Bracketology

It is the time of year where everyone starts to look at all the possible draws for their respective teams in the NCAA tournament in March/April. The tournament begins at 4 regional sites March 29-31 and then moves to the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh on April 9-11. The seeding is based entirely on the Pairwise rankings which fluctuate like crazy based on each game. I am going to break down the current rankings and take a wild guess at what I think they will look like to end the year. My first shot I took on twitter had BU, Western Michigan, Notre Dame and Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four. I am going to stray from that slightly based on how my projected bracket turns out. I was 3/4 two years ago in 2011. Last year, I'm just going to pretend didn't happen.

Current Pairwise

1. Quinnipiac(ECAC)
2. Minnesota(WCHA)
3. BC(HE)
4. UNH(HE)
5. Yale(ECAC)
6. North Dakota(WCHA)
7. Lowell(HE)
8. Miami(CCHA)
9t. Dartmouth(ECAC)
9t. Notre Dame(CCHA)
11. Denver(WCHA)
12.Western Michigan(CCHA)
13. BU(HE)
14. St. Cloud State(WCHA)
15t. Minnesota St(WCHA)
15t Northern Michigan
17. Niagara(Atlantic)
17. Alaska
19t Nebraska Omaha
19t Cornell



East(Providence, RI)
1. Quinnipiac vs 4 BU
2. Lowell vs 3 Dartmouth

Northeast (Manchester,NH)
1. UNH(host) vs 4.Minnesota St
2. Yale vs 3. Western Michigan

West(Grand Rapids, MI)
1. Minnesota vs 4. Niagra
2.Miami vs 3 Denver

Midwest(Toldeo, OH)

1. BC vs 4. St. Cloud St
2. North Dakota vs 3 Notre Dame


Projected Pairwise

1.Minnesota- just too talented to lose too much coming down the stretch
2.QU- They are going to run the table in the ECAC..well they won't lose anyway
3. North Dakota- Sioux! They have solid roster of talent and don't seem them losing much the rest of the way now that they are done with Minnesota.
4. BU- It all starts with a big bounce back this weekend against PC to put them in their place
5. BC- I wanted to put them out of the field but besides losing the Beanpot, I don't know much more they will lose this year
6. Miami(OH)
7. Lowell-
8. Yale- Playing in the ECAC helps you win more games than you probably should
9. UNH- Second half swoon here they come
10. Notre Dame- Struggling as of late but Jeff Jackson will get them on track
11. Western Michigan- All about the Broncos still. No team is going to want to draw them in the tournament
12. Denver- Inconsistent but if they find some goal tending on a regular basis, watch out.
13. Dartmouth
14. Alaska- Nanooks! Hottest team in the west right now coming off sweeps of Notre Dame and Michigan.
15. Minnesota St
16. Air Force- The best of a shitty conference. Niagara  chokes it away to Air Force every year so I'm banking on that again.

East(Providence,RI)
1. QU vs 4 Minnesota St
2. Lowell vs 3 Western Michigan

Northeast(Manchester, NH)
1. BU vs 4. Dartmouth
2. Miami vs 3 UNH

West(Grand Rapids, MN)
 1. Minnesota vs 4 Air Force
2. Yale vs 3 Notre Dame

Midwest( Toledo,OH)

1. North Dakota vs 4. Alaska
2  BC vs  3 Denver

Frozen Four: Western Michigan, BU, Minnesota, North Dakota