Shuffle Off To Buffalo

Who will be making the NCAA College Hockey Final Four in Buffalo this year? If my picks are any indication many of the same teams who went to St. Paul last year. I'll have to make this quick since I'll be attending today's semis at Mariucci starting later this afternoon so the comments will be limited:

EAST

Semis-

Cornell 3
MSU Mankato 2
-The Mavs will hang with the Big Red for a while despite probably giving up fifty shots on goal.

BC 4
OSU 2

Final-

BC 4
Cornell 3
-I thought I was picking a nice upset here until I read that Will is taking BC to knock off top ranked Cornell as well.


NORTHEAST

Semis-

New Hampshire 5
St. Cloud State 2
By far the most undeserving team in the tourney the Huskies should be ashamed to even show up for their game against NH. They caught a break in the Pairwise rankings and made the field despite a bad finish and a playoff series loss to UMD. The Bulldogs were royally hosed by the selection process and the fact that they're home while SCSU is playing this weekend demands some tweeking in the system next year.

BU 3
Harvard 1

Final-

BU 2
NH 3
-Another Final Four trip for New Hampshire

MIDWEST

CC 6
Wayne State 3
-I wasn't aware that Batman had endowed a college.

Maine 3
Michigan 4
-Another heart breaking loss for Maine (hopefully the players will behave with a bit more class than after last year's national championship game) in front of Michigan's home crowd.

Finals-

CC 4
Michigan 5
-I hate the helmets. I hate the team. But home cooking gives the Wolverines the edge and another trip to the Final Four.

WEST

Semis-

North Dakota 2
Ferris State 4
-Insert your own Ferris State joke here but they won the CCHA and UND has been slumping badly. Even though they've got captain David Hale back it won't be enough.

Mercyhurst 3
Minnesota 5
-When I heard the Gophers had an easy opening round game I thought "who are they playing the little sisters of the poor?". Close. It's hated Mercyhurst. The Gophers have struggled on Friday night games and this one will be closer than it should be.

Final-

Ferris State 2
Minnesota 4
-Playing on their home ice will prove the key as the Gophers advance to the Final Four to try to defend their national championship.

Three of last year's Final Four teams returning again this year? We'll wait and see. Should be a great weekend for college hockey.

And a welcome distraction from watching CNN's Aaron Brown and his hair piece (nice try Aaron).