Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:32 PM)

Hello and welcome to another college hockey chat. We'll be taking questions for the next 30 minutes.

Todd (Grand Forks, ND)

I've held my tongue for quite a while, but I finally must ask, why all the love for Notre Dame? I'm impressed with their consistency, but consistency wins conferences titles, not championships. How about a 4-5-0 mark against teams in your top 20 Power Rankings? Or, even better, a 1-4 record against other teams in the top 10? Even their nationally recognized 20 game unbeaten streak only contained 2 wins against teams appearing in your Power Rankings (including 15th ranked OSU and 18th ranked BC). What am I missing?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:35 PM)

The Power Rankings are ranking the current season. It's not a projection of what's going to happen in the NCAA Tournament. We're standing by Notre Dame and pretty much everyone on staff thinks they'll be back in the Frozen Four. They play a style suited for the postseason, and their depth and consistency are legitimate. You are among the doubters. We're among the believers, and we'll find out the truth in April.

David, Park Ridge,IL

What is your opinion of Atlantic Hockey adding Robert Morris and Niagara?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:36 PM)

It's a great solution, competitively and geographically for both of those schools. Some fans on each side are probably dissenting to a reduction in the number of scholarships that they can offer as members of Atlantic Hockey, but the benefit of knowing the program's viable future outweighs the negative impact on scholarships.

Tom Silk-Greenlawn, NJ

BC stands in 6th place in Hockey East, 3 pts behind UNH, after a dismal last weekend v. UMass-Lowell. Is a home & home sweep v. UNH this weekend a hockey fantasy or potential reality ?

Jeff Howe

  (2:37 PM)

With the way BC has played in the last few weeks, it looks more like fantasy. However, UNH isn't exactly a model of consistency, either. I'd be surprised if either team swept this weekend.

Kasey (White Plains, NY)

Billy Sauer has been limited to the backup role for much of the second half of the season. The Wolverines just locked up a first round bye in the CCHA playoffs. Should Berenson go w/ the senior Sauer in the final regular season game at Yost? Or is it still business as usual?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:41 PM)

I think Sauer gets the nod. He deserves the gesture and isn't horrible (most nights) and proved himself to be at least serviceable throughout his career, and even elite at some points of his career. Michigan's still in the race for big things in the CCHA and that might also factor into the equation if the coaching staff opts for Bryan Hogan.

Justin, Grand Forks, ND

So with the three WCHA match ups the Sioux have left, where do you have them finishing in the league? How far do the Fighting Sioux make it in their run for an eighth National Championship.

Jess Myers

  (2:43 PM)

The statistics say that the Sioux will win the WCHA title, but with that series at Wisconsin looming, I can't get past NoDak's sub-.500 record away from home, and I think expecting them to claim eight points from four games at Alaska Anchorage and Wisconsin is too much. So I'll pick them for a close second behind Wisconsin. As for that eighth NCAA title banner, it's on the way. Just not this season.

Maddie (Walpole, MA)

Thoughts on the BU/NU home and home series? Does NU have any chance of taking the game at Matthews, or is this the turning point where BU puts NU in the rear view mirror?.....one thing's for sure, they'll be hanging from the rafters at Matthews on Sat nite!

Jeff Howe

  (2:44 PM)

I really hope the NU fans pack Matthews because this is the most important game the program has had there in probably a decade. NU can hang with BU, no doubt. The Huskies need to take two points (or more) this weekend to give them confidence heading into the Hockey East tournament.

Norm (New Haven)

Can Yale close out the ECAC title without Backman and Dingnard (both injuries from hits from behind)? When are they going to start giving out draconian penalties for hits from behind?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:47 PM)

I think Yale will close out the regular season title simply because of their lead and the time frame. A five-point lead with four to play is tough to overcome, especially against a good team like the Bulldogs. The checking from behind penalties are severe in college hockey and a strong emphasis has been placed on enforcing those hits in the past few years. There's not much more that can be done.

Ben (Madison, WI)

Big series this weekend in Madison. Can the Badgers get a sweep?

Jess Myers

  (2:48 PM)

They can, but I don't think they will. Denver has a history, especially recently, of playing great hockey at the Kohl Center (last year's date in the NCAA Regional notwithstanding) and the Pioneers can sniff the MacNaughton Cup, so I'll predict splitsville in Madison.

Matt, Conference Room, NJ

Yale is one of the hottest teams in the league right now and that's just where you want to be heading into the post season. Princeton is right there with them but they have some strange loses on their record. Cornell was stuck at 3 for multiple weeks but now the wheels are falling off. Which of these teams will win the ECAC or will another fly in under the radar and which team will make the longest run in the tourney?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:50 PM)

You're correct that each of these three teams has positives and negatives about it. To me, Yale is a virtual lock for the regular season title. I think the playoff title goes to Princeton, and I think they're best suited for a long run in the NCAAs because of their depth and style. Cornell was incredible in the first semester but recent injuries have sent them on a downward spiral.

Matt (Boston MA)

Huge NU-BU series this weekend. BU has been backstopped by Millan with a stellar freshman season. Do you find this similar to John Muse last year? If so, do you see Millan taking a step back next year after BU graduates some of their great defensemen.

Jeff Howe

  (2:52 PM)

There's no question there are a number of parallels between Muse and Millan (including the mid-season surname pronunciation change), and there's also no argument that Millan is helped by the best defensive corps in the country. I don't think he'll take a step back, though. He's a pretty rock solid goalie.

Earl, Oxford, OH

Miami looks like they are getting hot headed into March...Will they make a run at the CCHA title and a possible Frozen Four?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:54 PM)

Miami is a team that has had some very high peaks and very low valleys in its season. Part of that can be attributed to youth. Even when they've had a more veteran team, they still haven't been able to get over that hump and make the Frozen Four. This year? Possible for sure. But you never know with the RedHawks.

Stat (NJ)

What do you think about the play of North Dakota's senior Brad Miller this season? A converted forward playing his first season on defense due to many Sioux injuries early in the year he has quitely gone from tied for 13th on the team with 10 points last season to third on the team in scoring with almost 3 times as many points and is also a plus 3. I belive he is also in the 5 or 10 ten in country in scoring by defensemen...

Jess Myers

  (2:55 PM)

Despite the huge impact of young guys named Turris and Toews and Kessel in recent years, you win with upperclassmen stepping up, which is exactly what they've gotten from Miller. With Derek LaPoint out now, there will be even more resting on his shoulders. And incidentally, he is far and away the finest WCHA player ever to come out of the Atlanta suburbs.

Jeremy (Delaware, Ohio)

What has happened to Ohio State recently? The Buckeyes had a long unbeaten streak and now it looks like they fall out of a CCHA playoff bye and maybe the NCAA tourmaent altogether?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (2:58 PM)

I think it's a case of water finding its own level. The Buckeyes aren't as good as a 14-1-0 stretch over 15 games would indicate. Too much, too soon. They're a good team but not an elite team. That being said, they have a real opportunity these next two weeks to get some quality wins in the series against Michigan and Miami. A couple of Ws in those series would go a long way toward getting the Buckeyes into the NCAAs.

Tim (New Haven CT)

Any chance an ECAC champion, say Yale, gets a 1 seed in the tourney?

Joe Gladziszewski

  (3:01 PM)

Highly unlikely, based on the standing of the top teams in the nation and the expectation that they're going to keep winning. Yale's on a heck of a run (11-1-1 since Jan. 1) but to get into that realm they're going to need to run the table. I don't think they'll beat Princeton this weekend.

Joe Gladziszewski

  (3:03 PM)

Thanks for all of the questions, and thanks for stopping by. We'll be back to talk again next week. Enjoy the games this weekend ... lots of matchups between ranked teams should make things very exciting and could shake up the polls and tournament rankings by this time next week.