The battle for sixth: Who wins?

There are five teams with a chance, in some cases slim, of finishing sixth in the WCHA standings. Who cares? Well sixth, in the expanded 12-team WCHA, is the final home-ice playoff spot.

So who will get it ... let's analyze this because the Gophers are one of those teams whose goal is: Sixth, and nothing less.

The contenders:

5. Wisconsin ... 11-9-2, 24 points ... Just swept at Nebraska Omaha, could slip down a spot.

6. Colorado College ... 11-11-0, 22 points ... At a one point per game pace

7. Gophers ... 9-10-3, 21 points ... Coming off big 7-3 win over Denver, with big series at Wisconsin next

8. Alaska Anchorage ... 9-13-2, 20 points ... Not really in sixth-place derby because have only four WCHA games left

10. Minnesota State ...7-13-4, 18 points ... Also really not serious threat for same reason as UAA isn't

11. Bemidji State ... 7-12-3, 17 points ... Longshot

So where will these teams -- so nicely stacked by their point totals finish? Let's look at their remaining schedules:

Gophers: at Wisconsin (split, two points), Michigan Tech (must sweep, four points), at Bemidji State (tough defensive team Gophers have trouble with -- swept by Nebraska Omaha, Minnesota State -- split). So eight points for total of 29 points.

Wisconsin: Gophers (split), at St. Cloud State (split), Colorado College (win and tie). That's seven points, so Badgers finish with 31.

So the middle of the standings will look like this:

5. Wisconsin, 31

6. Gophers, 29

7. Colorado College, 27

Can any of the four teams below these teams in the current standings move into this group?

St. Cloud State: North Dakota (split), Wisconsin (split), at Denver (tie). Huskies add five to their total, finish with 24 and jump ahead of UAA.

Minnesota State: UMD (tie), Alaska Anchorage (win and tie). Purple Mavs finish with 22 points.

Bemidji State: Colorao College (split), at North Dakota (get swept), Minnesota (split). So Beavers finish with 21 points.

None of these four breaks into middle three. So final standings will look like this:

5. Wisconsin, 31

7. Colorado College, 27

8. St. Cloud State, 24

9. UAA, 23

10. Minnesota State, 22

11. Bemidji State, 21

Nice, neat, no ties. And an upset or two or three could easily change everything since these teams are so bunched.

Might as well figure out who will win the WCHA, too.The top four and their remaining skeds:

1. North Dakota, 16-6-0, 32 points ...Sioux: at St. Cloud State (split), Bemidji State (sweep), at Michigan Tech (sweep). Easiest closing sked, finish with 10 of a possible 12 points, run away with 42 points.

2. Denver, 14-5-3, 31 ... Pios: Michigan Tech (sweep), at Nebraska Omaha (split), St. Cloud State (win, tie). Seven points out of last three serie, finish with 38.

3. UMD, 13-6-4, 30 ... Dogs: at Minnesota State (win and tie), at Colorado College (split), Nebraska-Omaha (sweep). Nine more points, slip past DU for second with 39.

So top four look like:

1. North Dakota, 42

2. UMD, 39

3. Denver, 38

4. UNO, 34.

Michigan Tech at North Dakota: a mismatch

Bemidji State at UMD: a neighborhood rivalry. Beavers will make Bulldogs sweat in one game.

Minnesota State at Denver: Pios have too much top-end talent.

UAA at UNO: Red Mavs will win first WCHA playoff series.

St. Cloud State at Wisconsin: Can Huskies keep coming? Have shown flashes. Nope. Badgers' D-corps can light it up.