Bracketology: The home stretch

We have reached the semifinals, and in the case of the CHA, the championship game.  There are still too many possibilities left for the final bracket.  Tomorrow we will be down to only 8 possible outcomes, and we will take another look at the possibilities.  If you want to check out each team’s odds, based on the KRACH rankings, of winning their respective tournaments, you can see this article.

WCHA

Up first is the simplest to figure out, the WCHA.  The historic national power conference looks to continue its dominance.

Likely Bids: 3 (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth)

Possible Thieves: North Dakota

Wisconsin is still locked into the number one seed.  Duluth is favored to host either in the 3 or 4 seed position.  Minnesota likely must win the WCHA tournament to host. North Dakota is the biggest long shot left as KRACH gives them less then a 2% chance of winning.

CHA

The CHA is all but wrapped up and will be a one-bid league.

Likely Bids: 1 (Autobid)

Possible Winners: Robert Morris, Syracuse

It will be winner take all tonight as top-seeded Robert Morris and second-seeded Syracuse square off for the autobid and most likely a trip to Madison.

Hockey East

Hockey East is likely to be a one-bid league, but the tournament could cause some intrigue.

Likely Bids: 1 (Boston College)

Possible Thieves: Northeastern, Vermont, Boston University

The Eagles are the odds-on favorites to repeat as champions.  Their matchup against Vermont, while strongly in their favor on paper, could be trouble.  The other semifinal is essentially a tossup between NU and BU.  The biggest question floating around Boston is how much of a factor home ice will be for the third-seeded Terriers.

ECAC

This is the most intriguing tournament of the four.

Likely Bids: 3 (Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Cornell/Princeton)

Clarkson has all but locked up a home ice spot.  St. Lawrence is also in prime position to host a game.  Cornell and Princeton are fighting it out for the last at large position with Cornell currently in the lead.

BC Interruption’s Grant Salzano has put together an amazing tool for your at-home use projecting the conference tournament outcomes.  You can make all the picks here and generate the bracket that would result.

My Projected Field

1.     Wisconsin- WCHA Autobid

2.     Clarkson- ECAC Autobid

3.     Minnesota-Duluth

4.     St. Lawrence

5.     Boston College- HEA Autobid

6.     Minnesota

7.     Cornell

8.     Syracuse-CHA Autobid

Resulting Bracket

This bracket actually wouldn’t need to be adjusted.   There are two western teams hosting but only one travelling so there would have to be one flight and it matches bracket integrity.

This is similar to last week with St. Lawrence and BC flipping hosting duties.

1.     Wisconsin v 8. Syracuse

2.     Clarkson v 7. Cornell

3.     Minnesota- Duluth v 6. Minnesota

4.     St. Lawrence v 5. Boston College