Though 7 conference tournament games remain, there’s not a lot of drama left around who will make the NCAA tournament.
You can always follow along on your own:
College Hockey Tournament possibilities
Who’s in?
These 12 teams are in for sure:
- St Cloud St
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota St
- Minnesota-Duluth
- Quinnipiac
- Denver
- Ohio St
- Northeastern
- Clarkson
- Arizona St
- Cornell
- Harvard
Who else can make it
Both participants in the NCHC and ECAC tournaments are already in.
The winner of the Big Ten tournament will also make it (and the loser will not):
- Penn State or
- Notre Dame
The winner of Atlantic Hockey will also make it (and the loser will not):
- American International or
- Niagara
That’s 14 teams in, and leaves 2 slots.
There are two more conference championships, Hockey East and the WCHA, whose winners can secure an invitation. These teams can lock up an invitation with a win:
- Bowling Green
- Boston College
But, we’re already counting their opponents, Minnesota St and Northeastern as in. So, if Minnesota State or Northeastern win, that leaves an additional slot and an opportunity for another team to make it at-large.
If BC loses, Bowling Green and Providence make it at large
If BC wins, Bowling Green makes it if they win, otherwise Providence makes it
What needs to happen for my team to make it?
Restated in terms of what they need to do to make it:
- Penn State needs to win
- Notre Dame needs to win
- American International needs to win
- Niagara needs to win
- Boston College needs to win
- Bowling Green needs to either win or have Northeastern defeat Boston College
- Providence needs either Northeastern to defeat Boston College or Minnesota St defeat Bowling Green
