2019 University Cup (Lethbridge, AB)
- Thread starter Drummer
- Start date
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
Regarding rankings...if Alberta wins CW I assume they are going in #1. In order to avoid an all-CW matchup that would mean placing Lethbridge at #7 and the OUA 3rd at #8...can you justify that?
Drummer
Better Red than Dead
Agreed - hard to see the voters change there mind at this late stage of the season.
The committee is encourage to avoid intra-conference matchups in the first round. So, yes - they can move Lethbridge to #7 to avoid ALB/LTH and as a result OUA #3 would become 8th (and play ALB) while LTH would meet UNB or SMU. As much as OUA #3 won their way to Lethbridge, they are the 2nd weakest team in the tournament so moving them down 1 isn't going to alter the integrity of the draw that much.
Drummer
Better Red than Dead
The challenge to avoiding second round intra-conference games (due to the USPORTS ranking approach), is trying to avoid having teams in the same conference in 1st & 5th and 2nd & 6th spots. Right now, ALB & USK are 1/5 while UNB & SMU are 2/6. These rankings result in a 1-5 & 2-6 semi-final matchup due to the relative weakness of the OUA.
A Championship series upset would shuffle things around a lot and likely result in a cross-conf semi-finals. These series really could go either way.
A Championship series upset would shuffle things around a lot and likely result in a cross-conf semi-finals. These series really could go either way.
Drummer
Better Red than Dead
For those curious on how to get to Lethbridge.
The airport (IATA) code is YQL.
There are only flights via Calgary on Air Canada (19 passenger Beachwood) and West Jet (68-90 passenger Dash 8 Q400).
Lethbridge is a 2.5 hr drive from Calgary International airport.
The airport (IATA) code is YQL.
There are only flights via Calgary on Air Canada (19 passenger Beachwood) and West Jet (68-90 passenger Dash 8 Q400).
Lethbridge is a 2.5 hr drive from Calgary International airport.
Usports has been mired in the crap that is OUA hockey for years!
Anyone want to tabulate the OUA Men's Hockey record over the last three years at the University Cup?
Complete BS that we have to slot CW #2/AUS #2 as low as they end up to appease OUA.
Doesn't happen in Men's V-Ball, Women's B-Ball...shouldn't happen with Men's Hockey
Anyone want to tabulate the OUA Men's Hockey record over the last three years at the University Cup?
Complete BS that we have to slot CW #2/AUS #2 as low as they end up to appease OUA.
Doesn't happen in Men's V-Ball, Women's B-Ball...shouldn't happen with Men's Hockey
AUS Fan
Registered User
I'm in Louisiana and will be flying to Edmonton to meet up with a buddy then driving to Lethbridge. Reverse trip on the 18th.
Drummer
Better Red than Dead
Agreed Bob.
I know that these numbers were going to be poor before I started.
The last four(4) years, which overlaps the new 8-team format, each conference record is (not including bronze medal game);
AUS = 2-3 + 6-2 + 5-2 + 3-3 = 16-10
.CW = 3-1 + 1-2 + 2-2 + 4-1 = 10- 6
OUA = 2-3 + 0-3 + 0-3 + 0-3 = 2 -12
note: AUS hosted all four years and had a third team each year (same amount as OUA). CW only had two teams each year.
Yup - the last three(3) years have been pretty bad for OUA teams, 0-9, and they have not reached a final since 2012
AUS Fan
Registered User
Name the last Canada West team NOT NAMED Alberta to win the University Cup. Lethbridge, 1994.
For that matter, name the last team NOT NAMED Alberta or UNB to win the University Cup. McGill, 2012.
Fact of the matter is, Bob, there's Alberta, UNB, and then there's everybody else in USports Hockey.
See, you're talking out of both sides of your mouth ...
"Alberta is 20-0-1 with a full lineup"
"Canada West is a stronger conference than the OUA"
If Canada West was such a strong conference, Alberta would not be able to run the table like it has. There's no doubt that Alberta is an exceptional program, and the gold standard for USports Hockey. UNB is right beside it. Strong, strong USports programs.
The problem is that the OUA does not have a single dominant program ... in my opinion, it has too many programs, which dilutes the talent base.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
Heck, when’s the last time a team other than Alberta or Saskatchewan won CW? The mid-90’s?
The success of the whole conference has essentially depended on the most dominant program of all-time and, to a slight extent, Saskatchewan (and I am even hesitant to include them given their lack of National titles).
Rob
Registered User
U Sports/CIS Hockey has been very top heavy for the past 15 years. Just look at the list of champions.
Rob
Registered User
Rob
Registered User
Guelph is through to the Nationals.
It is now between Carleton and Western to determine the final spot this week.
It is now between Carleton and Western to determine the final spot this week.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
Saskatchewan rings one off the post in the final second and Alberta takes game 3 1-0.
Huskies shutout in back to back games at home...ouch.
Huskies shutout in back to back games at home...ouch.
Alberta wins the Canada West Title as Zach Sawchenko posts back-to-back shutouts in Game 2 and Game 3.
To me the Golden Bears should be seated #1.
Saskatchewan, because of the assinine way USports seeds the University Cup will come in at #5.
Here is how the University Cup seeding LIKELY will look.
#1. Alberta
#2. AUS Champion (UNB)
#3. OUA Champion
#4. OUA Runner-up
#5. Saskatchewan
#6. AUS Runner-up
#7. Lethbridge
#8. OUA #3
To me the Golden Bears should be seated #1.
Saskatchewan, because of the assinine way USports seeds the University Cup will come in at #5.
Here is how the University Cup seeding LIKELY will look.
#1. Alberta
#2. AUS Champion (UNB)
#3. OUA Champion
#4. OUA Runner-up
#5. Saskatchewan
#6. AUS Runner-up
#7. Lethbridge
#8. OUA #3
Rob
Registered User
Hopefully. I just don't want to see UNB v STFX and Alberta v Saskatchewan in the semis again like last year.
AUS Fan
Registered User
Where else can U of S go? The top 3 spots are for conference winners. The 4th spot is for the OUA runner up. These are the rules of engagement. Deal with it....
And don't put UNB in #2 just yet. They still have a series with SFX. The only "named" teams with spots are CW teams. The generic AUS 1&2, OUA1,2,3 should suffice for the moment.
And don't put UNB in #2 just yet. They still have a series with SFX. The only "named" teams with spots are CW teams. The generic AUS 1&2, OUA1,2,3 should suffice for the moment.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
If UNB wins the AUS I don’t think you can justify putting X in at #5 over Saskatchewan at all (similar to last year)....but MAYBE you can put UNB at #1 over Alberta to split up any potential inter conference semi-final matchups.
If X wins the AUS then there may be a bit more flexibility to avoid those matchups as they could go in at either #2 or #3 and you could put UNB/Sask at #5/#6 depending on what makes sense.
If X wins the AUS then there may be a bit more flexibility to avoid those matchups as they could go in at either #2 or #3 and you could put UNB/Sask at #5/#6 depending on what makes sense.
If UNB sweeps St FX, then UNB should be ranked No. 1. But, really, once you get past #1 and #2 seeds, the rankings are meaningless.
If it will make Bob feel better, we can rank them as follows:
#1. Alberta
#2. AUS Champion (UNB)
#3. Saskatchewan
#4. AUS Runner-Up
#5. OUA Champs
#6. OUA Runner-Up
#7. Lethbridge
#8. OUA #3
OR, if we think the AUS is better ...
#1. AUS Champion (UNB)
#2. Alberta
#3. AUS Runner-Up
#4. Saskatchewan
#5. OUA Champs
#6. OUA Runner-Up
#7. OUA #3
#8. Lethbridge
You end up with pretty much EXACTLY the same 1st Round Match-Ups. But, feel free to keep complaining about the meaningless ranking between 3-6.
If it will make Bob feel better, we can rank them as follows:
#1. Alberta
#2. AUS Champion (UNB)
#3. Saskatchewan
#4. AUS Runner-Up
#5. OUA Champs
#6. OUA Runner-Up
#7. Lethbridge
#8. OUA #3
OR, if we think the AUS is better ...
#1. AUS Champion (UNB)
#2. Alberta
#3. AUS Runner-Up
#4. Saskatchewan
#5. OUA Champs
#6. OUA Runner-Up
#7. OUA #3
#8. Lethbridge
You end up with pretty much EXACTLY the same 1st Round Match-Ups. But, feel free to keep complaining about the meaningless ranking between 3-6.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
Except both of those scenarios you mentioned are impossible...the OUA Champ/runner-up (Queens or Guelph) both have to be in the top-4. You can’t rank the AUS or CW runner-ups ahead of the OUA Champ...even in cases like this year where it might make sense.
I don’t know why hockey doesn’t follow what every other U Sports sport does and just rank the teams based on merit and not having their hands tied by having to rank conference champs 1/2/3. Maybe give the conference champs the last change/better locker rooms to give them a slight advantage...but to keep giving these Cinderella teams (which are almost exclusively OUA west teams it seems) a top 4 seed is a bit much.
I was being sarcastic.
I know the rules, and I support the rules.
There was a very similar thread here last year, and I made the exact same point then. It makes no difference whatsoever whether you put OUA at 3-4 or OUA at 5-6. The match-ups end up exactly the same in Round 1 either way.
AdamMcg83
Registered User
This is exactly Miami's point: a 6-seed with last change is, in fact, a 3-seed. Currently, the reward for winning your division/conference is last change in the national quarterfinals, which is exactly what you're suggesting here. Sounds like we're good as-is!
AUS Fan
Registered User
Regarding putting teams "anywhere" in the seeding, consider this: Good possibility that 2 teams who just finished a physical 3 or 5 game series where they were beating the snot out of each other, now meet again in a sudden death game. I agree with most of the points made here and I think that to rank UofA or UNB #5 or #7 because they lost in the final is a bit of a stretch. I would like to see a format similar to the Frozen Four, with regional tournaments,etc. But no one would pay for that.
Ad
Latest posts
-
-
-
Post-Game Talk: Leafs 3 Bruins 2 // Matty gets his 70th and the game winner
- Latest: darrylsittler27
-
-
