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This Week in Big Ten Hockey: As pandemic lingers, commissioner Warren hopeful Big Ten ‘did all that we could for our conference’ in ’20-21

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Another sign of how much things have changed, as if one was needed, was evident in Sunday’s conversation with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren.

When Warren took over at the helm of the conference in January 2020, a college hockey reporter opening an interview with a line of questions about an infectious disease wouldn’t have been normal.

Such is life for the Big Ten, and sports in general, these days.

This Week in WCHA Hockey: Lake Superior State wants to ‘get back to that level’ of playing for league, national championships

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Shortly after dropping his son off for hockey practice, Lake Superior State coach Damon Whitten looks out from his office window at the Taffy Abel Arena.

A collection of banners stares back at him. This is his office view every day, a reminder of the proud tradition of Lakers hockey that includes an era that stretches from 1987-96. They made the NCAA tournament eight straight times during that run, winning three national titles and finishing runner-up once.

Since the 1995-96 season, the Lakers have topped the 20-win plateau just twice, most recently in 2018-19.

It is something that weighs on Whitten, especially given the position of the banners in respect to his office.

Big Ten, NCHC tournament wrap up and more NCAA prognostication: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 18

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger wrap up the exciting semifinal and championship rounds of the Big Ten and NCHC in this special midweek edition of Weekend Review.

They also look at a projected NCAA field with 12 or 13 teams that are locks – or nearly so – for the tournament and consider which teams on the bubble might get in depending on this weekend’s four playoffs. Plus, who will be the top four seeds and where might they go?

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This Week in ECAC Hockey: Unusual conference season wraps this week with playoffs, NCAA bid at stake for three teams

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For the most part, the four ECAC Hockey teams playing this year made it through the season unscathed.

But news that Clarkson was cancelling its season last week after some team members violated the school’s COVID-19 policies brought back flashbacks to last March, when teams started to drop out of the league tournament before the entire hockey season was eventually canceled.

However, that wasn’t the case this season, as the three remaining teams are set to compete in the abbreviated ECAC Hockey playoffs starting Thursday.

This Week in Hockey East: Offensive catalysts Thompson, Trivigno leading Providence, UMass into conference semifinals

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When Providence and Massachusetts square off this evening for a spot in the Hockey East title game, there will be two players on opposite sides who have evolved significantly this season to become offensive leaders of the respective clubs.

UMass’ Bobby Trivigno and Providence’s Tyce Thomspon each lead their respective clubs in scoring, but both played have evolved throughout this season to each be playing their best hockey down the stretch.

NCHC pick: March 16

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Tuesday, March 16 No. 1 North Dakota vs No. 2 St. Cloud State Candace: Both teams went through tough opponents and barely escaped. I think home ice is the difference. North Dakota 3-2 Matthew: Tough to go against UND at home here. Watch me get this one wrong, though. North Dakota 4-2

Looking at conference playoffs and NCAA implications as ‘Selection Sunday’ approaches: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 17

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger review the weekend’s men’s D-I hockey conference playoffs in the Big Ten, Hockey East, NCHC, Atlantic Hockey and WCHA, and ask some questions about the results.

How did the weekend affect the fortunes of teams that lost – in particular Notre Dame, Bowling Green, and Boston University? What about Omaha and Denver? Did Penn State and Providence get boosts? Can Atlantic Hockey get two bids?

Jim and Ed also discuss what might go into the decisions to pick the last three or four teams in the NCAA field.

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