As we found out last season, non-conference play is very important. Teams need to win as many of their non-conference games as they can, if they want to qualify for the NCAA tourney.
Also, conference wins against non-conference foes also play into how many teams can qualify for the NCAA tourney. Last season, the NCHC had a record six teams qualify for the NCAA tourney.
Last night, the NCHC went 1-1 against Hockey East teams. The University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs beat UMass-Lowell, 2-1 at Amsoil Arena. The Denver Pioneers lost to the Boston College Eagles 4-3 in Boston.
So far this season, the NCHC is now 25-15-6 in non-conference play (.609). However, the NCHC is 5-8-4 against the Hockey East. That statistic is a bit flawed and not a totally accurate picture of the NCHC.
For instance, the Colorado College Tigers is 0-6-0 against Hockey East teams. If you take away the Tigers six losses, the rest of the NCHC is 5-2-4 (.636) against Hockey East teams.
So far this season, Atlantic Hockey has the worst non-conference record 6-26-2 (.206). Coming in second worst non-conference record is the Big Ten 13-18-6 (.432). The WCHA is ahead of both leagues with a 12-14-6 (.469) record. One thing that sticks out from the WCHA is that last season’s champion MSUM is 0-4-0 in non-conference play.
| Atlantic Hockey | — | 1-6-0 (.143) | 1-0-0 (1.000) | 1-10-1 (.125) | 2-4-0 (.333) | 1-3-0 (.250) | 0-3-1 (.125) | 6-26-2 (.206) |
| Big Ten | 6-1-0 (.857) | — | 1-0-0 (1.000) | 1-1-2 (.500) | 3-6-1 (.350) | 0-6-0 (.000) | 2-4-3 (.389) | 13-18-6 (.432) |
| D-I Independent | 0-1-0 (.000) | 0-1-0 (.000) | — | 0-1-0 (.000) | 0-1-0 (.000) | 0-0-0 (.000) | 1-1-0 (.500) | 1-5-0 (.167) |
| ECAC | 10-1-1 (.875) | 1-1-2 (.500) | 1-0-0 (1.000) | — | 6-6-1 (.500) | 5-1-0 (.833) | 0-2-0 (.000) | 23-11-4 (.658) |
| Hockey East | 4-2-0 (.667) | 6-3-1 (.650) | 1-0-0 (1.000) | 6-6-1 (.500) | — | 8-5-4 (.588) | 1-1-0 (.500) | 26-17-6 (.592) |
| NCHC | 3-1-0 (.750) | 6-0-0 (1.000) | 0-0-0 (.000) | 1-5-0 (.167) | 5-8-4 (.412) | — | 10-1-2 (.846) | 25-15-6 (.609) |
| WCHA | 3-0-1 (.875) | 4-2-3 (.611) | 1-1-0 (.500) | 2-0-0 (1.000) | 1-1-0 (.500) | 1-10-2 (.154) | — | 12-14-6 (.469) |
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