December 8, 2025 • 30 mins
Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.
They start with the weekend's Michigan vs. Michigan State series, with both visiting teams securing wins, while looking at Wisconsin's dominance and Dartmouth's 10-0 start.
In the second segment, they look at the performance of various teams in the NPI, and the gap between perception and performance for preseason favorites like Boston University and Minnesota.
The episode wraps with a conversation about the long holiday break in college hockey and the impressive showing of college players in Team Canada's preliminary World Juniors roster.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour
Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts
They start with the weekend's Michigan vs. Michigan State series, with both visiting teams securing wins, while looking at Wisconsin's dominance and Dartmouth's 10-0 start.
In the second segment, they look at the performance of various teams in the NPI, and the gap between perception and performance for preseason favorites like Boston University and Minnesota.
The episode wraps with a conversation about the long holiday break in college hockey and the impressive showing of college players in Team Canada's preliminary World Juniors roster.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour
Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Usccho dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to us CHO Weekend Review from Monday, December eighth,
twenty twenty five. I'm Met Treshker alongside Jim Conley and
Derek Scooley. This podcast is sponsored by the NCAA Men's
Division one Frozen four April ninth and eleventh in Las Vegas.
Visit NCAA dot com slash m Frozen four for tickets. Well,
(00:39):
it was the heavyweight showdown two fifteen roundabouts, I guess
you could say, over the weekend Michigan and Michigan State.
The visiting team won both games. Friday at Montarena in
East Lansing a three nothing win by the Wolverines over
the Spartans, and then Saturday back at EOST Michigan State
(01:00):
downing Michigan three to one. Did we learn anything from this?
Can we tell who's the better team out of this?
Or are they just one A and one B neck
and neck tied at the top?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
What do we know?
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Great?
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Is that to say heavyweight battle between Michigan and Michigan State.
It's been a long time coming to be able to say.
I mean this is the old CCHA back in the
two thousand's, late nineties, all the Red Bearns in Ron
Mason days. I was excited to see this weekend and
to see a split doesn't surprise me one bit, but
(01:36):
to see the way it went down, the visiting team
winning was actually kind of surprised to me. And to
see the way it happened with low scoring, I guess
finally a team got to Michigan and kept them.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Below their average of four goals. You would think four
goals per game, not four goals.
Speaker 6 (01:57):
On a weekend.
Speaker 7 (02:00):
Yeah, I mean, I look at you know, the way
that this series played out.
Speaker 6 (02:04):
You know, out here in the East.
Speaker 7 (02:05):
I was talking to people and they were saying, how
on Friday night after they covered their games, journalists were saying,
I went home and watched the Michigan Michigan State game
on DVR. I had to watch that game. That's how
good of a game that was. And that's the whole weekend.
It played out perfectly. The question though, now for me
is where do I go with my votes in the poll?
(02:28):
And I actually had to go with Wisconsin is number
one because I'm sitting there saying, Wisconsin's doing everything right.
Speaker 6 (02:34):
They crushed Notre Dame this weekend.
Speaker 7 (02:36):
Michigan Michigan state both Louis So I guess now I'm
really confused.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Really who should be number one? For me? It's Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Another big story I though with Wisconsin also.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
That's another big story, another one from the Jeff sour
era of coming back to back in the day you'd
have those were the dean of coaches, like when I
was playing Jeff Sour, Ron Mason red Berenson, that was
that was it of like college hockey, the deans of coaching,
(03:08):
and now you're talking about all of them and the
top three potentially. I mean, that's to see those teams back,
that's a that's a big story.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
And the poll is going to come out just after
we record this, but we're going to see the fun
situation of Michigan staying number one, but Wisconsin getting more
first place votes by a couple Maybe it was yours
and mind Jim that we're the two, but I was
with you, you know, it's like, how do you decide
between those two teams right there? Well, while Wisconsin's doing
(03:38):
what it's doing with only twelve losses, couple ties in
there too, But the Badgers have really rebounded from a
rough season last year.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
In an emphatic way, so that that's you.
Speaker 7 (03:51):
I think when you look at your poll ballot in
this situation, any of those three teams worthy and you
might even find other teams. We'll get into this of
who's still who's not and all of that, but there's
other teams maybe that could go in there as well.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, And speaking of the poll ballot, just just in
aside here, when you see a weekend where just about
everybody who was in the top twenty had splits or
even got swept in a couple of cases like Maine
at the hands in New Hampshire, how do you how
do you rank teams at that point?
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Everybody?
Speaker 2 (04:25):
You can't move everybody down, who loses so and and
who sneaks in it.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
It was a tough a tough ballot for me this week.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
It was for me as well.
Speaker 7 (04:39):
I mean I I I always when I'm kind of
trying to figure out who I'm going to a place
where I look at the past week and results, but
I always do put it in the last column. I
put what the current record of that team is, because
I don't want to just get skewed by what happened
in the in the previous weekend. Only I think that
having some you know, some sort of qualifier of where
(05:03):
that team is in the overall standings make.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Yeah, are you talking talk about swits though or not? Nobody?
Speaker 5 (05:10):
I mean I've been I lobbied this one in the
show notes. Is minnesot Delute taking four or six points
from Western Michigan. I mean, that's a that's a big one.
You talk there, they're number four right now, they're quietly
on the outside looking. We talk about the big three
of a Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State who had that on
(05:32):
their bingo card, Minnesota Duluke being on the cusp of
being in the top four, I mean maybe top fifteen,
but not the top four, not the top five.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah, you're right, You're right about that. And meanwhile, you know,
we've talked a little bit about this. It seems to
be in aggregate a little bit of a down year
for Hockey East. But one team that seems to have
gotten things turned around a little bit is Boston College.
They had wins over UMass Lowell three to one both nights.
(06:06):
Is this finally the team that maybe we're expecting for
Greg Brown when it was looking a little difficult, maybe
back in October, I.
Speaker 6 (06:18):
Think.
Speaker 7 (06:18):
So, you know, the month of November was good to
Boston College. They've won a eight out of their last
nine games. They do go into break now, and when
they come out, they'll go to that quick trip holiday
tournament out in Wisconsin that's got a tough feel, Wisconsin
and Western.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
Michigan both there.
Speaker 7 (06:35):
They'll do so without at least three players and without
their head coach.
Speaker 6 (06:39):
They'll all be at World Juniors.
Speaker 7 (06:41):
So that's something to kind of put in the back
of your head for when BC comes back.
Speaker 6 (06:47):
So I guess going.
Speaker 7 (06:48):
Eight of nine, winning eight of nine going into the break,
that was really strong, and you know, I go back.
I called the Saturday game this week between Lowell and BC,
but I've watched both games and Friday, LOWL didn't play
well and BC.
Speaker 6 (07:01):
Kind of that was why I felt like they were
kind of handed. Saturday. I thought Mole played a great game.
Speaker 7 (07:06):
BC had to be at the top of their game,
and Clutey.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
Their goaltender, was really really strong.
Speaker 7 (07:11):
I thought that that's been a point that has turned
for them, is their goaltending, their defense. Team defense has
gotten a lot better in the month of November and hard.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
On on the Boston schools we have been and I
think you said deservedly so I don't know which one
of you said it, but we've been hard on them
a little bit so far. So to see them, you know,
kind of take a step to write the ship going
into break. Everybody wants to feel good about themselves going
into break, and you can always, you know, whether you
(07:42):
take the.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Last game before break or whatever.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
But this isn't going to be easy because Western Michigan
is a full squad that they're going to get in
the is. They're not having any of the Spangler Cup,
they're not having to innovate the World Juniors. This is
a full squad that they're going to face coming into
the into the quick Trip. I think their team there
is if I can remember of Lake Superior, I think
that's with someone to Wisconsin, Western Michigan BC and Lake Superior.
(08:10):
I think Jimmy's typing real quick, which I could have done.
Speaker 6 (08:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I think it's like Symparier. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And that's that's interesting, you know, because you do have
some teams. I think maybe one of the teams that's
going to be most depleted coming into this break time
is Penn State, and they have planned ahead their last
game was November twenty second. They don't play again until
January third, so maybe just about everybody makes it back
by then. But you know, back to Boston College, I
(08:40):
still maintain we're not going to know enough about the
NPI until enough teams have had twelve weighted wins where
you start taking off some wins that hurt you. But
even so, Hockey East early low in non conference winning percentage.
It's above five hundred, but not in the six hundred
and seven underd range of NCCHC and Big ten Eagles.
(09:04):
Right now as we're recording, sitting at number sixteen.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
In the NPI.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
If they don't win Hockey East with that, they would
be out of the tournament. What do they I mean,
are they in a situation now where they've just got
to just kind of reel off a bunch of wins
to get themselves in a comfortable position. And is there
a comfortable position for anybody in Hockey East right now?
Speaker 7 (09:30):
There's very little room for error, let's put it that way.
That's the better way to say. None of these teams
have much of a ramp to maybe lose a game
here and there and not worry. You're not going to
rattle off three or four consecutive losses in the second
half if you're in Hockey East and expect to get
in that large bin. So it is it's kind of
does feel a little bit of desperation for anybody in
(09:53):
that conference. But at the same time, you know that
the conference they're above five hundred, they're probably going to
get at least one at large, maybe two.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
I don't see three this year, probably.
Speaker 7 (10:04):
But if you can put together a couple of good
second halves for two to three teams, then they'll start
taking the leap up the NPI.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
I think by the end of it, you're going to see.
Speaker 7 (10:17):
Three Hockeyas teams in the top fifteen of the NPI season.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
It's really interesting to me, and this is somewhat in
the kind of you brought it up that Penn State
isn't playing for a while, and like, we're on a
break right now too, so we'll practice on Wednesday, but
then we don't come back to the twenty sixth, so
really a fifteen day break. We're the only sport that
takes breaks like this. Basketball takes finals, but then they
(10:43):
start playing and they play.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
All the way through.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
I'd like to see hockey try to take a week
break around Christmas, but have less. I know there's a
World Juniors. I know it's been historical, but we've got
to do something. We can't continue to take breaks like
for this long because I think it loses some interest
in our game. I think it loses some time that
(11:07):
we can be taking advantage of people doing different things.
I know students are gone, I know different things like that,
but right now, I just I don't like the fact
that we're taking from December like we played December. I
guess we played December sixth. We don't play until December
thirtieth now. And for Penn State not to play the
(11:27):
whole month of December, I think that's wrong. I think
that's wrong for our sport. I think that's wrong for
scheduling purposes. I think that something needs to be done.
I would be for you know, a week break. You know,
you take your finals and then you get back into
playing hockey. Then you take a couple of days, four
or five days for Christmas, and then you get back
(11:49):
to playing hockey. I think this is this is way
too long that teams are taking for breaks.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
I one hundred endorsed what you just said there, this
break is really long. I had noticed that Penn State
break a couple of weeks ago and saw how long
it was.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
It just never never made sense to me. But I
get it.
Speaker 7 (12:07):
If you know that you're going to lose Worlds junior players,
you know that you're going to lose your coach, you're
going to lose you know, Spangler Cup players, you're losing
a lot, so you're trying to schedule around that. But
it's I don't like these breaks. It is it is
too long, Derek.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
I we have Holy okay, so let's not play this weekend.
But we can come back next week and play, and
then we've got Christmas.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
Then we could take a week then and then come
back then and they can go home after we play
and they can have a week at home.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I think.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
I mean, no other in no other pro hockey doesn't
do it, Junior hockey doesn't do it. I mean, it's
it's completely weird. Basketball doesn't do it. All sports don't
do it. But in college hockey, for some reason, we've
got three to four week breaks.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
The players love it, but.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Then it makes our product, our product doesn't look great
when it comes back. I mean what Jerry or used
to call it Christmas hockey. Yeah, I mean it's our
product doesn't look as good as it needs to look
when it comes back.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
And that's when people.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
Get hurt because you come back and you practice on
the twenty sixth and some people play the twenty seventh
or twenty eighth, and it just it's we need to
do we need to do better for the student athletes
and for our fans because we are getting all this
publicity right now for college hockey, and you don't want
to you don't want to burn that.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
You know, this coming weekend there are four weekend series
in the NCCHC and three non conference or exhibition series
coming up, and that's it. And then the following weekend
there's one game and uh, and then then that's it.
So yeah, it's it's almost completely cut off after this
(13:49):
past weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Moving on to one other story here before the break,
Dartmouth they are still the story because they're still.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
The only unbeaten team.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
And I know there's somebody who's a BU fan, BU
blogger who's just.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Waiting for his circle of suck.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
He needs one team to lose in one team to
win and then you can complete that whole circle of
teams beating each other. But Dartmouth, even though it wasn't
the strongest competition this weekend, they're ten and zero. They're
beating the teams they need to beat. Seventy three over
Brown on Friday with four goals from Hayden Stavroff, and
then a six to one win over Yale on Saturday.
(14:29):
So they still sit atop the NPI, or maybe you've
gotten moved out of that by Michigan, but they are
right at the top there. They still got a lot
of games left to play. They still have nineteen games
left on their schedule. But you know his Dartmouth, especially
(14:50):
after an upset of Quinnipiac over the weekend, is Dartmouth
now the odds on favorite for the ECAC.
Speaker 7 (15:00):
It should be ten and zero at this point. They're
playing really well. They're winning the games that are in
front of them, and that's all you can say. I
mean stavrovs that you have to bring up the name
Hugh Jessmon. That's the last player to score four goals
for Dartmouth, and that was in two thousand and three,
twenty two years ago. You're talking about this is their
(15:20):
best program start since the nineteen forties, and that was
a season where they didn't lose a game. This is
a Dartmouth team. Everything has gone so well out of
the game. They have a big test this week with
you and H a n H team that just swept
main on the road. So this maybe is the weekend
where we finally can say, oh, Dartmouth had to play
(15:41):
the tough games, Well they're gonna They've played the games
they've played, and they've won the games they've won.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
I can't take anything away for that.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
I unbelievable start for dart we have.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
But with the last three weeks, we've been talking about this,
talking about this, talk about congratulations, undefeated, great job by
Reid Cashman. But there's there's other great stories out there
right now, and we just keep keep going down this road.
And I know, Jimmy, we talked about this before I
know you. This is kind of our point counterpoint segment
(16:13):
because people are tired of hearing about about Dartmouth, and
I'm taking up some of the internet frustration or internet
going on and on about Dartmouth here a little bit.
I think it's a great story, but I think it's
been We've we've hammeered this pretty good the last couple
of weeks, and you've got a great point to go
against that. So I just made my point, Jimmy. You
(16:35):
want to go with your point because it's an excellent one.
Speaker 7 (16:38):
The schools and schools have to explain how the show
works before we can do it anymore.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
So, yes, the point is.
Speaker 7 (16:44):
The point is is that how often do we have
any team that starts head to o. Let's start there,
and then how often do we really highlight the strong
teams and conferences like the ECAC and the c CHA
or Atlantic Hockey. Yes, I know, you know, Steve Metcalf
would call this Atlanta Hawky weekly because of how much
we talk about that league. But we don't talk about
(17:04):
teams in the ACAC except for Cornell and QUINNIPIEK. We
told Harvard and every now and again, this is an
unbelievable story. This is a team is number one in
the NPI. The season ends today, they only have what
do they have left? Seventeen or twenty games left? I
guess maybe they have thirty this year.
Speaker 6 (17:22):
I think so they have twenty games left.
Speaker 7 (17:24):
But if they let's say that they win seventy five
percent of their games. They're going to get to the
end of the season with just five losses. That team
is going to be a top ten inn PI team.
They could probably be a top five NPI team. I
think that's a big topic.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Great well, and it's going to continue to be a
big topic until they have a loss. You know, if
they we come back and you know, after the break
and they've got twelve wins or fourteen wins, then it's
still going to be a story. But yeah, it does
seem a little repetitive, just because it's getting better and
better each time.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Other big another big topic just released seven and I
count the seven college players on the preliminary roster for
Team Canada. When have you ever never had that happened before?
Seven college players on the preliminary roster from Team Canada
World Juniors.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
That shows you a shift.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
McKenna, yep, McKenna and Smith from Penn State. We were
talking about them taking a break. They might not even
have enough of a roster at this point. Good for them,
but let's take a quick break here. When we come back,
we're also going to talk about some of these other stories,
winners and Warriors, teams that have been winning in teams
(18:42):
that they got to worry about things. But before that,
two things. One, this is also a video podcast on
YouTube YouTube dot com slash us c h O like
and subscribe, and we're sponsored by the NCAA Division one
Men's Frozen four April ninth and eleventh in Las Vegas.
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Speaker 6 (19:40):
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Speaker 2 (19:46):
All right, we're back. I said winners and warriors before
I said warriors. But there are warriors and warriors and
worrying warriors I suppose in there. But comparing the preseason
poll withlast week's poll, because the poll had not come
out when we were recording, and also the NPI, which
(20:08):
again sorry for me, is when it's really gonna get
some legs. But let's see who's lived up to the hype,
who's over delivered, and who is causing a little odjita
amongst the fan base. First half winners out performing preseason expectations.
The first one on that list, sorry to say, since
(20:30):
we just talked about it, is Dartmouth. They went from
also receiving votes to in the top ten in the pole,
not up where their NPI is, as voters probably recognizing that,
but Dartmouth is in there. Let me let me mention
like three others and we can kind of go through
in Minnesota state middle of the pack to near the top.
(20:54):
We've got Northeastern kind of off the charts, but you know,
you get in a good goaltender and that makes a
big difference. And they are now twelfth in the poll
going into last weekend and number twelve even with the
split with UMass. And Miami went from three wins to
(21:15):
top twenty in the NPI and on the edge in
the pole. So those are some teams to be excited about.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
I mean, what really stands out there?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
I think Miami is maybe almost as big a story
as Dartmouth this season.
Speaker 7 (21:33):
I've liked the Miami story and I want to watch
to continue to play out.
Speaker 6 (21:38):
That's one of the biggest parts of.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
It is you know what they did going over to OXX,
to Belfast and Northern Ireland and winning that tournament over there,
that's a big accomplishment. Now we have to see a
play out in the NCC. I'm really every weekend that's
one of the teams. I look at Miami, what are
they doing each weekend? So as we watch them in
NCAC play, let's see if they can maintain any momentum.
(22:00):
This list, though, this is you know, this is these
are the teams that we miss These are the Dartmouth,
Minnesota State.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
I don't know that we miss them.
Speaker 7 (22:06):
Northeastern we definitely, I think missed them pre season.
Speaker 6 (22:11):
They've played really well with.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
Latin Zacher and Cigarette standing goals, so they're getting the
good performances. I think that this list is a good
one to show where everybody that votes in these polls
how much we miss.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
So we missed one more that we missed, and that's
Minnesota Duluth throw them in there too.
Speaker 7 (22:30):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean nobody saw to lose having the
start they had, and now that they're getting into NCC play,
there's they're showing that that's that non league start is
carrying into league play.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Interesting for me. I will say one interesting to me.
The love that your poll and I'll say your poll
because I don't vote on it doesn't give Dartmouth that
Dartmouth shouldn't be in a top three to four spot
because if it was any other team and they're number
(23:02):
one in the NPI pair wise whatever you RPI, alphabet, soup,
whatever you want to call it, they'd be number one
overall without a doubt. So I'm interested to see why
they're not getting the love with the poll that they
probably should deserve. I'm also Miami, well in Miami right now,
(23:24):
they've done great job non conference. In conference at six,
they've got five total points in conference, they are still
at the bottom of their conference. They need to start
winning conference games. I think they've done the story but
winning at Belfast, the winning a lot in non conferences start.
But right now they need to start winning in conference
(23:47):
to start showing a lot more where they're going. Great
story of Minnesota to lose, so I gave I start
from start to finish a whole rundown there. Minnesota State's
always are always going to go Northeastern always should be there.
Interesting for Northeastern not a lot of home games because
(24:09):
they're going to be bouncing around.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
How that's going to affect things? Yeah, one this.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
One and I watched yesterday a lot of different storylines
with that group of people you talked about there, So
knock it all down, Jimmy, because you want to No.
Speaker 6 (24:23):
The only thing I'm going to say is I'll just
kind of reference the pole.
Speaker 7 (24:26):
I think if when you look at the Dartmouth gap
and the pole, it's a big one.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
I know it's not that big on my ballot.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
I think last week I had them six, This week
I had them four. If I'm correct, I might have
had them three or five. I'm not totally sure, but
it's been hard to get them into that top because
of the top team still playing well. But I think
if you took any team from the CCHA, if this
is Bowling Green that started ten and zero, we wouldn't
(24:53):
be seeing them number one in the poll.
Speaker 6 (24:55):
We wouldn't see them even maybe top three in the poll.
Speaker 7 (24:57):
So I you know, air Force, I remember there a
hot start they had going back almost two decades now,
and they were I think eighteen and one at one point,
and they got up to maybe number four or five
in the poll, but I don't remember them being a
lot higher than that.
Speaker 6 (25:11):
So I don't think that the poll just misses.
Speaker 7 (25:14):
Out on respecting the teams that are not brand names well.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
And I think also maybe voters in the poll weigh
the strength of the league a little bit more than
the NPI might factor in, So I think that's part
of it. Also, some honorable mentions in the first half
winners or teams that beat expectations in the NPI, and
again that's going to settle out, going to keep emphasizing that.
(25:41):
But Augustana at number thirteen, holy Cross at number twenty two,
and Bowling Green at number twenty eight, none of them
anywhere near some preseason buzz I guess one pole point
for Bowling Green, so somebody had them number twenty on
their ballot.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Those are those.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Are teams to look out for.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
I know holy Cross is strong and Augustana has been a.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Great story.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
This is a great story for college hockey ink to
tell people when schools are looking to start a new program,
look at where Augustana is so quickly, how they've become
a real competitor.
Speaker 7 (26:23):
Yeah, I love the Augustana storyline. Now, I'll admit that
until this weekend. I had the ride back from Ranoh
on Friday as a passenger and I'm starting to read
through NPI and you know, start looking at numbers.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
I didn't even realize Augustana was that high.
Speaker 7 (26:39):
So that great job by Augustana to be in there.
Got to throw another team in there that I left off.
Speaker 6 (26:44):
You and Age.
Speaker 7 (26:45):
They swept mein this weekend on the road. They moved
from forty five to twenty five with those two wins
in the NPI. That's a massive jump. They're right in
the middle of the conversation.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, and Maine has really plummeted in the NPI from
that one of our first half warriors. Relative to the
preseason hype. Maine was top ten preseason, and now that's
not looking so great. They've lost a lot of games
at home, which is uncharacteristic for the Black Bears. Boston
(27:16):
University started out number two in the country until they
are right on the bubble in the NPI and right
on the bubble for the pole itself. Minnesota, I think
everybody expected a lot more out of the Golden Gophers.
And how about Providence in Yukon. I mean, the Huskies
I think are at the top for Hockey East and
(27:38):
the NPI, but that's nothing to write home about right now.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
That's a low bar. These are all teams.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
That have been underperforming in You could have thrown Boston
College in there before this weekend, but I think maybe
they've turned some stuff around.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
What about these teams.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Are these teams that have got to worry about whether
they're going to make the tournament.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Boston College at sixteen, so they did change things around.
Boston College at sixteen, Providence in nineteen, Connecticut at twenty.
So there is a group of people kind of all
over the map right there, So you've got you do
have a group of people there. So with that, I
think that you're going to see some jump and some
movement around there. Minnesota is going to be able to
(28:23):
climb a little bit with how high they're the Minnesota
or with the Michigan Michigan State, all of those are
in the world, so I think that there's some movement
available to those but they do have to get on
the horse. They've got to start winning and quickly. There
is movement available for those teams, but they got to win.
I think there's more movement available for Minnesota than there
(28:45):
is the Hockey East teams.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
Yeah, I'll give you some data to support that.
Speaker 7 (28:50):
At Minnesota has three losses in their last seven and
they've still moved from forty first in the MPI to
twenty seventh. So you can lose in the big time
and maybe even in the NCAAC and still not drop
as much you lose in Hockey East. Right now, we
just are with Maine. It's dangerous. If you take zero
points out of a weekend, you can get into trouble
(29:12):
very quickly. It's all that whole list you read at
is mostly Hockey East teams, So it just supports I
guess what we've.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Been saying now for a month that Hockey East.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
Is of the three biggest leagues, they are the ones
that have the biggest concerns as we start to head
into Christmas and into the second half.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Well, that's just about going to wrap things up for
this edition. On Wednesday, we're going to dig a little
bit more into the poll versus the NPI in r
upon further review. This podcast is available on YouTube at
YouTube dot com, slash us Echo and we're sponsored by
the NCAA Division one Men's Frozen four, April ninth and
(29:55):
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CHO Weekend Review
Usccho dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Welcome to us CHO Weekend Review from Monday, December eighth,
twenty twenty five. I'm Met Treshker alongside Jim Conley and
Derek Scooley. This podcast is sponsored by the NCAA Men's
Division one Frozen four April ninth and eleventh in Las Vegas.
Visit NCAA dot com slash m Frozen four for tickets. Well,
(00:39):
it was the heavyweight showdown two fifteen roundabouts, I guess
you could say, over the weekend Michigan and Michigan State.
The visiting team won both games. Friday at Montarena in
East Lansing a three nothing win by the Wolverines over
the Spartans, and then Saturday back at EOST Michigan State
(01:00):
downing Michigan three to one. Did we learn anything from this?
Can we tell who's the better team out of this?
Or are they just one A and one B neck
and neck tied at the top?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
What do we know?
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Great?
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Is that to say heavyweight battle between Michigan and Michigan State.
It's been a long time coming to be able to say.
I mean this is the old CCHA back in the
two thousand's, late nineties, all the Red Bearns in Ron
Mason days. I was excited to see this weekend and
to see a split doesn't surprise me one bit, but
(01:36):
to see the way it went down, the visiting team
winning was actually kind of surprised to me. And to
see the way it happened with low scoring, I guess
finally a team got to Michigan and kept them.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Below their average of four goals. You would think four
goals per game, not four goals.
Speaker 6 (01:57):
On a weekend.
Speaker 7 (02:00):
Yeah, I mean, I look at you know, the way
that this series played out.
Speaker 6 (02:04):
You know, out here in the East.
Speaker 7 (02:05):
I was talking to people and they were saying, how
on Friday night after they covered their games, journalists were saying,
I went home and watched the Michigan Michigan State game
on DVR. I had to watch that game. That's how
good of a game that was. And that's the whole weekend.
It played out perfectly. The question though, now for me
is where do I go with my votes in the poll?
(02:28):
And I actually had to go with Wisconsin is number
one because I'm sitting there saying, Wisconsin's doing everything right.
Speaker 6 (02:34):
They crushed Notre Dame this weekend.
Speaker 7 (02:36):
Michigan Michigan state both Louis So I guess now I'm
really confused.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Really who should be number one? For me? It's Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Another big story I though with Wisconsin also.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
That's another big story, another one from the Jeff sour
era of coming back to back in the day you'd
have those were the dean of coaches, like when I
was playing Jeff Sour, Ron Mason red Berenson, that was
that was it of like college hockey, the deans of coaching,
(03:08):
and now you're talking about all of them and the
top three potentially. I mean, that's to see those teams back,
that's a that's a big story.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
And the poll is going to come out just after
we record this, but we're going to see the fun
situation of Michigan staying number one, but Wisconsin getting more
first place votes by a couple Maybe it was yours
and mind Jim that we're the two, but I was
with you, you know, it's like, how do you decide
between those two teams right there? Well, while Wisconsin's doing
(03:38):
what it's doing with only twelve losses, couple ties in
there too, But the Badgers have really rebounded from a
rough season last year.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
In an emphatic way, so that that's you.
Speaker 7 (03:51):
I think when you look at your poll ballot in
this situation, any of those three teams worthy and you
might even find other teams. We'll get into this of
who's still who's not and all of that, but there's
other teams maybe that could go in there as well.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, And speaking of the poll ballot, just just in
aside here, when you see a weekend where just about
everybody who was in the top twenty had splits or
even got swept in a couple of cases like Maine
at the hands in New Hampshire, how do you how
do you rank teams at that point?
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Everybody?
Speaker 2 (04:25):
You can't move everybody down, who loses so and and
who sneaks in it.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
It was a tough a tough ballot for me this week.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
It was for me as well.
Speaker 7 (04:39):
I mean I I I always when I'm kind of
trying to figure out who I'm going to a place
where I look at the past week and results, but
I always do put it in the last column. I
put what the current record of that team is, because
I don't want to just get skewed by what happened
in the in the previous weekend. Only I think that
having some you know, some sort of qualifier of where
(05:03):
that team is in the overall standings make.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Yeah, are you talking talk about swits though or not? Nobody?
Speaker 5 (05:10):
I mean I've been I lobbied this one in the
show notes. Is minnesot Delute taking four or six points
from Western Michigan. I mean, that's a that's a big one.
You talk there, they're number four right now, they're quietly
on the outside looking. We talk about the big three
of a Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State who had that on
(05:32):
their bingo card, Minnesota Duluke being on the cusp of
being in the top four, I mean maybe top fifteen,
but not the top four, not the top five.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Yeah, you're right, You're right about that. And meanwhile, you know,
we've talked a little bit about this. It seems to
be in aggregate a little bit of a down year
for Hockey East. But one team that seems to have
gotten things turned around a little bit is Boston College.
They had wins over UMass Lowell three to one both nights.
(06:06):
Is this finally the team that maybe we're expecting for
Greg Brown when it was looking a little difficult, maybe
back in October, I.
Speaker 6 (06:18):
Think.
Speaker 7 (06:18):
So, you know, the month of November was good to
Boston College. They've won a eight out of their last
nine games. They do go into break now, and when
they come out, they'll go to that quick trip holiday
tournament out in Wisconsin that's got a tough feel, Wisconsin
and Western.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
Michigan both there.
Speaker 7 (06:35):
They'll do so without at least three players and without
their head coach.
Speaker 6 (06:39):
They'll all be at World Juniors.
Speaker 7 (06:41):
So that's something to kind of put in the back
of your head for when BC comes back.
Speaker 6 (06:47):
So I guess going.
Speaker 7 (06:48):
Eight of nine, winning eight of nine going into the break,
that was really strong, and you know, I go back.
I called the Saturday game this week between Lowell and BC,
but I've watched both games and Friday, LOWL didn't play
well and BC.
Speaker 6 (07:01):
Kind of that was why I felt like they were
kind of handed. Saturday. I thought Mole played a great game.
Speaker 7 (07:06):
BC had to be at the top of their game,
and Clutey.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
Their goaltender, was really really strong.
Speaker 7 (07:11):
I thought that that's been a point that has turned
for them, is their goaltending, their defense. Team defense has
gotten a lot better in the month of November and hard.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
On on the Boston schools we have been and I
think you said deservedly so I don't know which one
of you said it, but we've been hard on them
a little bit so far. So to see them, you know,
kind of take a step to write the ship going
into break. Everybody wants to feel good about themselves going
into break, and you can always, you know, whether you
(07:42):
take the.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Last game before break or whatever.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
But this isn't going to be easy because Western Michigan
is a full squad that they're going to get in
the is. They're not having any of the Spangler Cup,
they're not having to innovate the World Juniors. This is
a full squad that they're going to face coming into
the into the quick Trip. I think their team there
is if I can remember of Lake Superior, I think
that's with someone to Wisconsin, Western Michigan BC and Lake Superior.
(08:10):
I think Jimmy's typing real quick, which I could have done.
Speaker 6 (08:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I think it's like Symparier. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And that's that's interesting, you know, because you do have
some teams. I think maybe one of the teams that's
going to be most depleted coming into this break time
is Penn State, and they have planned ahead their last
game was November twenty second. They don't play again until
January third, so maybe just about everybody makes it back
by then. But you know, back to Boston College, I
(08:40):
still maintain we're not going to know enough about the
NPI until enough teams have had twelve weighted wins where
you start taking off some wins that hurt you. But
even so, Hockey East early low in non conference winning percentage.
It's above five hundred, but not in the six hundred
and seven underd range of NCCHC and Big ten Eagles.
(09:04):
Right now as we're recording, sitting at number sixteen.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
In the NPI.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
If they don't win Hockey East with that, they would
be out of the tournament. What do they I mean,
are they in a situation now where they've just got
to just kind of reel off a bunch of wins
to get themselves in a comfortable position. And is there
a comfortable position for anybody in Hockey East right now?
Speaker 7 (09:30):
There's very little room for error, let's put it that way.
That's the better way to say. None of these teams
have much of a ramp to maybe lose a game
here and there and not worry. You're not going to
rattle off three or four consecutive losses in the second
half if you're in Hockey East and expect to get
in that large bin. So it is it's kind of
does feel a little bit of desperation for anybody in
(09:53):
that conference. But at the same time, you know that
the conference they're above five hundred, they're probably going to
get at least one at large, maybe two.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
I don't see three this year, probably.
Speaker 7 (10:04):
But if you can put together a couple of good
second halves for two to three teams, then they'll start
taking the leap up the NPI.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
I think by the end of it, you're going to see.
Speaker 7 (10:17):
Three Hockeyas teams in the top fifteen of the NPI season.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
It's really interesting to me, and this is somewhat in
the kind of you brought it up that Penn State
isn't playing for a while, and like, we're on a
break right now too, so we'll practice on Wednesday, but
then we don't come back to the twenty sixth, so
really a fifteen day break. We're the only sport that
takes breaks like this. Basketball takes finals, but then they
(10:43):
start playing and they play.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
All the way through.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
I'd like to see hockey try to take a week
break around Christmas, but have less. I know there's a
World Juniors. I know it's been historical, but we've got
to do something. We can't continue to take breaks like
for this long because I think it loses some interest
in our game. I think it loses some time that
(11:07):
we can be taking advantage of people doing different things.
I know students are gone, I know different things like that,
but right now, I just I don't like the fact
that we're taking from December like we played December. I
guess we played December sixth. We don't play until December
thirtieth now. And for Penn State not to play the
(11:27):
whole month of December, I think that's wrong. I think
that's wrong for our sport. I think that's wrong for
scheduling purposes. I think that something needs to be done.
I would be for you know, a week break. You know,
you take your finals and then you get back into
playing hockey. Then you take a couple of days, four
or five days for Christmas, and then you get back
(11:49):
to playing hockey. I think this is this is way
too long that teams are taking for breaks.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
I one hundred endorsed what you just said there, this
break is really long. I had noticed that Penn State
break a couple of weeks ago and saw how long
it was.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
It just never never made sense to me. But I
get it.
Speaker 7 (12:07):
If you know that you're going to lose Worlds junior players,
you know that you're going to lose your coach, you're
going to lose you know, Spangler Cup players, you're losing
a lot, so you're trying to schedule around that. But
it's I don't like these breaks. It is it is
too long, Derek.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
I we have Holy okay, so let's not play this weekend.
But we can come back next week and play, and
then we've got Christmas.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
Then we could take a week then and then come
back then and they can go home after we play
and they can have a week at home.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I think.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
I mean, no other in no other pro hockey doesn't
do it, Junior hockey doesn't do it. I mean, it's
it's completely weird. Basketball doesn't do it. All sports don't
do it. But in college hockey, for some reason, we've
got three to four week breaks.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
The players love it, but.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Then it makes our product, our product doesn't look great
when it comes back. I mean what Jerry or used
to call it Christmas hockey. Yeah, I mean it's our
product doesn't look as good as it needs to look
when it comes back.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
And that's when people.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
Get hurt because you come back and you practice on
the twenty sixth and some people play the twenty seventh
or twenty eighth, and it just it's we need to
do we need to do better for the student athletes
and for our fans because we are getting all this
publicity right now for college hockey, and you don't want
to you don't want to burn that.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
You know, this coming weekend there are four weekend series
in the NCCHC and three non conference or exhibition series
coming up, and that's it. And then the following weekend
there's one game and uh, and then then that's it.
So yeah, it's it's almost completely cut off after this
(13:49):
past weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Moving on to one other story here before the break,
Dartmouth they are still the story because they're still.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
The only unbeaten team.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
And I know there's somebody who's a BU fan, BU
blogger who's just.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Waiting for his circle of suck.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
He needs one team to lose in one team to
win and then you can complete that whole circle of
teams beating each other. But Dartmouth, even though it wasn't
the strongest competition this weekend, they're ten and zero. They're
beating the teams they need to beat. Seventy three over
Brown on Friday with four goals from Hayden Stavroff, and
then a six to one win over Yale on Saturday.
(14:29):
So they still sit atop the NPI, or maybe you've
gotten moved out of that by Michigan, but they are
right at the top there. They still got a lot
of games left to play. They still have nineteen games
left on their schedule. But you know his Dartmouth, especially
(14:50):
after an upset of Quinnipiac over the weekend, is Dartmouth
now the odds on favorite for the ECAC.
Speaker 7 (15:00):
It should be ten and zero at this point. They're
playing really well. They're winning the games that are in
front of them, and that's all you can say. I
mean stavrovs that you have to bring up the name
Hugh Jessmon. That's the last player to score four goals
for Dartmouth, and that was in two thousand and three,
twenty two years ago. You're talking about this is their
(15:20):
best program start since the nineteen forties, and that was
a season where they didn't lose a game. This is
a Dartmouth team. Everything has gone so well out of
the game. They have a big test this week with
you and H a n H team that just swept
main on the road. So this maybe is the weekend
where we finally can say, oh, Dartmouth had to play
(15:41):
the tough games, Well they're gonna They've played the games
they've played, and they've won the games they've won.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
I can't take anything away for that.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
I unbelievable start for dart we have.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
But with the last three weeks, we've been talking about this,
talking about this, talk about congratulations, undefeated, great job by
Reid Cashman. But there's there's other great stories out there
right now, and we just keep keep going down this road.
And I know, Jimmy, we talked about this before I
know you. This is kind of our point counterpoint segment
(16:13):
because people are tired of hearing about about Dartmouth, and
I'm taking up some of the internet frustration or internet
going on and on about Dartmouth here a little bit.
I think it's a great story, but I think it's
been We've we've hammeered this pretty good the last couple
of weeks, and you've got a great point to go
against that. So I just made my point, Jimmy. You
(16:35):
want to go with your point because it's an excellent one.
Speaker 7 (16:38):
The schools and schools have to explain how the show
works before we can do it anymore.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
So, yes, the point is.
Speaker 7 (16:44):
The point is is that how often do we have
any team that starts head to o. Let's start there,
and then how often do we really highlight the strong
teams and conferences like the ECAC and the c CHA
or Atlantic Hockey. Yes, I know, you know, Steve Metcalf
would call this Atlanta Hawky weekly because of how much
we talk about that league. But we don't talk about
(17:04):
teams in the ACAC except for Cornell and QUINNIPIEK. We
told Harvard and every now and again, this is an
unbelievable story. This is a team is number one in
the NPI. The season ends today, they only have what
do they have left? Seventeen or twenty games left? I
guess maybe they have thirty this year.
Speaker 6 (17:22):
I think so they have twenty games left.
Speaker 7 (17:24):
But if they let's say that they win seventy five
percent of their games. They're going to get to the
end of the season with just five losses. That team
is going to be a top ten inn PI team.
They could probably be a top five NPI team. I
think that's a big topic.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Great well, and it's going to continue to be a
big topic until they have a loss. You know, if
they we come back and you know, after the break
and they've got twelve wins or fourteen wins, then it's
still going to be a story. But yeah, it does
seem a little repetitive, just because it's getting better and
better each time.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Other big another big topic just released seven and I
count the seven college players on the preliminary roster for
Team Canada. When have you ever never had that happened before?
Seven college players on the preliminary roster from Team Canada
World Juniors.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
That shows you a shift.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
McKenna, yep, McKenna and Smith from Penn State. We were
talking about them taking a break. They might not even
have enough of a roster at this point. Good for them,
but let's take a quick break here. When we come back,
we're also going to talk about some of these other stories,
winners and Warriors, teams that have been winning in teams
(18:42):
that they got to worry about things. But before that,
two things. One, this is also a video podcast on
YouTube YouTube dot com slash us c h O like
and subscribe, and we're sponsored by the NCAA Division one
Men's Frozen four April ninth and eleventh in Las Vegas.
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Frozen four.
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Speaker 6 (19:40):
Please leave?
Speaker 2 (19:46):
All right, we're back. I said winners and warriors before
I said warriors. But there are warriors and warriors and
worrying warriors I suppose in there. But comparing the preseason
poll withlast week's poll, because the poll had not come
out when we were recording, and also the NPI, which
(20:08):
again sorry for me, is when it's really gonna get
some legs. But let's see who's lived up to the hype,
who's over delivered, and who is causing a little odjita
amongst the fan base. First half winners out performing preseason expectations.
The first one on that list, sorry to say, since
(20:30):
we just talked about it, is Dartmouth. They went from
also receiving votes to in the top ten in the pole,
not up where their NPI is, as voters probably recognizing that,
but Dartmouth is in there. Let me let me mention
like three others and we can kind of go through
in Minnesota state middle of the pack to near the top.
(20:54):
We've got Northeastern kind of off the charts, but you know,
you get in a good goaltender and that makes a
big difference. And they are now twelfth in the poll
going into last weekend and number twelve even with the
split with UMass. And Miami went from three wins to
(21:15):
top twenty in the NPI and on the edge in
the pole. So those are some teams to be excited about.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
I mean, what really stands out there?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
I think Miami is maybe almost as big a story
as Dartmouth this season.
Speaker 7 (21:33):
I've liked the Miami story and I want to watch
to continue to play out.
Speaker 6 (21:38):
That's one of the biggest parts of.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
It is you know what they did going over to OXX,
to Belfast and Northern Ireland and winning that tournament over there,
that's a big accomplishment. Now we have to see a
play out in the NCC. I'm really every weekend that's
one of the teams. I look at Miami, what are
they doing each weekend? So as we watch them in
NCAC play, let's see if they can maintain any momentum.
(22:00):
This list, though, this is you know, this is these
are the teams that we miss These are the Dartmouth,
Minnesota State.
Speaker 6 (22:05):
I don't know that we miss them.
Speaker 7 (22:06):
Northeastern we definitely, I think missed them pre season.
Speaker 6 (22:11):
They've played really well with.
Speaker 7 (22:12):
Latin Zacher and Cigarette standing goals, so they're getting the
good performances. I think that this list is a good
one to show where everybody that votes in these polls
how much we miss.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
So we missed one more that we missed, and that's
Minnesota Duluth throw them in there too.
Speaker 7 (22:30):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean nobody saw to lose having the
start they had, and now that they're getting into NCC play,
there's they're showing that that's that non league start is
carrying into league play.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Interesting for me. I will say one interesting to me.
The love that your poll and I'll say your poll
because I don't vote on it doesn't give Dartmouth that
Dartmouth shouldn't be in a top three to four spot
because if it was any other team and they're number
(23:02):
one in the NPI pair wise whatever you RPI, alphabet, soup,
whatever you want to call it, they'd be number one
overall without a doubt. So I'm interested to see why
they're not getting the love with the poll that they
probably should deserve. I'm also Miami, well in Miami right now,
(23:24):
they've done great job non conference. In conference at six,
they've got five total points in conference, they are still
at the bottom of their conference. They need to start
winning conference games. I think they've done the story but
winning at Belfast, the winning a lot in non conferences start.
But right now they need to start winning in conference
(23:47):
to start showing a lot more where they're going. Great
story of Minnesota to lose, so I gave I start
from start to finish a whole rundown there. Minnesota State's
always are always going to go Northeastern always should be there.
Interesting for Northeastern not a lot of home games because
(24:09):
they're going to be bouncing around.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
How that's going to affect things? Yeah, one this.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
One and I watched yesterday a lot of different storylines
with that group of people you talked about there, So
knock it all down, Jimmy, because you want to No.
Speaker 6 (24:23):
The only thing I'm going to say is I'll just
kind of reference the pole.
Speaker 7 (24:26):
I think if when you look at the Dartmouth gap
and the pole, it's a big one.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
I know it's not that big on my ballot.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
I think last week I had them six, This week
I had them four. If I'm correct, I might have
had them three or five. I'm not totally sure, but
it's been hard to get them into that top because
of the top team still playing well. But I think
if you took any team from the CCHA, if this
is Bowling Green that started ten and zero, we wouldn't
(24:53):
be seeing them number one in the poll.
Speaker 6 (24:55):
We wouldn't see them even maybe top three in the poll.
Speaker 7 (24:57):
So I you know, air Force, I remember there a
hot start they had going back almost two decades now,
and they were I think eighteen and one at one point,
and they got up to maybe number four or five
in the poll, but I don't remember them being a
lot higher than that.
Speaker 6 (25:11):
So I don't think that the poll just misses.
Speaker 7 (25:14):
Out on respecting the teams that are not brand names well.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
And I think also maybe voters in the poll weigh
the strength of the league a little bit more than
the NPI might factor in, So I think that's part
of it. Also, some honorable mentions in the first half
winners or teams that beat expectations in the NPI, and
again that's going to settle out, going to keep emphasizing that.
(25:41):
But Augustana at number thirteen, holy Cross at number twenty two,
and Bowling Green at number twenty eight, none of them
anywhere near some preseason buzz I guess one pole point
for Bowling Green, so somebody had them number twenty on
their ballot.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Those are those.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Are teams to look out for.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
I know holy Cross is strong and Augustana has been a.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Great story.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
This is a great story for college hockey ink to
tell people when schools are looking to start a new program,
look at where Augustana is so quickly, how they've become
a real competitor.
Speaker 7 (26:23):
Yeah, I love the Augustana storyline. Now, I'll admit that
until this weekend. I had the ride back from Ranoh
on Friday as a passenger and I'm starting to read
through NPI and you know, start looking at numbers.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
I didn't even realize Augustana was that high.
Speaker 7 (26:39):
So that great job by Augustana to be in there.
Got to throw another team in there that I left off.
Speaker 6 (26:44):
You and Age.
Speaker 7 (26:45):
They swept mein this weekend on the road. They moved
from forty five to twenty five with those two wins
in the NPI. That's a massive jump. They're right in
the middle of the conversation.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, and Maine has really plummeted in the NPI from
that one of our first half warriors. Relative to the
preseason hype. Maine was top ten preseason, and now that's
not looking so great. They've lost a lot of games
at home, which is uncharacteristic for the Black Bears. Boston
(27:16):
University started out number two in the country until they
are right on the bubble in the NPI and right
on the bubble for the pole itself. Minnesota, I think
everybody expected a lot more out of the Golden Gophers.
And how about Providence in Yukon. I mean, the Huskies
I think are at the top for Hockey East and
(27:38):
the NPI, but that's nothing to write home about right now.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
That's a low bar. These are all teams.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
That have been underperforming in You could have thrown Boston
College in there before this weekend, but I think maybe
they've turned some stuff around.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
What about these teams.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Are these teams that have got to worry about whether
they're going to make the tournament.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Boston College at sixteen, so they did change things around.
Boston College at sixteen, Providence in nineteen, Connecticut at twenty.
So there is a group of people kind of all
over the map right there, So you've got you do
have a group of people there. So with that, I
think that you're going to see some jump and some
movement around there. Minnesota is going to be able to
(28:23):
climb a little bit with how high they're the Minnesota
or with the Michigan Michigan State, all of those are
in the world, so I think that there's some movement
available to those but they do have to get on
the horse. They've got to start winning and quickly. There
is movement available for those teams, but they got to win.
I think there's more movement available for Minnesota than there
(28:45):
is the Hockey East teams.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
Yeah, I'll give you some data to support that.
Speaker 7 (28:50):
At Minnesota has three losses in their last seven and
they've still moved from forty first in the MPI to
twenty seventh. So you can lose in the big time
and maybe even in the NCAAC and still not drop
as much you lose in Hockey East. Right now, we
just are with Maine. It's dangerous. If you take zero
points out of a weekend, you can get into trouble
(29:12):
very quickly. It's all that whole list you read at
is mostly Hockey East teams, So it just supports I
guess what we've.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Been saying now for a month that Hockey East.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
Is of the three biggest leagues, they are the ones
that have the biggest concerns as we start to head
into Christmas and into the second half.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Well, that's just about going to wrap things up for
this edition. On Wednesday, we're going to dig a little
bit more into the poll versus the NPI in r
upon further review. This podcast is available on YouTube at
YouTube dot com, slash us Echo and we're sponsored by
the NCAA Division one Men's Frozen four, April ninth and
(29:55):
eleventh in Las Vegas. Go to NCAA dot dot com
slash em Frozen four for tickets for Jim Colley for
Derek Schooley. I'm at Trevsker and this has been usc
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