ASU Hockey 2018-19

[Willie D]

Sounds like they have their work cut out for them

Yeah, kinda. It's a long story about ASU playing a few tomato cans on the East Coast, making good on beating a few more "quality" teams like Cornell and Minnesota.

Their basic ebb tide is their RPI. Lots of unranked teams in milquetoast conferences like Atlantic Hockey next month. It isn't their fault--teams schedule games, and they will have a very respectable strength-of-schedule. Problem is: six teams get into the Frozen Four simply by winning their conference, and ASU isn't part of a conference. So only ten of the sixteen teams are at-large. You might find some schlep like Penn State beats Ohio St. on the B1G "wo forgot how many schools" conference meet...then there's only nine left.

But on balance, you gotta admit...with all the suckage in Arizona sports right now, these fellas are welcome news!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I’m still shocked to see “devils” and “hockey” and “good” all in the same sentence.

 

[Willie D]

Well, the boys are back on the old iron road after an idle week, headed to Boston for a weekend series with Boston U.. Hopefully they will do better than their last trip east, losing both to #12 Cornell. But ASU still ranks #17 in the country, sandwiched between Union College and Lake Superior St.. The Devils' RPI and strength-of-schedule are still #11. But now at #17, and with no conference tournament to improve their lot, they will need a string of wins to be considered for the Frozen Four.

In other news, center Johnny Walker leads the NCAA in goals, Joey the Goalie, Ottawa Senators draftee, leads the NCAA in wins and shut-oots. Both are nominees for the Hobey Baker Award.

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[Willie D]

Like most of the teams in the top 20, ASU had a mixed weekend against Boston U., splitting the series. Because of this, ASU actually moved up one spot to #16 in the poll. Joey Daccord pitched another shutout, keeping him 1st in the NCAA in bagels. Johnny Walker scored twice.

One final trip back east this weekend against RIT.

 

[Willie D]

Current NCAA projected seedings are out based on PairWise ratings--a kind of enhanced RPI. ASU would play Ohgio State in the Frozen Four...a team they beat earlier this year.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/01/30/bracketology-if-the-ncaa-tournament-began-today-whos-in-whos-out/
https://www.uscho.com/2019/01/30/bracketology-if-the-ncaa-tournament-began-today-whos-in-whos-out/
BTW, www.hoberbaker.org has a fan vote feature if you want to vote for Walker or Daccord (or whosoever you like). The Hoibey Baker Award is the Heisman of hockey. Baker (I think) is the only guy in two sports Halls of Fame. He was in the first HHOF class with George Vezina and Howie Morenz. Some good company, eh?

 

[Willie D]

Another weekend, another broom handle handed to the RIT. Not to be confused with the engineering school RPI or the Ratings Power Index. But they won both games, and even managed to land a plane in Rochester despite that nasty Polar Vortex someone told me aboot. The Ice Devils jump back to #12 nationally. More importantly, they jump to #8 in the PairWise rankings.

Two weekends left in the regular season. ASU will be back at Oceanside to host American International next weekend, followed by one last roadie to Minneapolis to face the Golden Gophers.

C'mon...a sports team is doing well in Phoenix. Ya gotta get behind this! Even if you don't know active icing vs. hybrid icing, they're winning games against some really good teams. They don't shy away from a tough schedule.

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[Willie D]

My mistake, ASU was idle this week, but still held #12 in the polls. American Int'l is this coming weekend at Oceanside. Guess I should learn to read the calendar.

Quick breakdown of the Frozen Four. 16 teams get the invite: the 6 conference winners, and 10 at-large. The field is large selected on an enhanced version of the RPI called PairWise. ASU is currently #9 in PairWise.

So...as of today...automatic berth

Atlantic Hockey - American International
Big 10 - Ohio St
ECAC - Cornell
Hockey East - Massachusetts
NCHC - St. Cloud St.
WCHA - Minnesota Mankato

4 of those teams are ranked ahead of ASU, so eliminate them from the at-large contenders ahead of ASU. That leaves 14 at-large berths "in theory." Assume the teams ranked ahead ofASU in PW...Duluth, Quinnippiac, Denver and Cornell also get in. That leaves ASU as the top dog in a field of 10 at-large contenders. AndASU is ranked way ahead of AIC. since 10< 16 --FROZEN FOUR. Get yer LL Bean duck boots and a plane ticked for MSP.

BTW, cool story on the first graduating class of Ice Devils:

https://www.uscho.com/2019/02/12/in...-program-looking-to-be-a-part-of-the-success/

 

[Dback Jon]

AHC is a low schollie conference - must win games for ASU

 

[AZCB34]

Just keep grinding and winning. Postseason will take care of itself.

 

[Willie D]

^-- this teams grinds like an old-school grist mill. They're tough like the Flyers in the 80s, but not stupid-tough like the Broad Street Bullies.

As for Atlantic Hockey being a "schoolie" conference, I'd remind you it includes the Air Force Academy, West Point, Holy Cross and other and other good schools. You can ***** on them, but like the Sun Belt and the Patriot conferences in hoops, you have to take them in to account.

On that note, a more erudite analysis of pucketology:

https://www.uscho.com/2019/02/13/br...-harvard-in-if-ncaa-tournament-started-today/

 

[Willie D]

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The boys in Maroon & Gold tossed a bagel around the fellas from American International this weekend, winning both games. I saw the Saturday affair. It was chippy to be sure. Palanchuk (sp?) drew a 10-minute misconduct, and will likely be sat for the upcoming series in Minneapolis. But that's just jibber-jabber. Another standout performance from Hobey Baker nominee Joey Daccord.

And FWIW.. I-tech face shields suck donkey poo. There is no substitute for a steel open-air mask.

ASU is currently #8 in the PairWise rankings, and got a *****-ton of help over the weekend, to wit:
#2 Ohio State split with Minnesota
#4 Duluth split with #7 Denver
#8 Cornell lost to both Brown & Yale
#112 Clarksonsplit with Dartmouth & Harvard

The Ice Devils have played plenty of these lineups. The boys are tested and ready.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/02/17/dr...o-clinch-ncaa-at-large-bid-for-arizona-state/

Also the toast of NBC's Hockey Day In America.

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/02/17/incredible-rise-of-arizona-states-hockey-team/
Season finale: sticking a fork up the Golden Gophers' ass.

 

[Willie D]

Devils up one spot to #11 in the coach's poll. #8 in PairWise.

Chatter about ASU joining a hockey conference. I say "no." Wait for U of A, UNLV and Colorado to start teams. All of them have standout programs in the ACHA (club hockey conference). ASU still has 2 club teams in the ACHA.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/02/19/tm...erence-realignment-alaska-schools-threatened/

 

[Willie D]

Current pucketology has ASU traveling to New Hampshire to play in the Regional vs. Northeastern. Just hope they don't get sent west to play St. Cloud State.

Now then, the Gophers:

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https://www.uscho.com/2019/02/27/br...rted-today-umass-lowell-out-bowling-green-in/

 

[jf-08]

Thanks for keeping us up to date.

 

[Willie D]

The NCAA website has a different bracket prediction.

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[Willie D]

Well, ASU didn't kill any Gophers this weekend. Carl Spackler couldn't either. ASU got swept by Minnesota in an odd mix of offensive lethargy and poor netminding. But don't despair, ASU remains at #8 in the PairWise rankings, thanks to some losses by teams ahead of them.

ASU will now return home for a two-week respite. Since ASU is an independent team, they have no conference tournament. The rest of 'em do. And this isn't NCAA hoops: only the conference tournament winners get the 6 automatic berths in the Frozen Four. Funky things happen. Will this help the Devils or hurt them? It's an open question.

ASU finishes the regular season at 21-12-1. Which I believe means most of you need to get out an old phonograph, find that dusty copy od Rush's album "2112" and rock out.

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[AZCB34]

3 seed in Midwest. Playing Quinnipiac

 

[Dback Jon]

3 seed in Midwest. Playing Quinnipiac

Congrats to ASU

 

[Ronin]

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