Colorado College Tigers
West Regional (Scotttrade Center, St. Louis, MO)
Friday, March 25, 2011
At-Large Berth from the WCHA
Record: 22-18-3
Head Coach: Scott Owens
How do we say this politely? Colorado College probably doesn't make the field in most years, but thanks to a weak bubble, a team just four games over break even gets in to the field as the the 14th overall seed. Going 5-4-1 down the stretch (including five straight games against Wisconsin due to a scheduling quirk where they played them on the last weekend of the regular season, then in a best two of three in the WCHA first round), CC doesn't limp into tournament, but they're also not charging in hard. They're a special teams nightmare, in that being top 10 in the nation in the Power Play (40% of the teams goals come on the man advantage) is balanced by the fact that they have given up a nation's worst 11 shorthanded goals. (Like Michigan Tech, the Tigers are clearly NOT doing it for the shorties.)
So, how does CC get by the defending national champions? Well, for starters, they'll need the Schwartz(es) to be with them, as brother combination of freshman Rylan and sophomore Jaden power a scoring line with the Tigers' leading scorer Stephen Schwartz. They'll need to play well on even strength. They'll need some puck luck. So yes, basically, they'll need all of the things you normally need as a #4 seed if you want to upset the top seed. Will the Tigers be burning bright on Friday? We'll see.
(On a non-hockey note, this seems as good a place as any to send our best wishes to NFL Films President (and Colorado College alumnus) Steve Sabol, who has begun treatment this week for a brain tumor.)
Head Coach: Scott Owens
How do we say this politely? Colorado College probably doesn't make the field in most years, but thanks to a weak bubble, a team just four games over break even gets in to the field as the the 14th overall seed. Going 5-4-1 down the stretch (including five straight games against Wisconsin due to a scheduling quirk where they played them on the last weekend of the regular season, then in a best two of three in the WCHA first round), CC doesn't limp into tournament, but they're also not charging in hard. They're a special teams nightmare, in that being top 10 in the nation in the Power Play (40% of the teams goals come on the man advantage) is balanced by the fact that they have given up a nation's worst 11 shorthanded goals. (Like Michigan Tech, the Tigers are clearly NOT doing it for the shorties.)
So, how does CC get by the defending national champions? Well, for starters, they'll need the Schwartz(es) to be with them, as brother combination of freshman Rylan and sophomore Jaden power a scoring line with the Tigers' leading scorer Stephen Schwartz. They'll need to play well on even strength. They'll need some puck luck. So yes, basically, they'll need all of the things you normally need as a #4 seed if you want to upset the top seed. Will the Tigers be burning bright on Friday? We'll see.
(On a non-hockey note, this seems as good a place as any to send our best wishes to NFL Films President (and Colorado College alumnus) Steve Sabol, who has begun treatment this week for a brain tumor.)
1 comment:
What they really need is Sherwood Schwart, who would write some sort of wackiness where John Muse can't find his helmet or the entire team is held captive in the Gateway Arch by Jim Backus.
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