ESPN

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:00 PM)

It's a hockey weekend, in our minds, as Inside College Hockey writers will take your questions for the next 30 minutes. The WCHA Final Five starts tonight, beginning a great weekend of conference championship action. Last week, Air Force (Atlantic Hockey) and Niagara (College Hockey America) won the first two tournaments and thus qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced at 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday on ESPN2.

Mike (Ft,Myers,FL)

Hey guys this isnt much of a question more of an inquiry about the POTW...I saw Alex Kangas' amazing weekend and did not see David McIntyre play but how big were his goals to keep Alex from POTW honors?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:03 PM)

That was a tough call, and Kangas definitely had a great weekend in the Gophers' wins at Minnesota State. We chose Colgate's David McIntyre as INCH Player of the Week because of his impact. Colgate upset the clear No. 1 team in ECAC Hockey and McIntryre was by far their most dangerous player in that series win at Clarkson. Take nothing away from Kangas. He was great, and will need to play at a high level again this weekend.

Curt (Springboro, OH)

Depending on this weekends results, there's a chance that the CCHA will have 2 #1 seeds. What are your thoughts on the fact that neither one will be able to be placed in a "friendly" regional site, one that is at least located in their conference's geographic boundaries. Wouldn't having one regional site to coincide with each of the four "established" conferences be a little more balanced? To go along with Grand Rapids (the Midwest site next year), sites in Chicago (with Norte Dame as the host) or maybe Columbus or Detroit would all be feasible options as "CCHA sites." This could also give one more incentive to winning your conference.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:05 PM)

It's just a roll of the dice. Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor have hosted regionals quite frequently in recent years and if it was Notre Dame that had to go to Madison, it's probably not as big a geographical disadvantage as that perceived by Miami or Michigan. Generally speaking, I think the NCAA does a great job awarding regional sites and Frozen Four venues. Keep in mind that there may not be interest or support from traditional CCHA markets to bid on those events every single year.

Cindy (Medford, MA)

Question on the Hobey. How do you think eastern and western voters will go on this? With a few viable candidates in the West, will this hurt Porter with split votes? Is Gerbe too hated in the East to get most of the east votes despite being the only viable candidate out East.

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:07 PM)

Gerbe's one of those love-hate guys, which is unfortunate because he's the most dynamic player in college hockey. But since there's no middle ground with him, you'll get Hobey voters who put him No. 1 on their list and others who'll leave him completely off their ballot. Porter is as well rounded a player as you'll see in the college game who won't be left off anyone's ballot.

Chris in Brookline, NH

I'm a BC fan living in New Hampshire, so I guess I can live with any outcome from Friday's Hockey East semi-final in Boston. But the latest bracket projection from one source has both these teams placed in Worcester. This would be fabulous for attendance, since one of the other two teams (Minnesota?) would be a great draw as well. Attendance in Worcester, I believe, would trump the other three sites. Does BC still go to Worcester if they lose to UNH on Friday, or do they get sent to Albany/Grand Rapids?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:09 PM)

There are 16 games being played around the nation this weekend and they all have an impact on the national tournament, so speculating on how one result would affect the bracket is pretty useless. A BC loss to UNH would affect their seeding, and a lower seed would be less likely to get preferred geographical treatment.

KC

Saint Cloud State have been one of the hottest teams in the last month, what type of a shot do you give them this weekend and in the NCAA's?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:11 PM)

They have the offensive talent to make things difficult on any opponent they might face this weekend. Tonight's game against Minnesota will be a real test, as Alex Kangas is hot and Minnesota has some momentum. To me, it's important for St. Cloud State to get off to a good start and wear down the Gophers, who had a much more grueling task last weekend in their opening series.

Nick P (Yuma, Az)

Porter is only 4 pts ahead of Gerbe. With Gerbe's big weekend and ridiculous PS goal, is Porter no longer a lock like you guys have said for the past few weeks?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:13 PM)

We can look at an earlier question answered by Mike, but he makes an excellent point that Porter will be on pretty much every ballot cast by the committee. Gerbe probably won't be, although I think he is deserving of full consideration for the award. I just think Porter's done more all year, and more consistently, for a better team.

Adam, Green Bay, WI

Which teams do you think are peaking at the right time, primed to make an unexpected run at the title.

Chad, Chicago

I love tourney time!Who do you have as dark horses this week and more importantly next week?

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:14 PM)

Other than the ECAC Hockey tournament, I don't see any dark horses (i.e. teams not already among the top 13 in the latest computer rankings) pulling off upsets. I'd give BU, if it beats Vermont in tomorrow's Hockey East semifinal, a reasonable chance of beating either New Hampshire or Boston College in the title game, but that's about it. It's tough to speculate about next week not knowing the matchups.

Snooks (Chestnut Hill, MA)

Pairwise seems to suggest that BC's ceiling is a #2. If they beat UNH and then win the HE title, what is the reward?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:16 PM)

Their reward is a Hockey East championship. It's always frustrating to me that people don't place more value in winning the actual league title, and instead look ahead only to the NCAAs. A trophy and a banner earned in Boston against your peer institutions is much more rewarding than a potential small bump in seeding. The teams are too even especially in the band of 2 and 3 seeds to benefit greatly from that.

Erica

Does Nate Gerbe have what it takes to win the Hobey Baker?

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:18 PM)

He does, because no one is more important to his team than Gerbe is to BC. But questions about his character are going to keep him from winning it. Whether that's right or wrong is subject to debate, but there will be a few people who will use his one-game suspension earlier this year and a few misconduct penalties he's earned to discredit him.

Hippie (Burlington, VT)

Some people are saying Joe Fallon is overrated. What do you guys think of him?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:20 PM)

I've always liked Fallon, and he's put up great numbers this weekend. He'll have to be at his absolute best this weekend and turn in a Terreri-esque performance for Vermont to win it, as they don't score a ton of goals and any team they face will have a lot more offensive talent.

David (Denver)

If Eric Ehn didn't win the Hobey last year, then Nathan Gerbe doesn't deserve it this year. Last time I checked, character and off-ice issues (both positive and negative) were supposed to count.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:21 PM)

Those things do count, and they will. Voters seriously weigh those criteria.

John B (Durham, NH)

I disagree with Gladdy. It's all about the BIG BANNER. BC has plenty of league titles, everyone wants the BIG ONE and if one small bump in PWR helps them get it, it's way more important than a league title.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:24 PM)

We'll agree to disagree then. Other readers can insert their own punchlines about the big banner and Durham, N.H. Elaborating a little more ... the small bump in Pairwise doesn't make a great difference if it's between a band of 2 or 3 seeds. If it bumps you into a No. 1 seed (impossible for BC) or keeps you away from potentially playing CC at a Colorado Springs regional, that would be the difference maker. I don't think those are issues for BC.

Eliot Driben (The Dugout Comm Ave)

Tell me the Terriers can get in even if they dont win the HE title...

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:26 PM)

I can't tell you that. It's not going to happen.

joe - cubicle hell

Does Northern Michigan have a chance of getting in... Its a tall order beating MI but so was going to MSU and pulling that one off. Can they ride Stewart through the weekend?

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:27 PM)

Of course, Northern Michigan has a chance -- they're one of four teams still alive in the CCHA. I think Michigan beats the 'Cats tomorrow, but NMU does have a few things working in its favor: 1) a hot goalie in Brian Stewart, 2) confidence from beating Michigan State in East Lansing last week, 3) the knowledge that it can play with Michigan, as evidenced by the two ties between the 'Cats and Wolverines in Ann Arbor a couple months ago, and 4) nothing to lose. The pressure's all on Michigan.

Ryan (Grand Forks, ND)

It's close enough..... we want Frozen Four predictions????

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:29 PM)

Without seeing how the bracket shakes down, I'll take Miami, Colorado College, New Hampshire, and North Dakota.

Mike Eidelbes

  (2:30 PM)

Miami, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and someone else TBA. I reserve the right to name a fourth team at a later date.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:31 PM)

Thanks for the questions and discussions. Enjoy the conference tournaments this weekend and stay with INCH all weekend long for complete coverage from every site, full Selection Sunday coverage with previews, scouting reports, and an INCH Podcast.