Playoff Predictions
Mar 26th, 2010 05:12 PM
4 Total Responses

It's that time of year again, it's playoff hockey time in the UVHL. What doe you guys think? Who's going to take it all? Can anybody end the Gamblers dominance? Here's a look at my UVHL Bracket.

PRELIMINARY ROUND

4. Brewers (11-12-0) vs 5. Whalers (7-14-2)

The Brew Crew owned the Whale this season, winning all four meetings between the teams and LT was the only team the Whalers didn't earn a single point against. However, all the games were close, with two being decided by a goal, and the Whalers improved significantly this season. Sooner or later, the odds state that the Whalers should break through in an evenly matched game, and unfortunately, that might just come at the wrong time for the Brewers.

Whalers 4, Brewers 3

3. Tuck (13-9-1) vs 6. Dead River (5-17-1)

Tuck literally gave two games to DR this year (two of DR's five wins came via Tuck forfeit), but that doesn't count for much when the Tuckies are on the ice. In the three times they faced, the Businessmen owned like their CEO-genotype, winning 3-1, 9-0, and 6-2. If Dead River fields it's full team, it should be at least competitive, but with a solid goalie at one end playing against a defensively inept team at the other, this one has route written all over it.

Tuck 7, Dead River 2

SEMIFINALS

2. Nordiques (13-7-3) vs 3. Tuck

This should be an excellent matchup. The Nords finished two points ahead of Tuck, but that discounts the three forfeit losses Tuck suffered against the bottom of the league (2 vs. Dead River, 1 vs. Whalers) during class breaks. This matchup is tough to analyze. After a winning 3-2 and 1-1 (S0) in the first two, the Nords lost a laughable 7-2 game before coming back to close the series with a 6-3 win. The secret sauce is Dan Yacey, as the Nords only faced him twice this year. As a former netminder for the Big Green, you have to expect he'll bring his best for the bigger games. For the Nords to beat Yacey, John Turner will have to match him save for save.

Tuck 3, Nordiques 2

1. Gamblers (20-1-2) vs 5. Whalers

Despite it's lopsided look, this is a very intriguing matchup. The Gamblers only gave up 10 points to opponents all year, the Whalers earned five of them: handing them their only loss, as well as splitting two shootout decisions. That said the Gamblers did go 20-1-2 this season and can't be considered the underdog. However, if the Whalers can bring a top notch defense (something that has been inconsistent) and score on Feiden (they've scored 12 goals in the last two meetings), they have a fair shot at the upset. Still, you have to give the advantage to the MMA line until proven otherwise.

Gamblers 6, Whalers 4

CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Gamblers vs 3. Tuck

Aside from the Whalers, Tuck is the only other team to mar the Gamblers record, as they won a 4-4 shootout. In the most recent meeting, Tuck led the Gamblers 3-1 going into the third before succumbing to four unanswered goals. Again, Yacey will be the key. He only appeared in the first game against the Gamblers and has the ability to grapple with MMA. It also can't be underestimated that a game at Campion Rink is just five minutes from the Dartmouth campus and the Tuck student body. Without knocking Feiden, Yacey's superior goaltending will be the defining factor in this game, which could prove to be a run-and-gun.

Tuck 5, Gamblers 4

BOLD PREDICTION:

Obviously my prediction is that if Yacey plays every game for Tuck, Tuck raises the Whalen Cup. If he doesn't, they won't.

As a bonus bold prediction, I'll go as far as saying that the winner of the Nordiques-Tuck semifinal wins the title. The Nordiques have played the Gamblers well, and, like the even but apparently lopsided Brewers-Whalers battles, it's time the Nords broke through and I think the Gamblers are ripe for an upset.