Big Ten hockey is feast or famine

The Final Stretch

The PairWise Ratings mimic the formula the NCAA uses to fill its 16-team men’s hockey tournament field. Six spots are filled by conference tournament champions, and 10 at-large spots go to the highest-ranked remaining teams. With selection Sunday coming March 24, here’s a look at the top 16 heading into the weekend (*notes conference leader):

Team Record

 1. St. Cloud State* 21-4-3

 2. Massachusetts* 21-6-0

 3. Ohio State* 19-5-4

 4. Minnesota Duluth 17-7-2

 5. Quinnipiac* 21-6-1

 6. MSU Mankato* 24-6-2

 7. Denver 15-6-4

 8. Cornell 15-6-2

 9. Arizona State 19-10-1

10. Western Michigan 16-9-1

11. Mass.-Lowell 17-8-2

12. Clarkson 19-9-0

13. Harvard 13-7-3

14. Northeastern 17-9-1

15. Bowling Green 18-8-3

28. American Int’l* 17-12-1

 

Other Big Ten teams

16. Notre Dame 15-10-3

18. Penn State 16-10-2

22. Michigan 12-12-6

29. Michigan State 10-15-5

30. Gophers 11-14-4

35. Wisconsin 9-14-5