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ACHA Hockey Buffalo Bulls Senior Night Challenge

Rank Team 7 GL 1GL Avg
1 Arizona State 1 1 1
2 Central Oklahoma 2 2 2
3 Minot State 3 4 3.5
4 Stony Brook 8 3 5.5
5 Robert Morris Illinois 6 6 6
6 Ohio 5 8 6.5
7 Lindenwood 4 9 6.5
8 Oklahoma 9 5 7
9 Adrian 7 7 7
10 Iowa State 10 11 10.5
11 Rhode Island 14 10 12
12 Illinois 12 12 12
13 Liberty 11 13 12
14 Davenport 13 14 13.5
15 Niagara 17 16 16.5
16 Colorado 15 18 16.5
17 Buffalo 21 15 18
18 Colorado State 19 17 18
19 Delaware 18 20 19
20 Michigan-Dearborn 16 23 19.5
21 Syracuse 22 19 20.5
22 Lebanon Valley 25 21 23
23 Arizona 23 25 24
24 Oakland 20 28 24
25 Navy 26 26 26

A huge drop in the 7-goal portion of the USHSHO college club rankings moved UB from 15 all the way down to 17. With one week left in the season there may be little UB can do in regards to controlling their own fate.

To recap here are the automatic bids to nationals (** indicates the spot is fixed)

College Hockey Mid-America - RMU - PA (26)

Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association - Nova' (32)

Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League - R.I. (11)

Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League - ** ADRIAN (9)

Northeast Collegiate Hockey League - ** NIAGARA (15)

Western Collegiate Hockey League - Arizona State (1)

(HOST) JOHN CARROLL - **(37)

After this they start with the top teams in the ACHA Poll.

Navy, RMU, and John Carroll all being outside of the top 25 means that teams ranked #20, #19, and #18 are all out of luck. That puts the Bulls in a very bad position.

Somehow the ECHA always ends up as a fly in the ointment. Last year I believe it was a low ranked Navy team which took a spot.

The CHMA is also a bomb this year. RMU is 26, WVU is 27, and Mercyhurst is 30. So there is nobody in the league who can help Buffalo.

The Bulls are Number 17 and not lower because of the 1 goal poll tiebreaker vs Colorado State. The Rams next game is against #16 Colorado. A win would put them over UB in the 1 goal metric and the teams would switch places.

UB's final regular season opponent is Saint Bonaventure. The Bonnies are arguably the third-worst team in the ACHA so the Bulls "1-goal differential ranking" will likely slip no matter what happens.

The team needs a huge blowout to move the needle with the computer based "7-goal differential" poll.

Something on the order of the 14-2 drubbing they threw on Binghamton (the second worst team in the ACHA) would be a good place to start.

Then they need help. The need teams like Davenport, Niagara, and Rhode Island to finish strong. These are the teams which beat UB and are ranked ahead of Buffalo.

It's also senior night and the last home game of the season. So come out and support UB Hockey this Friday.

UB Seniors playing their last game:

# 5 Ryan Kaufman a Defenseman from Amherst, NY

# 6 Michael Pliszak a Defenseman from West Seneca, NY

#7 Justin Wormley a Defenseman from Saratoga Springs, NY

#10 Bryan Bergstol a Defenseman from Suffern, NY

#11 Matt Natro a Forward from Williamsville, NY

#19 Shane Hurley a Forward from Lutz, FL

#23 Chris Marsack a Forward from Williamsville, NY

#2 Sean Dungan a Defenseman and Captain from Tonawanda, NY

# 4 Michael Schalberg a Forward and Captain from Lancaster, NY

#18 Brenden Robinson a Forward and Captain from South Buffalo, NY