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INCH
4x4
February
27, 2007
The
INCH 4x4 represents how we think the NCAA Tournament field
will look WHEN THE BRACKET IS ANNOUNCED Sunday, March
18. |
| ROCHESTER
East Regional |
MANCHESTER
Northeast Regional |
 1.
St. Cloud State |
Computers say the Huskies are the weakest of the
four 1 seeds. Think Minnesota may have an issue with that assessment? |
 1.
New Hampshire |
'Cats are fairly secure as a 1. One win against
BC and a first-round playoff sweep should be enough to do the
trick. |
 2.
Clarkson |
They finished second in the ECACHL, but we like
the Knights to win the league's playoff title and earn a 2 seed
in the process. |
 2.
North Dakota |
Sioux hanging on the 2-3 border, but we see them
taking at least two points from St. Cloud State to move up to
a solid 2. |
 3.
Boston College |
Everyone around them lost last week, so BC is
in better
shape but with UNH this week and a potential playoff series
with UMass or UVM,
they're not safe yet. |
 3.
Miami |
Hard to see Miami higher than a 3 without winning
the CCHA playoff title. A first-round playoff series sweep should
lock them into the NCAAs. |
 4.
Michigan State |
Rick Comley says his team needs the
CCHA tourney title to get in. With a first-round sweep and one
win at the Joe, we like MSU over CC, UMass, or UVM. |
 4.
Sacred Heart |
After losing five of seven
from Jan. 12-Feb. 3, our choice for the Atlantic Hockey autobid
ended the regular season by winning five of six. |
| GRAND
RAPIDS Midwest Regional |
DENVER
West Regional |
 1.
Notre Dame |
Sweeping its first-round playoff
series would be enough for the CCHA
regular-season champs to lock itself into the 1 seed. |
 1.
Minnesota |
Losing twice to another
1 seed didn't hurt the Gophers' standing. Doing the same against
Michigan Tech will. |
 2.
Boston University |
Terriers are looking at a minimum
of three straight
games with Northeastern — one Wednesday and at least two
in the first round of
the Hockey East playoffs. |
 2.
Denver |
Split with CC, sweep
of their first-round playoff foe, and one win at the Final Five
would be enough to keep the Pies as a 2. |
 3.
Michigan |
Similar to Miami, it's tough to
envision a scenario
that doesn't include winning the CCHA playoff title in which
the Wolverines earn better than a 3. |
 3.
Maine |
Road to an NCAA berth
is rough with UMass, playoff series vs. either UMass or UVM,
and potentially Hockey East semis and finals on tap. |
 4.
St. Lawrence |
Computer rankings
have ECACHL regular-season champs on the outside, but we think
they'll leapfrog a handful of teams to earn an at-large bid. |
 4.
Niagara |
The Purple Eagles
regain the CHA autobid from Bemidji State, though
Wayne State is playing the best hockey in the league right now. |
Last two
in: St. Lawrence,
Michigan State Last
two out: Colorado
College, Vermont
Stock rising: Boston College, St. Cloud
State Stock falling:
Michigan, Michigan State
INCH's projected auto-bids: Atlantic Hockey-Sacred
Heart; CCHA-Notre Dame;
CHA-Niagara;
ECACHL-Clarkson; Hockey East-New Hampshire; WCHA-Minnesota
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