St. Norbert, Gustavus Adolphus, & Wentworth Advance in NCAA Tournament

St. Norbert, Gustavus Adolphus, and Wentworth will advance to the elite eight in the 2012 NCAA D-III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. St. Norbert rallied back from a first period deficit to defeat St. Thomas 3-1. Gustavus Adolphus out shot MSOE to win 3-1. And Wentworth got it going in the third period to defeat Plymouth State 3-1. Gustavus Adolphus will travel to St. Norbert on Saturday in the quarterfinal round to finish out the western bracket. While Wentworth will travel to Norwich to face the number one seed in the East.

NCAA D-III Tournament: First Round Action

The 2012 NCAA D-III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament begins tonight with three first round match-ups. In the West, defending national champion St. Norbert will host at-large contender St. Thomas and MICA champion Gustavus Adolphus will host MCHA champion Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Then in the East, MASCAC champion Plymouth State will host ECAC Northeast champion Wentworth. All games will take place at 7:00pm. Here's a quick look at all the teams playing tonight and our picks.

St. Thomas at St. Norbert:
St. Norbert Green Knights
Overall Record: 17-5-5
NCAA History: 13th Appearance (2008 & 2011 National Champions)
Scoring Offense: 3.81 gpg
Scoring Defense: 2.22 gpg
Power Play: 22.8%
Penalty Kill: 88.8%
Penalties: 15.96 min per gameKey Player: F-Johan Ryd (36 Pts)
Key Player: G-David Jacobson (.931 SV% & 1.64 GAA)

St. Thomas Tommies
Power Play: 19.8%
Overall Record: 18-5-2
NCAA History: 15th Appearance
Scoring Offense: 3.40 gpg
Scoring Defense: 2.28 gpg
Power Play: 24.6%
Penalty Kill: 88.3%
Penalties 12.64 mins per game
Key Player: F-Riley Horgan (32 Pts)
Key Player: G-Drew Fielding (.921 SV% & 1.99 GAA)

Our Pick: This is clearly the most competitive game of the night. It should be close but we think St. Norbert's leadership and goaltending will give them a one or two goal edge.

MSOE at Gustavus Adolphus:
Gustavus Adolphus Gusties
Overall Record: 16-6-5
NCAA History: 6th Appearance
Scoring Offense: 3.11 gpg
Scoring Defense: 2.30 gpg
Penalty Kill: 80.2%
Penalties: 12.81 min per game
Key Player: F-Ross Ring-Jarvi (29 Pts)
Key Player: G-John McLean (.924 SV% & 2.12 GAA)

Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders
Overall Record: 22-6-1
NCAA History: First Appearance
Scoring Offense: 4.24 gpg
Scoring Defense: 2.14 gpg
Power Play: 20.3%
Penalty Kill: 85.2%
Penalties: 19.28 min per game
Key Player: F-Jordan Keizer (45 Pts)
Key Player: G-Connor Toomey (.926 SV% & 1.98 GAA)

Our Pick: This game could go either way but the Gusties have been here before and know how to win a big game. MSOE has some impressive scorers but they take alot of penalties and don't have great special teams. We like Gustavus.

Wentworth at Plymouth State:
Plymouth State Panthers
Overall Record: 17-6-3
NCAA History: First Appearance
Scoring Offense: 3.38 gpg
Scoring Defense: 2.38 gpg
Power Play: 21.5%
Penalty Kill: 85.6%
Penalties: 18.42 min per game
Key Player: F-Kyle Greco (36 Pts)
Key Player: G-Jack Astedt (.914 SV% & 2.29 GAA)

Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards
Overall Record: 20-6-1
NCAA History: 6th Appearance
Scoring Offense: 3.85 gpg
Scoring Defense: 2.52 gpg
Power Play: 23.1%
Penalty Kill: 83.7%
Penalties: 15.7 min per game
Key Player: F-Mike Domsodi (34 Pts)
Key Player: G-Alex Peck (.919 SV% & 2.03 GAA)

Our Pick: This is by far the worst game of the entire tournament featuring the weakest two teams in the field. Wentworth has already beaten Plymouth twice this season at Plymouth. We expect Wentworth to win easy and move on to be Norwich's punching bag next week.

Conference Tournaments Shake up Polls

USCHO.com Division III Men's Poll: March 05 2012

1. Norwich (17)
2. Amherst (1)
3. Oswego (1)
3. Plattsburgh
5. St. Norbert (1)
6. Milwaukee School of
7. St. Thomas
8. Gustavus Adolphus
9. Castleton
10. Adrian
11. Elmira
12. Bowdoin
13. Hobart
14. Neumann
15. Middlebury

Yankees Center Fielders

The Yankees are attempting to repeat as AL East Champions in 2012.  As such, they are going forward with a team that includes a long list of returning players from 2011.  One such area with a returning player in place is center field.

1.  Curtis Granderson:  Granderson is still under Yankee control for the time being, and no one is complaining about that.  Last season he batted .262, with 136 runs scored, 41 homers, 119 runs batted in, and 25 stolen bases.  In addition, he plays solid defense in center field.  The only real blemish for Granderson is that he still struggles a bit against lefties.  But the Yankees aren't worried; they're expecting him to have another strong season next year.

2.  Brett Gardner:  Gardner is still under Yankee control, and he'll be in the lineup almost everyday, though he's expected to play multiple positions and bat in various spots in the lineup.  He should get some time in center field when the Yankees face a lefty.  Last season he batted .259 with 49 stolen bases.

3.  Chris Dickerson:  Dickerson is a young player in the Yankees system who is still under club control.  He batted .260 in 50 at-bats last season, and is known more for his defense than his bat.  Dickerson was a favorite to stick with the team until DH /LF Raul Ibanez was signed.  Now that DH/OF Andruw Jones will be used in a fourth outfielder's role Dickerson's chances of sticking with the team are much more slim.  He's likely headed back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, though he'll be the first person recalled in the Yankees need an outfielder.

4.  Justin Maxwell:  Maxwell is a former top prospect in the Washington organization who moved to the Yankees last season.  He was injured for most of last season, batting .260 in 177 at-bats for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  Maxwell plays good defense in the outfield and is in the running for a fourth outfielder's job, but now he finds himself behind Jones and Dickerson.  He's likely headed back to AAA next season, and it's possible he may be given his outright release by the Yankees in the Spring.

5.  Melky Mesa:  Mesa is a player coming up through the Yankees system who they have added to the 40-man roster to protect from the Rule V Draft.  Mesa had a down season last year in the Minors, batting .249 in 398 at-bats.  In addition, he struck out 133 times and only drew 39 walks.  Mesa, however, is known for his defense and has never been a good hitter, and his defense is still as strong as ever.  He'll probably be headed back to Trenton this season, but he should be promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre soon and a September call-up wouldn't be out of the question for him.

6.  Dewayne Wise:  Wise is a veteran who the Yankees have signed to a Minor League contract and invited to Spring Training.  Wise spent most of last season in the Majors with Toronto and Florida but did not perform well, batting .202 in 99 at-bats.  A defensive specialist, Wise is trying to win a job as a fourth outfielder, but finds himself low on the totem pole and is not guaranteed money like Jones.  He'll probably be offered a spot on the team at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, though it will be curious to see if he accepts that assignment. 

The Yankees look strong in center field.  Granderson is a star in every sense of the word.  Gardner is also an exceptional player in left and a capable fill-in when Granderson sits in center.  Dickerson, Maxwell, and Wise are good for depth.  Mesa is an interesting player in the system.

At Large bids in, Bracket and Rankings Announced

The first eight teams were easy.  All of the conferences had automatic qualifiers for the champions.  Those teams were Norwich (ECAC East), Wentworth (ECAC Northeast), Plymouth State (MASCAC), Milwaukee School of Engineering (MCHA), Gustavus Adolphus (MIAC), Amherst (NESCAC), St. Norbert (NCHA), and Plattsburgh (SUNYAC).  The three remaining teams in the 11-team field were to be selected as at-large bids.  Looking at the latest set of rankings, those shouldn't have been hard to figure out.

Oswego ended the regular-season run ranked number one in the nation.  They lost that distinction when they were defeated in the SUNYAC Championship Game by Plattsburgh, but they were still an easy choice for the first at-large bid.  Looking at the rest of the rankings, it appeared pretty easy to pick them as well.  The committee apparently wanted to take one team out of the East and one out of the West, and in that case the rankings are clear:  Adrian at number six (West), and Castleton at number seven (East). 

But alas, that's not what happened.  Adrian was snubbed in favor of St. Thomas, who were ranked eighth and were still a solid pick, albeit undeserving.  But then Castleton was snubbed in favor of Elmira, ranked 13th.  13th?  How the hell did Elmira get a bid?  Once again the NCAA selecting committee has proven itself as incompetent at the worst level.  Just to prove a point, every Oswego State Lakers hockey fan was sitting on pins and needles all day yesterday until the selections were announced at 9:30, and that was the number one team in the nation until then, because of the randomness, biases, and general incompetency of the NCAA selection committee.

I suppose it is important to note that Norwich has a representative on the selection committee, and that person (Michael McShane) probably did everything in his power to keep other ECAC East teams out of the NCAA Tournament.  And that's right folks, Castleton plays in the ECAC East and has basically emerged as Norwich's biggest and most relevant rival over the past two seasons.  Having said that, I don't really have an explanation for St. Thomas over Adrian.  The Bulldogs got screwed.

The first round of the playoffs begin on March 7, but the Lakers - despite their at-large status - have been byed into the quarterfinals where they will face Elmira (that's right) at the Campus Center Ice Arena in Oswego, New York on March 10.  It's amazing to me that not only did Elmira get an at-large bid that they didn't deserve, they got ranked highly enough by the NCAA to get a bye into the quarterfinals.

All of the relevant information on the NCAA Tournament can be seen here.  In addition, the schedule and results can be viewed here as the tournament progresses.  The quarterfinal results (quarterfinals take place on March 10) can be viewed here as the road to the Frozen Four continues.

Lakers lose Heartbreaker to Plattsburgh; Season now in Jeopardy

The Lakers lost a heart-breaker in the SUNYAC Championship game last night to the Plattsburgh Cardinals in a game that could end their season.  Oswego went into the game sitting in a strong first place in the SUNYAC and had breezed through the playoffs up until last night.  Plattsburgh was in a strong second place and had had trouble in the playoffs, getting taken to triple overtime last week at home against Buff State.

In a game that matched two strong defensive teams with two excellent D-I transfer goalies and great penalty kills, the first period went by scoreless.  Oswego got the scoring started at 9:15 in the second period when Jon Whitelaw scored on a five-on-three power play from an assist by Paul Rodrigues.  Plattsburgh struck back at 18:49 in the second when Jared Docking scored on a power play with assists from Nick Jensen and Paul Puglisi.

Tied at one in the third, Plattsburgh took a lead at 4:33 on a goal by Mike Grace with an assist from Matt MacLeod.  The Cardinals sealed the deal at 8:26 in the third on a second goal by Jensen with an assist from Kyle Kudroch.  Oswego started a comeback only seven seconds later when Kyle Badham scored on an unassisted goal at 8:33, but were stifled by Platty's defense the rest of the way.

Plattsburgh out-shot Oswego 27 to 17.  Mathieu Cadieux went 15 for 17 in the net for Plattsburgh while Andrew Hare went 24 for 27 in the net for the Lakers.  Both teams demonstrated a characteristically-strong penalty kill, and Oswego essentially lost the game when they went one-for-five on power plays against the Cardinals, and their only power-play-goal came on a five-on-three power play.  Plattsburgh only had two power plays and scored on one of them. 

With the win and the SUNYAC crown Plattsburgh receives an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament which will culminate in the Frozen Four at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York on March 16 and 17.  They are in line to be ranked as the number two or three team in the East bracket. 

Oswego will now have to rely on an at-large bid from the NCAA if they have any hopes of continuing their season in the NCAA tournament.  Currently ranked number one in the nation, that bid should be all-but ensured, but the keywords in that statement are "all" and "but."  The number-one ranked team usually makes it into the tournament but stranger things have happened and you can never trust the at-large bid selecting committee.  Last season Castleton was ranked in prime position to receive an at-large bid but were snubbed in favor of Neumann, who were ranked seven positions lower than the Spartans at the time.  In addition, the well-known Oswego bias on the NCAA selecting committee could prevent them from receiving a bid into the tourney.

NCAA at-large bids, playoff rankings, and brackets will be announced tonight at 9:30.

Rematch Set: SUNYAC Championship on the Line

Oswego and Plattsburgh will once again face off for the SUNYAC Championship crown. Saturday night's game at the Campus Center Ice Arena in Oswego marks the 12th time the two SUNYAC juggernauts have met for the tittle. Historically Plattsburgh has had Oswego's number winning 9 of the previous 11 matchups. However, Oswego has dominated recently with a record of 6-0-1 (including the 2010 SUNYAC Championship) in their last 7 meetings. This season Oswego tied at Plattsburgh 2-2 and Oswego shutout Plattsburgh at home 3-0 a few weeks ago in the annual whiteout game.

Plattsburgh advanced to the final by edging out Buffalo State in a 4-3 triple OT game. Oswego advanced to the championship game after cruising by Fredonia 8-3 last Saturday.

What's on the line (besides the SUNYAC crown and obvious bragging rights)?

For Oswego: A win would give the Lakers an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and most likely seal their case on the #1 seed in the east bracket. This would give them a first round bye and allow Oswego to host a home NCAA quarterfinal game against the lowest remaining seed next Saturday night. Even if Oswego was the lose they would most likely be guaranteed an at-large bid into the NCAAs and still be ranked the #1 or #2 seed in the east bracket.

For Plattsburgh: A win would give the Cardinals an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and grant them a #2 or #3 seeding in the east bracket. They would mostly likely host their first playoff game either in the play-in-round or in the quarterfinals. If they lose they would also have to rely on an at-large bid to get into the tournament. They would be in great shape to receive the at-large bid but their seeding stock would fall and they would most likely have to play in the first (or play-in) round.

The puck drops tonight at 7pm in Oswego. For those unable to make it to the game you can listen live on WYNO, or watch online via Oswego Athletics. The game will also air on TV, Time Warner 96 in Oswego or Time Warner 1027 in Central NY.