Here’s what we know heading into Saturday’s five conference championship games around NCAA women’s hockey, based on an analysis of how the 32 potential scenarios would impact the PairWise Rankings:
Who’s locked into the field?
These eight teams have assured themselves of being in the 11-team field, with their potential overall seed in parentheses:
Wisconsin (1)
Ohio State (2)
Minnesota (3-4)
Cornell (3-5)
Colgate (3-5)
Minnesota Duluth (6)
Penn State (7)
Clarkson (8)
Who’s left with a chance at an at-large bid?
St. Lawrence’s hopes are down to the result of the Atlantic Hockey America championship. If host Penn State wins, the Saints are in the field as the No. 9 overall seed.
If Mercyhurst wins the automatic qualifier, St. Lawrence is out and the Lakers will have the No. 10 overall seed, moving the winner of the Hockey East final between Boston University and Northeastern up to the No. 9 spot.
Who needs to win to get in?
Only the automatic qualifier will make the tournament from Hockey East and NEWHA. Boston University vs. Northeastern and Long Island vs. Sacred Heart are win-and-in scenarios.
Mercyhurst can qualify only by winning the Atlantic Hockey final.
How will the third, fourth and fifth seeds be decided?
Minnesota gets the No. 3 overall seed if it beats Wisconsin in the WCHA championship game, leaving the winner of the ECAC Hockey final between Cornell and Colgate to take the No. 4 seed and the final home regional spot for a rematch of the ECAC final in the NCAA regional final.
Here’s what happens If the Gophers lose: They’re the No. 4 overall seed and the Cornell-Colgate winner takes the No. 3 spot. That would leave Minnesota to host the ECAC final loser in the regional final.
