minnesota
has the third easiest schedule of the WCHA teams (according to the NCAA
numbers).
 
So, Doug, quit crying and actually schedule some CCHA opponents and prove
you are better than them.
 
 
Keith, defender of Ohio college hockey (^;