The Minnesota Daily article was very interesting in its comments about the remaining schedule in the WCHA. But I think I would like to argue with its conclusions a bit, if I may. First, there has been an amazing amount of parity in the WCHA so far this season, with no teams establishing any sort of dominance. When one of a large number of teams starts to sweep a few series, anything can happen. There has been just one sweep in the WCHA since Christmas: Michigan Tech sweeping @St. Cloud. Every other team has managed to get at least a point, out of three weekends worth of games, including top teams playing the bottom of the conference. Let's take a look at the top few teams' remaining schedules: Colorado College: The Daily states that CC has the easiest schedule remaining, but I am not sure this is true. In strict terms of top half/bottom half, it is factually correct, but we need to keep in mind that the 2-7 spots are just 5 points apart in the standings. Colorado College has to play these games: Denver (home and home) @North Dakota (2) Michigan Tech (2) Northern Michigan (2) St. Cloud (2) @Alaska Anchorage (2) None of these series are particularly easy: Denver has won one game from them already; North Dakota is very tough, especially at home; Michigan Tech is a road team this year, having an outstanding away record (and a sadly pathetic home record); Northern Michigan is having a strong second half so far; St. Cloud is finally healthy (although I am awaiting word on their goalie Leitza, who was reported to be injured), and can do some damage (witness 9-2 win over North Dakota this week, and a similar drubbing of Denver @Denver two weeks ago); and in the last two weeks Alaska-Anchorage has beaten both Minnesota and Denver, riding the big shoulders of goalie Lee Schill, plus earlier this season, UAA took CC to overtime in Colorado. I can easily see 4-6 losses to CC over this stretch. This is not an obviously easy schedule. Denver has to play: Colorado College (home and home) Wisconsin (2) Minnesota (2) ?North Dakota (2) ?Michigan Tech (2) ?Northern Michigan (2) Also not easy. It becomes decidedly more difficult if they have to travel to Northern Michigan and North Dakota. One thing in Denver's favor: of the top three teams they face, 5 of 6 games are at Denver. Minnesota has to play: @Wisconsin (2) @Michigan Tech (2; Winter Carnival) Minn-Duluth (2) @Denver North Dakota (2) St. Cloud (home and home) Minnesota hasn't played particularly well at home this season, so the large number of road games is not THAT serious. Minn-Duluth may be making a second half run, winning 8 of 12 points in three weekends (more than any other team in the WCHA over that span), including wins against Colorado College, Denver, and Michigan Tech (currently 1,2,6 in the conference). The main problem with getting anywhere in the WCHA is the strong level of play from each team. In the last three weekends, each bottom half team has beaten one of the top teams in league play (and so, conversely, each top team has lost a game to someone at the bottom). It is difficult to say who is going to come out on top, although certainly Colorado College has the early advantage. But any team that can string together a number of wins is going to end up with home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. This is the tightest race I've seen in a while, in terms of every team in the conference having a decent shot at good positions. I predict that nearly all the teams will continue to split most of their games, but one or two teams will win several series. Which teams? Ooops! My crystal ball just blew a fuse! :-) This ain't over by a long shot! Lee-nerd [log in to unmask] "Violence is the last resort of the incompetent." --Isaac Asimov