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Hockey team sneaks in
In a 2002-03 WCHA season where predictability has been thrown out the window, it may not surprise some people that the Husky men's hockey team clawed their way into the NCAA tournament despite a 17-15-5 record and a first round loss in the WCHA tourney.
On the other hand, things happen from a degree of logic. The University of Minnesota-Duluth may have yet to close their jaws after the seedings for the NCAA tournament were announced last night and they saw SCSU on the list with a No. 4 seed.
The Huskies themselves were among those nonbelievers after they were taken out in the first round of the WCHA tournament by Duluth. The locker room resembled a wake, and head coach Craig Dahl said it himself, "I don't see it happening. It's virtually impossible."
In any other conference, or any other world for that matter, that may have been true.
It just so happens that everything that the Huskies needed to happen in the conference tournaments around the nation, did. Providence, Michigan State, Northern Michigan, UMD, Notre Dame and Dartmouth were all eliminated before they could do too much damage in their respective conference tournaments. In addition, no teams that weren't already set to be in the NCAA tournament won a conference championship to receive an automatic bid.
That stuck the Huskies in the 14th and final spot (tied with Providence) thanks to two automatic non-ranked bids from the CHA and MAAC tournament champions in the Pairwise (PWR) rankings.
The PWR rankings are based on a mathematical equation that has predicted the NCAA tournament since 1998. The PWR streak of precision was extended to five years as every one of the predicted ranked teams received births last night.
The Huskies won the tie-breaker with Providence because of a better Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).
As a result they will make their fourth consecutive NCAA appearance and will face last year's runner-up, the No. 1 seed University of New Hampshire in a Northeast Divisional matchup. The game will be held at the Centrum Center in Worcester, Mass., this Friday at 7:30 p.m. (EST).
The Huskies' fourth consecutive NCAA birth (the only WCHA team there the last three years) will likely kick up a lot of controversy this week because of the fact that UMD was kept out of the tournament even though they eliminated the Huskies and have a better record at 22-15-5.
"It's an odd situation," sophomore Mike Doyle said, who scored the overtime game-winner in the second game against UMD.
"A lot of people may not agree with how we got in, but we'll take it."
"We've been watching the Final Five and keeping an eye on the Internet for scores," Doyle continued. "Coach Dahl told us (Saturday) before practice that we were in the top 14 and we couldn't be moved down. We were obviously excited because it's like a new season for us."
The fact that the Huskies had the second toughest schedule in the nation, which gave their RPI a tremendous boost, overshadowed their mediocre record.
The selection committee didn't overlook that fact, or the bonus points the Huskies accumulated in wins over No. 7 Ferris State and Providence. The Bonus Point rule was implemented this year that credits teams with points for quality nonconference wins. The Huskies had the most in the WCHA.
"It's kind of weird," senior goaltender Jake Moreland said. "You shed your tears and think you're done and then all of the sudden you're back in it."
"It's an emotional rollercoaster. Not too many teams get a second chance. Since it's my senior season, I want to go out playing my best. I'm grateful to have that chance."
Considering Dahl goes with his senior goalie into the tournament, Moreland would get a chance to wash away the bad taste left by the six goals that were scored on him in what was once thought to be his final collegiate game March 16. UMD beat SCSU 7-3.
Moreland is just one of the Huskies that will welcome one last chance.
Around the Rink
-Senior Jon Cullen and sophomores Mike Doyle, Peter Szabo and Dave Iannazzo were all named to the WCHA All-Academic team last Thursday.
-If there are no injuries this week, the Huskies will go into Massachusetts with their full starting roster for only the third game this season. Start knocking on wood.
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