December 17, 2025 • 21 mins
Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.
In this episode, we look at five categories of superlatives: team of the first half, biggest plot twist, most worrisome big brand, most under-the-radar team, and prediction we each feel best about for 2026.
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
In this episode, we look at five categories of superlatives: team of the first half, biggest plot twist, most worrisome big brand, most under-the-radar team, and prediction we each feel best about for 2026.
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
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Uscho dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to us chos Upon Further Review podcast, where we
catch up on things we didn't have time for. In
Monday's edition of Weekend Review, I'm at Trevsker alongside Jim
Connelly and Derek Schooley. This episode is sponsored by the
NCAA Men's Division One Frozen four April ninth and eleventh
(00:33):
in Las Vegas. Get your tickets at NCAA dot com
slash m Frozen four. Well, guys, we're going to talk
about superlatives who did some big things in the first
half of the season. And I guess we're going to
start out with a big question right up front. Who's
your team of the first half? Lots of candidates, Teams
(00:55):
like Dartmouth at eleven and one, Michigan number one overall,
wiscon sent a strong season, a surprise season from Minnesota,
Duluth throwing North Dakota, throw in Miami, and Union. Maybe
they fall in some other categories. But who's your big
team of the first half of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
But he wants to go first, Jimmy, I'll let you
go first on this one.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Well, I think you're going to assume I'm going to
say Dartmouth, but I'm not going to I've been actually
hemming and horring about you have to pick the team
that maybe I didn't expect to see at the top.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
I'm seeing them really close. Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
They stand out to me, and we haven't probably given
them enough praise this season. You know, We've talked so
much about Michigan and Michigan State. We've talked about Western
Michigan because they're the defending national champs.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
We've talked a lot about.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Dartmouth because of their run to start the season, and
we've talked about teams like b you, Maine in Minnesota
for what they haven't done this year.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
But I think we we've kind of lost Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
And that weekend sweep of Michigan State was now thing
short of of, you know, miraculous in a massive weekend
opened a lot of eyes across the country.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
So Wisconsin's my team.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
There's a lot of respect out there for many other teams,
but I'm going to go with Wisconsin.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I'm going to go with I'm going to go with
North Dakota, and a lot of people probably have thought
I would have went somewhere else, probably Western Michigan, probably
thrown out the alma mater. But I think the one
thing I'm going to go reason, I'm going to go
North Dakota, new coach. Obviously, starting with a new coach
(02:36):
is always a challenge, but to do what they've done
with their record. Obviously, Saint Thomas they beat right off
the bat, which is a hard team to They've been
really good, but the last six games undefeated, the Midgie
they beat twice, Sat Cloud twice, Omaha. They're red hot
going into the break. I don't see them cooling down
(02:59):
against Mercy Colorado College. Big challenge Denver Arizona State. My
team in the first half with a new coach, really
top fourteen right now, would be a number one seed
if it was today. Is North Dakota.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Well, you know, I'm going to go with a team
that probably is obvious, but it wasn't obvious to me
before the season, and that's Michigan. Now they're number one
in the poll, number one in the NPI after Dartmouth's loss,
warkoff Age Hughes each with twenty eight points. They're getting
great goaltending. They are just firing on all cylinders, which
(03:34):
is appropriate for team in Michigan, I guess. But you know,
they are the team of the first half of the season,
and maybe they are the team to beat the rest
of the way through. It would not surprise me to
see them as one of the four teams in Las Vegas.
It would probably surprise me more if they didn't make
it to the Frozen Four. So I got to give
it to the Wolverines in the first half of the
(03:56):
season as the team. But any of those, you know,
I didn't even mention Michigan State. You know, they split
a weekend with with Michigan that moved them from first
to third in the poll. But they're right up in
there too, and you could make a case for them. Well,
how about the biggest plot twist for the season? What
(04:17):
did you absolutely not see coming in September? You know
some we've talked about Dartmouth's rise Augustan in the top
fifteen in the NPI, Miami right back as a competitive team,
although they're finding a little struggle in the NCC Right now,
What's What's something that's happened that you didn't expect?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
My biggest plot twist I'm going to go right off
the bat is the preseason poll in the NCCHC. I'm
gonna And this is kind of a difference because it's
not just one team. Miami picked last. They're doing outstanding.
Minnesota Duluth picked six, They are red hot and right
(04:59):
now they be in the NCAA Tournament. North Dakota pick third.
Western Michigan not as number one, they're not as as good.
So kind of kind of taking the preseason poll and saying.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
It might be a little bit flawed.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
And that's kind of my plot twist of that, saying
it's not kind of proven the polsters wrong.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Yeah, I've got to go with my favorite team of
the first task, Dartmouth the way that you know I've
talked about them, I've flumped their tires for the last month.
Really what Recashment has done with that program. We've mentioned
a lot, you know, losing that season during COVID, which
was his first season on staff after bog gotb retired.
To see what that team is now. They've really played
(05:45):
with some great pace. They can win different types of
hockey games. I know that they would have loved to
be twelve and zero with a break, but eleven and
one in that one loss coming in overtime on the
road to a good New Hampshire team. I think that
this Dartman's is fun to watch right now. I hope
that we can say that they're an NCAA tournament team.
(06:06):
I said it on Monday. A team at two in
the NPI right now doesn't feel like they're going to
go on some sort of a negative run that'll.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Push them out.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I think we're going to see an NCAA tournament bit
for dartment that right there.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
It's been a long time. That would be exciting.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I'm going to go with Wisconsin. I did not expect
the Badgers to come back all the way back, if
you want to put it that way. I expected them
to be a better team, fixing a couple places where
they had some holes, and maybe seeing them as maybe
a top fifteen team. Right about now, there they are
(06:39):
at number two. You know my case, things has got
everything going in the right direction. This is the team
we expect out of Wisconsin now. But at the beginning
of the season I thought it might be a season
or two before they got back up there. So that's
kind of a plot twist. I did not expect going
into this eason.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Runner up in there. How about a Christmas that the
runner up would be four ACAC teams in the top
sixteen and only one Hockey East team. That would be
a major plot twist. Who who had that on the
Bengo card in Vegas? He's in the Vegas Frozen four.
(07:21):
Anybody have that on their Bingo card?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
No? And the the ACAC run is impressive out of
the gate, and I'll just leave Hockey East alone for now.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So also talking about a plot twist, we might be
asking the same question called March, what was the biggest
plot twist of the second half?
Speaker 4 (07:42):
What might that be?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
We're not going to go into it, but I'll just
plant the seed that last season, the big plot twist
was Penn State, which was nowhere near the conversation at
the semester break last year and then made it to
the Frozen four. I wonder if somebody's going to do
that this year to see it.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I thought the Penn State story last year was one
of the most fun to follow in getting them to
a Frozen four. So yeah, I hope we got one
like that. Ed I certainly would love a second half
plot twist.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Let's go to our third category before we take our
mid episode break. What's the most worrisome big brand. In
other word, what big name program, traditional power or recent
day's power. What one concerns you the most heading into
twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
There is zero chance I'm touching this one, zero chance,
not even maybe as a coach, Am I going to
touch us? Can you imagine the text messages? This is
Christmas time. I am not going to touch this. I'm
not getting any phone calls. I'm not going to text.
No chance. This is on you, guys. This is a
media question, got it go.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I'll take the bait and I'll take the media angle
on it too, And maybe I can make this selection
because I know the coach well enough to know that
he's probably frustrated with his team.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
And that's Ben barr been Maine.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I think this is a really good main team this year,
and they've been bolstered by you know, players like Justin
Poorie coming into the lineup and.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Having immediate impact out of the CHL But.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Right now they aren't consistent enough, and that is what
concerns me. I want to see more consistency from Maine.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
They can't.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
You know, they played a lot of home games in
the first half for home losses at Alphon. That's so
uncharacteristic in recent years for Ben Barr, So I think
that that is the one team that we really need
to see more from in the second half. I know
there's a couple of other big brands in there, but
I think you know, to your point, Derek, it is
Christmas time.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
I'm not trying to crap on.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Anybody here, to be honest with you, but I think
Ben Barr would be realistic and say, my team's not
consistent enough yet, you.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Know what I'm going to throw in their And right
now they're eight and ten, four and four in the
Big Ten. But after they come back from the semester
break and a single game against be Midgie, they've got
two games at Penn State, then two games at home
(10:16):
against Michigan, then two games at Michigan State, and then
two home games against Wisconsin, and that is going to
be a really difficult stretch. If they can go five
hundred through that stretch, then they're kind of treading water.
If they can sweep or again like four or five
out of six points at home and split on the road,
(10:38):
then maybe they're picking up some steam. But I did
not expect them to be off to what is sort
of a sluggish start for the Golden Gophers. So that's
my worrisome big brand. And you know what, if you
want to throw in an honorable mention since Derek didn't
pick one, let's put b in there. You know, coming
(11:01):
back from the championship game last year, to be kind
of hovering around five hundred, they're really going to have
to put a few ws in the W column on
the way out or they're going to be in trouble
to even make the postseason in the NCAAs.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Yeah, the one thing I'll note to Ed is, you know,
when we look at the Hockey East brands, they're doing
so in a league that everybody feels like they're struggling.
Minnesota is doing so in a league where you have
three elitue teams.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
In Michigan, Michigan State, in Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So the comeback from Minnesota feels like it's a little
bit more of a challenge that it is maybe for
a Hockey East team that's sitting around the bubble. I
think any team that's even around five hundred in Hockey
East right now probably feels they can win the Hockey
East Championship get their automatic bid. I don't know that
you can say that for the teams in the big
pen that are struggling.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Well, we're going to take a pause here for our sponsor,
the NCAA Men's Division one Frozen four April ninth and eleven,
then Las Vegas, and when we come back, our first
question is going to be who's the most under the
radar fun team glack.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
Today we're fucking men's ice hockey. Open your textbooks, join
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Speaker 4 (12:18):
You have to see to believe.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
It's the NCAAA Men's Frozen four April ninth and eleventh
in Las Vegas.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
Attendance is encouraged, Passion.
Speaker 5 (12:27):
Is mandatory by your seats today at NCAA dot com
slash m Frozen four.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
How many teams are in the Men's Frozen four? Please
leave me.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
And we're continuing now with upon further review from USCCHO.
If somebody is looking for a team to adopt in
the second half, who should it be? And let me
let me dial that back a little bit. I have
a friend whose wife every year has to find a
freshman to adopt and then buy that freshman's jersey to
(13:02):
where as one of them at the game through that.
So that's that's a fun thing to adopt. But I
guess you can adopt a team. Maybe you don't have
a favorite team, or maybe your team isn't going to
be in the mix come March or April, and you
want to have somebody to adopt. Who's a fun team
that has been under the radar that we should be
looking out for.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
I'll go with a New Hampshire here.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
You know, I really have come to watch this UNH
team grow on me over the last three four weeks.
They lost a game against Yukon at home that I
think frustrated Mike Susa and then went down there, fell
behind three to one against that same Yukon team, came back,
won that game, They beat Bentley, they swept me. Now
(13:45):
that they just beat Dartmouth and overtime last Sunday, so
they have hot going into the break. They've moved themselves
into the top twenty two twenty three in the NTI.
Right now, I look at this un AH team that
if they can get some and some scoring going get
the really good goaltending performances that they've seen at times
(14:05):
from Kyle Shovet. I look at this un H team
as one that could make a second half run really
surprise a lot of people in Hockey East and across
the whole country.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
They got through Robert Morris Colonials. Oh wait, can I
Can I do that?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Now? Sure you won't give yourself any angry text if
you do so, you can.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
I really think that. I think a lot of people
are underlooking at Atlanta Cockey and the Independence right now.
I think there's a lot of really good teams that
don't get a lot of I know Steve metcalf will
goes to the Atlanta Hockey Weekly whatever. But you look
at down the line. We've talked a little bit about Lindenwood,
you got holy Cross at twenty two, You've got you
(14:45):
go down the line of teams l I U, Riit,
Air Force, Bentley. You've got teams that are just on
the cusp of really making some big strides. And I
joke about us. We didn't do very well in non conference,
but we are, we're and how you've seen us play.
We're above five hundred in league. We're five eighty in league.
(15:07):
There's a lot of really good teams within striking distance
of doing some really good things. As Independence and Amount
of cockey. So I'm going to throw a full bunch
of teams in this mix that are fun, under the
radar Atlantic Cockey independent teams.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I'm going to bring up a team that we mentioned
is one of the surprise teams of the first half
in that is Union. They've got twelve wins right now,
fifteen games left. Say they go eight and seven, and
I think they'll go better than eight and seven, maybe
ten and five, eleven and four in their remaining ECAC play.
But if they go eight and seven the rest of
(15:43):
the way, they're a twenty win team, and then that
would put them, you know, if they have that kind
of a finish, should put them in the top four
in the ECAC. So they get a first round by
and then you've got Lake Placid where anything can go.
They are you know what people have been talking about Dartmouth.
(16:04):
Of course, Quinnipiac and Harvard and Cornell are teams that
are always mentioned. But this is a resurgent Union team
playing in a brand new building this year, and they
may be a team that's fun to watch and maybe
can make some noise, get into the tournament, win a game,
win a game or two. Who knows it could be
fun to watch if you are looking for a team
(16:24):
to follow.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I think on Friday, I think you're going to really
see one that we forgot to talk about. We talked
about them on Monday, Augustana Augustana that they should really
take feature this week and that's that's a fun story.
New program number eleven right now. But they're the they're
the feature team this week against Omaha, only game in town.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
One thing too, And I wanted to mention about Union
going back to Union. They lost their goaltender Kyle Sobt.
We just mentioned him at you and h He's a
transfer from Union. They have Corpi in there right now,
who came over from Ischigan. He has really been able
to carry the water for this Union team, really impressive
in the first half.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
So we'll keep an eye on him in the second half.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Our last one. You can go safe, you can go
out on a limb. It's up to you. What's the
prediction you feel best about for twenty twenty six for
the second half?
Speaker 4 (17:20):
All right, who's going to go first? I think going today?
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Go ahead, Derek.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I've been waiting for this one. I gave you this
one on Monday. Since we're doing this on Wednesday.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
You guys were shocked.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Might do this? Out the Big Ten will win a
national championship? Safe or out on a limb? What do
you think?
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I mean? It feels safe because you know, you're talking
about the conference that has arguably the best teams.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
But we've they've had the best teams arguably for many
years and not one one.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
So we'll see. So I think yes, way out on
a limb when you really put it into perspective.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I'm going to go a little opposite of this, and
it's something we actually all last year Bentley did it.
A first time team will qualify for the NCAA field.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
I don't know which team that will be.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Maybe it's Augustana, Maybe it's a team in Atlanta Hockey
that we haven't talked about that maybe goes on a run,
wins the championship and they get in get their make their.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
First bid in the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Maybe it's the same thing out of the CCCHA, or
or there could just be a crazy team that we're
not thinking about that could go on a real run.
But I think that this is a year we're seeing
enough of the newer programs. The Augustanas the Saint Thomas's,
Lyndon Woods, even Arizona State, Penn State. I know they've
been to tournaments and stuff like that, but we're seeing
(18:42):
a lot from programs that have popped up in the
last fifteen to twenty years.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
That impresses me.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
I think we're going to see more new blood in
the NCAA tournament as Dartmouth.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
How long has it been since they have they been
to a tournament?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Nineteen eighty was the last time they were in.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
No, Jim, I'm trying to go through the list. You
mentioned a first time Atlantic Hockey team, and as I
go through all of this, there are only two teams
in Atlantic hockey who have not been to an NCAA tournament,
and maybe one of them was a long time ago.
But the ones I find on the list are Army
and Sacred Heart. I don't know if Army did have
(19:20):
way way back.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Yeah, I don't Army, I don't believe ever has Sacred Heart.
I would give them a legit chance to be one
of those teams this.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Year, But everybody else Robert Morris, mercy Hurst, Canisius, Niagra,
Rit Bentley, holy Cross and Air Force have all been
to the tournament, which actually people are probably forgetting. Anyway,
I almost felt like I needed to change my prediction
(19:48):
based on what Derek said. But I'll go ahead and
say what I was going to say anyway, is the
championship game is going to be two Big ten teams.
So you'll know if you're right on Thursday, Derek, Thursday
August or Thursday April ninth in Las Vegas. You'll know
if your prediction is right. And I guess so will
I at that point. But I boy, I don't know,
(20:11):
because NCCHC teams have found a way, and I don't
think it's the league. I think it's the teams in
the league. The league likes to take credit for what
their teams do, but the league doesn't play the games,
the league doesn't recruit the players, the lead the league administers,
and so forth like that. So it's nice to put
(20:32):
those plaques up on the wall in the league office,
but really it's the teams in the league that are
doing it, and they put together a league of powerful teams,
which of course now Big ten is done. Of course,
the Big Den hasn't done anything with it, so maybe
this is the ear. I guess that's us going out
on the limb and all the NCCHC fans throwing tomatoes. Well,
(20:53):
with that, I think we'll just wrap things up here
for this edition of a pond for the review. It's
been a lot of fun doing this new podcast during
twenty twenty five, and we look forward to seeing you
in the new year. I don't know if we sneak
one in before the new year or not. I guess
we probably won't. We won't have it one time first.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
This is this is probably the last time we'll all
be together, So happy holidays to everybody out there.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
A happy New Year, holidays.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
And don't forget that our sponsor is the NCAA Men's
Division one Frozen four April ninth and eleventh in Las Vegas,
NCAA dot com slash m Frozen four for your tickets,
for Jim Connelly, for Derek Scooley. I'm at Trevsker and
this has been a pawn for the review
Uscho dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to us chos Upon Further Review podcast, where we
catch up on things we didn't have time for. In
Monday's edition of Weekend Review, I'm at Trevsker alongside Jim
Connelly and Derek Schooley. This episode is sponsored by the
NCAA Men's Division One Frozen four April ninth and eleventh
(00:33):
in Las Vegas. Get your tickets at NCAA dot com
slash m Frozen four. Well, guys, we're going to talk
about superlatives who did some big things in the first
half of the season. And I guess we're going to
start out with a big question right up front. Who's
your team of the first half? Lots of candidates, Teams
(00:55):
like Dartmouth at eleven and one, Michigan number one overall,
wiscon sent a strong season, a surprise season from Minnesota,
Duluth throwing North Dakota, throw in Miami, and Union. Maybe
they fall in some other categories. But who's your big
team of the first half of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
But he wants to go first, Jimmy, I'll let you
go first on this one.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Well, I think you're going to assume I'm going to
say Dartmouth, but I'm not going to I've been actually
hemming and horring about you have to pick the team
that maybe I didn't expect to see at the top.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
I'm seeing them really close. Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
They stand out to me, and we haven't probably given
them enough praise this season. You know, We've talked so
much about Michigan and Michigan State. We've talked about Western
Michigan because they're the defending national champs.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
We've talked a lot about.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Dartmouth because of their run to start the season, and
we've talked about teams like b you, Maine in Minnesota
for what they haven't done this year.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
But I think we we've kind of lost Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
And that weekend sweep of Michigan State was now thing
short of of, you know, miraculous in a massive weekend
opened a lot of eyes across the country.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
So Wisconsin's my team.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
There's a lot of respect out there for many other teams,
but I'm going to go with Wisconsin.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I'm going to go with I'm going to go with
North Dakota, and a lot of people probably have thought
I would have went somewhere else, probably Western Michigan, probably
thrown out the alma mater. But I think the one
thing I'm going to go reason, I'm going to go
North Dakota, new coach. Obviously, starting with a new coach
(02:36):
is always a challenge, but to do what they've done
with their record. Obviously, Saint Thomas they beat right off
the bat, which is a hard team to They've been
really good, but the last six games undefeated, the Midgie
they beat twice, Sat Cloud twice, Omaha. They're red hot
going into the break. I don't see them cooling down
(02:59):
against Mercy Colorado College. Big challenge Denver Arizona State. My
team in the first half with a new coach, really
top fourteen right now, would be a number one seed
if it was today. Is North Dakota.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Well, you know, I'm going to go with a team
that probably is obvious, but it wasn't obvious to me
before the season, and that's Michigan. Now they're number one
in the poll, number one in the NPI after Dartmouth's loss,
warkoff Age Hughes each with twenty eight points. They're getting
great goaltending. They are just firing on all cylinders, which
(03:34):
is appropriate for team in Michigan, I guess. But you know,
they are the team of the first half of the season,
and maybe they are the team to beat the rest
of the way through. It would not surprise me to
see them as one of the four teams in Las Vegas.
It would probably surprise me more if they didn't make
it to the Frozen Four. So I got to give
it to the Wolverines in the first half of the
(03:56):
season as the team. But any of those, you know,
I didn't even mention Michigan State. You know, they split
a weekend with with Michigan that moved them from first
to third in the poll. But they're right up in
there too, and you could make a case for them. Well,
how about the biggest plot twist for the season? What
(04:17):
did you absolutely not see coming in September? You know
some we've talked about Dartmouth's rise Augustan in the top
fifteen in the NPI, Miami right back as a competitive team,
although they're finding a little struggle in the NCC Right now,
What's What's something that's happened that you didn't expect?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
My biggest plot twist I'm going to go right off
the bat is the preseason poll in the NCCHC. I'm
gonna And this is kind of a difference because it's
not just one team. Miami picked last. They're doing outstanding.
Minnesota Duluth picked six, They are red hot and right
(04:59):
now they be in the NCAA Tournament. North Dakota pick third.
Western Michigan not as number one, they're not as as good.
So kind of kind of taking the preseason poll and saying.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
It might be a little bit flawed.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
And that's kind of my plot twist of that, saying
it's not kind of proven the polsters wrong.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Yeah, I've got to go with my favorite team of
the first task, Dartmouth the way that you know I've
talked about them, I've flumped their tires for the last month.
Really what Recashment has done with that program. We've mentioned
a lot, you know, losing that season during COVID, which
was his first season on staff after bog gotb retired.
To see what that team is now. They've really played
(05:45):
with some great pace. They can win different types of
hockey games. I know that they would have loved to
be twelve and zero with a break, but eleven and
one in that one loss coming in overtime on the
road to a good New Hampshire team. I think that
this Dartman's is fun to watch right now. I hope
that we can say that they're an NCAA tournament team.
(06:06):
I said it on Monday. A team at two in
the NPI right now doesn't feel like they're going to
go on some sort of a negative run that'll.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Push them out.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I think we're going to see an NCAA tournament bit
for dartment that right there.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
It's been a long time. That would be exciting.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I'm going to go with Wisconsin. I did not expect
the Badgers to come back all the way back, if
you want to put it that way. I expected them
to be a better team, fixing a couple places where
they had some holes, and maybe seeing them as maybe
a top fifteen team. Right about now, there they are
(06:39):
at number two. You know my case, things has got
everything going in the right direction. This is the team
we expect out of Wisconsin now. But at the beginning
of the season I thought it might be a season
or two before they got back up there. So that's
kind of a plot twist. I did not expect going
into this eason.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Runner up in there. How about a Christmas that the
runner up would be four ACAC teams in the top
sixteen and only one Hockey East team. That would be
a major plot twist. Who who had that on the
Bengo card in Vegas? He's in the Vegas Frozen four.
(07:21):
Anybody have that on their Bingo card?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
No? And the the ACAC run is impressive out of
the gate, and I'll just leave Hockey East alone for now.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So also talking about a plot twist, we might be
asking the same question called March, what was the biggest
plot twist of the second half?
Speaker 4 (07:42):
What might that be?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
We're not going to go into it, but I'll just
plant the seed that last season, the big plot twist
was Penn State, which was nowhere near the conversation at
the semester break last year and then made it to
the Frozen four. I wonder if somebody's going to do
that this year to see it.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I thought the Penn State story last year was one
of the most fun to follow in getting them to
a Frozen four. So yeah, I hope we got one
like that. Ed I certainly would love a second half
plot twist.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Let's go to our third category before we take our
mid episode break. What's the most worrisome big brand. In
other word, what big name program, traditional power or recent
day's power. What one concerns you the most heading into
twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
There is zero chance I'm touching this one, zero chance,
not even maybe as a coach, Am I going to
touch us? Can you imagine the text messages? This is
Christmas time. I am not going to touch this. I'm
not getting any phone calls. I'm not going to text.
No chance. This is on you, guys. This is a
media question, got it go.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I'll take the bait and I'll take the media angle
on it too, And maybe I can make this selection
because I know the coach well enough to know that
he's probably frustrated with his team.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
And that's Ben barr been Maine.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I think this is a really good main team this year,
and they've been bolstered by you know, players like Justin
Poorie coming into the lineup and.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Having immediate impact out of the CHL But.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Right now they aren't consistent enough, and that is what
concerns me. I want to see more consistency from Maine.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
They can't.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
You know, they played a lot of home games in
the first half for home losses at Alphon. That's so
uncharacteristic in recent years for Ben Barr, So I think
that that is the one team that we really need
to see more from in the second half. I know
there's a couple of other big brands in there, but
I think you know, to your point, Derek, it is
Christmas time.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
I'm not trying to crap on.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Anybody here, to be honest with you, but I think
Ben Barr would be realistic and say, my team's not
consistent enough yet, you.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Know what I'm going to throw in their And right
now they're eight and ten, four and four in the
Big Ten. But after they come back from the semester
break and a single game against be Midgie, they've got
two games at Penn State, then two games at home
(10:16):
against Michigan, then two games at Michigan State, and then
two home games against Wisconsin, and that is going to
be a really difficult stretch. If they can go five
hundred through that stretch, then they're kind of treading water.
If they can sweep or again like four or five
out of six points at home and split on the road,
(10:38):
then maybe they're picking up some steam. But I did
not expect them to be off to what is sort
of a sluggish start for the Golden Gophers. So that's
my worrisome big brand. And you know what, if you
want to throw in an honorable mention since Derek didn't
pick one, let's put b in there. You know, coming
(11:01):
back from the championship game last year, to be kind
of hovering around five hundred, they're really going to have
to put a few ws in the W column on
the way out or they're going to be in trouble
to even make the postseason in the NCAAs.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Yeah, the one thing I'll note to Ed is, you know,
when we look at the Hockey East brands, they're doing
so in a league that everybody feels like they're struggling.
Minnesota is doing so in a league where you have
three elitue teams.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
In Michigan, Michigan State, in Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So the comeback from Minnesota feels like it's a little
bit more of a challenge that it is maybe for
a Hockey East team that's sitting around the bubble. I
think any team that's even around five hundred in Hockey
East right now probably feels they can win the Hockey
East Championship get their automatic bid. I don't know that
you can say that for the teams in the big
pen that are struggling.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Well, we're going to take a pause here for our sponsor,
the NCAA Men's Division one Frozen four April ninth and eleven,
then Las Vegas, and when we come back, our first
question is going to be who's the most under the
radar fun team glack.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
Today we're fucking men's ice hockey. Open your textbooks, join
thousands of other swimming fans for an in person experience.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You have to see to believe.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
It's the NCAAA Men's Frozen four April ninth and eleventh
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Speaker 4 (12:25):
Attendance is encouraged, Passion.
Speaker 5 (12:27):
Is mandatory by your seats today at NCAA dot com
slash m Frozen four.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
How many teams are in the Men's Frozen four? Please
leave me.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
And we're continuing now with upon further review from USCCHO.
If somebody is looking for a team to adopt in
the second half, who should it be? And let me
let me dial that back a little bit. I have
a friend whose wife every year has to find a
freshman to adopt and then buy that freshman's jersey to
(13:02):
where as one of them at the game through that.
So that's that's a fun thing to adopt. But I
guess you can adopt a team. Maybe you don't have
a favorite team, or maybe your team isn't going to
be in the mix come March or April, and you
want to have somebody to adopt. Who's a fun team
that has been under the radar that we should be
looking out for.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
I'll go with a New Hampshire here.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
You know, I really have come to watch this UNH
team grow on me over the last three four weeks.
They lost a game against Yukon at home that I
think frustrated Mike Susa and then went down there, fell
behind three to one against that same Yukon team, came back,
won that game, They beat Bentley, they swept me. Now
(13:45):
that they just beat Dartmouth and overtime last Sunday, so
they have hot going into the break. They've moved themselves
into the top twenty two twenty three in the NTI.
Right now, I look at this un AH team that
if they can get some and some scoring going get
the really good goaltending performances that they've seen at times
(14:05):
from Kyle Shovet. I look at this un H team
as one that could make a second half run really
surprise a lot of people in Hockey East and across
the whole country.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
They got through Robert Morris Colonials. Oh wait, can I
Can I do that?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Now? Sure you won't give yourself any angry text if
you do so, you can.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
I really think that. I think a lot of people
are underlooking at Atlanta Cockey and the Independence right now.
I think there's a lot of really good teams that
don't get a lot of I know Steve metcalf will
goes to the Atlanta Hockey Weekly whatever. But you look
at down the line. We've talked a little bit about Lindenwood,
you got holy Cross at twenty two, You've got you
(14:45):
go down the line of teams l I U, Riit,
Air Force, Bentley. You've got teams that are just on
the cusp of really making some big strides. And I
joke about us. We didn't do very well in non conference,
but we are, we're and how you've seen us play.
We're above five hundred in league. We're five eighty in league.
(15:07):
There's a lot of really good teams within striking distance
of doing some really good things. As Independence and Amount
of cockey. So I'm going to throw a full bunch
of teams in this mix that are fun, under the
radar Atlantic Cockey independent teams.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I'm going to bring up a team that we mentioned
is one of the surprise teams of the first half
in that is Union. They've got twelve wins right now,
fifteen games left. Say they go eight and seven, and
I think they'll go better than eight and seven, maybe
ten and five, eleven and four in their remaining ECAC play.
But if they go eight and seven the rest of
(15:43):
the way, they're a twenty win team, and then that
would put them, you know, if they have that kind
of a finish, should put them in the top four
in the ECAC. So they get a first round by
and then you've got Lake Placid where anything can go.
They are you know what people have been talking about Dartmouth.
(16:04):
Of course, Quinnipiac and Harvard and Cornell are teams that
are always mentioned. But this is a resurgent Union team
playing in a brand new building this year, and they
may be a team that's fun to watch and maybe
can make some noise, get into the tournament, win a game,
win a game or two. Who knows it could be
fun to watch if you are looking for a team
(16:24):
to follow.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I think on Friday, I think you're going to really
see one that we forgot to talk about. We talked
about them on Monday, Augustana Augustana that they should really
take feature this week and that's that's a fun story.
New program number eleven right now. But they're the they're
the feature team this week against Omaha, only game in town.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
One thing too, And I wanted to mention about Union
going back to Union. They lost their goaltender Kyle Sobt.
We just mentioned him at you and h He's a
transfer from Union. They have Corpi in there right now,
who came over from Ischigan. He has really been able
to carry the water for this Union team, really impressive
in the first half.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
So we'll keep an eye on him in the second half.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Our last one. You can go safe, you can go
out on a limb. It's up to you. What's the
prediction you feel best about for twenty twenty six for
the second half?
Speaker 4 (17:20):
All right, who's going to go first? I think going today?
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Go ahead, Derek.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I've been waiting for this one. I gave you this
one on Monday. Since we're doing this on Wednesday.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
You guys were shocked.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Might do this? Out the Big Ten will win a
national championship? Safe or out on a limb? What do
you think?
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I mean? It feels safe because you know, you're talking
about the conference that has arguably the best teams.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
But we've they've had the best teams arguably for many
years and not one one.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
So we'll see. So I think yes, way out on
a limb when you really put it into perspective.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I'm going to go a little opposite of this, and
it's something we actually all last year Bentley did it.
A first time team will qualify for the NCAA field.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
I don't know which team that will be.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Maybe it's Augustana, Maybe it's a team in Atlanta Hockey
that we haven't talked about that maybe goes on a run,
wins the championship and they get in get their make their.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
First bid in the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Maybe it's the same thing out of the CCCHA, or
or there could just be a crazy team that we're
not thinking about that could go on a real run.
But I think that this is a year we're seeing
enough of the newer programs. The Augustanas the Saint Thomas's,
Lyndon Woods, even Arizona State, Penn State. I know they've
been to tournaments and stuff like that, but we're seeing
(18:42):
a lot from programs that have popped up in the
last fifteen to twenty years.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
That impresses me.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
I think we're going to see more new blood in
the NCAA tournament as Dartmouth.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
How long has it been since they have they been
to a tournament?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Nineteen eighty was the last time they were in.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
No, Jim, I'm trying to go through the list. You
mentioned a first time Atlantic Hockey team, and as I
go through all of this, there are only two teams
in Atlantic hockey who have not been to an NCAA tournament,
and maybe one of them was a long time ago.
But the ones I find on the list are Army
and Sacred Heart. I don't know if Army did have
(19:20):
way way back.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Yeah, I don't Army, I don't believe ever has Sacred Heart.
I would give them a legit chance to be one
of those teams this.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Year, But everybody else Robert Morris, mercy Hurst, Canisius, Niagra,
Rit Bentley, holy Cross and Air Force have all been
to the tournament, which actually people are probably forgetting. Anyway,
I almost felt like I needed to change my prediction
(19:48):
based on what Derek said. But I'll go ahead and
say what I was going to say anyway, is the
championship game is going to be two Big ten teams.
So you'll know if you're right on Thursday, Derek, Thursday
August or Thursday April ninth in Las Vegas. You'll know
if your prediction is right. And I guess so will
I at that point. But I boy, I don't know,
(20:11):
because NCCHC teams have found a way, and I don't
think it's the league. I think it's the teams in
the league. The league likes to take credit for what
their teams do, but the league doesn't play the games,
the league doesn't recruit the players, the lead the league administers,
and so forth like that. So it's nice to put
(20:32):
those plaques up on the wall in the league office,
but really it's the teams in the league that are
doing it, and they put together a league of powerful teams,
which of course now Big ten is done. Of course,
the Big Den hasn't done anything with it, so maybe
this is the ear. I guess that's us going out
on the limb and all the NCCHC fans throwing tomatoes. Well,
(20:53):
with that, I think we'll just wrap things up here
for this edition of a pond for the review. It's
been a lot of fun doing this new podcast during
twenty twenty five, and we look forward to seeing you
in the new year. I don't know if we sneak
one in before the new year or not. I guess
we probably won't. We won't have it one time first.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
This is this is probably the last time we'll all
be together, So happy holidays to everybody out there.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
A happy New Year, holidays.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
And don't forget that our sponsor is the NCAA Men's
Division one Frozen four April ninth and eleventh in Las Vegas,
NCAA dot com slash m Frozen four for your tickets,
for Jim Connelly, for Derek Scooley. I'm at Trevsker and
this has been a pawn for the review
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