In a message dated 2/29/2004 3:27:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> With one weekend of play remaining, we know the regular season champion
> (BC) and the schools with home ice in the HEA quarterfinals (BC, ME, MA
> and NH).  One of 2 teams will be eliminated from the playoffs (BU or
> NU).  Here's a bit more detail ...
>
> Tm record pts  now  best  worst  this weekend
> BC 17-2-3  37   1   1    1   @ME, @ME
>
> ME 15-5-2  32   2   2    2   BC, BC
>
> MA 12-7-3  27   3   3    4   @NU, NU
>
> NH 10-7-5  25   4   3    4   @BU, BU
>
> PC 7-10-6  20   5   5    5   ML
>
> MC 6-12-5  17   6   6    8   @ML
>
> ML 6-12-4  16   7   6    8   MC, @PC
>
> BU 5-13-4  14   8   6    9   NH, @NH
>
> NU 3-13-6  12   9   8    9   MA, @MA
> --------------------------------------------
>
> HEA tie-breakers are (1) head to head, (2) #conf wins, (3) Best record
> against 1st place team; 2nd place team, etc., (4) coin flip.  Three or
> more tied: good luck (see HEA web site)  ;-)
>
> Comments:
> MA/NH head-to-head is 1-1-1; NH holds tie breaker.
> MA clinches 3rd with 1 win.
> NH clinches 3rd with 3 pts more than MA, or MA=2ties and NH=2wins.
>
> BU/NU head-to-head is 1-1-1; NU holds tie breaker.
> BU needs 3 pts to clinch 8th.
> NU needs 3 pts more than BU to clinch 8th.
>
> cheers , wayne
>

BU cannot finish 6th.  If BU sweeps UNH, the Terriers will have 18 points.
Merrimack's lone remaining game is against UMass Lowell.  If Merrimack wins, it
will have 19 points to BU's 18.  If Merrimack ties, it will have 18 points,
and it would win the tie-breaker with BU (they are 1-1-1 head-to-head, but
Merrimack has a better record against Boston College).  If Merrimack loses to
Lowell, then Lowell would have at least 18 points, and Lowell wins the tie-breaker
with BU on head-to-head record (UML is 2-0-1 vs. BU).

If BU wins three points against UNH, it would have 17 points, but would
finish 7th only if Lowell loses to both Merrimack and Providence.   If Lowell ties
one of those games, it will also have 17 points, and UML wins the tie-breaker.

If BU sweeps UNH, it would have 18 points, but Lowell would still take 7th
place (and relegate BU to 8th) if it took two points against
Merrimack/Providence (a win or two ties).

Dave