The weekend couldn't have gone much better for MSU, as the Spartans swept the Buckeyes and moved into a 7th place tie with LSSU. MSU currently holds the first tiebreaker (regulation/OT wins) as well. With all the other CCHA games played this weekend, the standings look like this:
1. Ferris State 41 points (6 games left)
2. Western 39 points (6 games left)
3. Michigan 38 points (6 games left)
4. Notre Dame 36 points (6 games left)
5. Miami 36 points (4 games left)
6. Ohio State 36 points (4 games left)
7. MSU 35 points (6 games left)
8. LSSU 35 points (6 games left)
9. Northern 30 points (6 games left)
10. Alaska 27 points (4 games left)
11. BGSU 19 points (6 games left)
A couple of important things to take note...... Michigan State has a slightly bigger lead over Northern for home ice in the first round of the playoffs. It was two points coming into the weekend, and now it is five. Not that five points is a huge lead, because there are six points up for grab each weekend. Also, if MSU were to win just one of their two games on hand with Miami & Ohio State, Michigan State would pass them both and earn a first round bye in the CCHA tournament. Remember, the top five teams get byes in the CCHA tournament, though finishing 5th means you are on the road in the quarterfinals. MSU is only one point behind Notre Dame for home ice and a first round bye in the CCHA tournament.
So, it begs the question if Tom Anastos deserves a serious look as a CCHA coach of the year candidate. Bob Daniels would obviously be the favorite should Ferris State close this out. Amazingly, MSU still is only six points (two wins) out of the CCHA lead. Crazy season.
The weekend also moved Michigan State back into the NCAA tournament. MSU currently is ranked in a tie for 13th in the PairWise with Northern Michigan. MSU would win the tiebreaker against Northern based on the head to head comparison. Here is a projection on how the NCAA tournament would look:
NCAA Tournament Projection
Great weekend for MSU, but now the focus shifts to Michigan. Yup, it's Michigan week. Michigan State is 0-2-1 against Michigan this year, so I'm sure the Spartans will be really gearing up to end the winless streak this season against UofM. Michigan is on a roll going 8-1-1 since the MSU series last December (which Michigan went 1-0-1). So Michigan is 9-1-2 in their last 12 games. Friday night will be at Munn, and the series shifts to Detroit on Saturday.
Various recaps:
USCHO.com Recap
Neil's Notebook
MSUSpartans.com Recap
Video Highlights
Lansing State Journal Recap: Spartans Finish Sweep
Columbus Dispatch Recap: Buckeyes' Skid Continues
That's it for now - happy Super Bowl Sunday.
Actually, MSU wins the tiebreaker at the moment vs. Northern because of number of wins (10, vs. 7 for NMU). Head-to-head is 2nd tiebreaker.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment (and reading the blog of course)! I encourage comments & feedback of course. The tiebreaker with Northern I was referring to was in the Pairwise rankings not the CCHA standings, because both teams are tied for 13th in the Pairwise rankings.
ReplyDeleteObviously, MSU would currently still own a CCHA standing tiebreaker for the reason you state. Thankfully right now we don't have to depend on that at the moment.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteJim from A Beautiful Day for Football. I just stumbled on your blog through the Spartan Mag site and I just wanted to stop by. Awesome to see a Hockey blog out there.
Thanks Jim! Also thanks for your plug on your blog, I'll be sure to return the favor.
DeleteMy main goal here is simply to give a place for MSU fans to talk about their hockey team. I'm simply a fan myself, but the program has always been one of my favorite programs to follow on campus ever since I set foot on campus. Plus, college hockey isn't always the easiest sport for the casual fan to follow, so it gives them a place to check up on the Spartans as well.