I don’t know if it is accurate to say that Wilkes University is a hockey powerhouse. They’re not. In fact, they’re probably one of the most disappointing programs in all of college hockey. I’ve been at a few games and have seen people like this all around the place. In terms of talent, they have some of the most skilled players in the conference. You could say their coach is an idiot.
But they are a powerhouse. Wilkes has won 10 of 12 games since their last loss. They were tied for first but then lost to North Dakota in the second round. They are currently 14-8-2 this season and they’ve won eight games over the past two years. They haven’t lost in their division since the 2012-13 season. And I can’t help but think that they are the best team in the conference.
Wilkes are the only team in the conference to beat a ranked foe this year. They beat the #4 ranked team in the country, North Dakota, by a score of 10-2. The last time Wilkes beat a top 5 team was 2009 when they beat Michigan. They have also beaten North Dakota in the past, in 2003 and 2005.
If they can keep this up, they should be in contention for the CCHA title next year.
I am a little shocked that Wilkes has gone from being the best team in the conference to the worst. And I am also a little shocked that the season after that is still a good one. I will go back and watch the rest of the conference and see if I can’t spot the best team in the division.
I have to admit that I was a little surprised by the fact that Wilkes beat Michigan at home, but the game was a blow out to me. The game was all about Wilkes’ defense, which led to a goal from Aaron Finkle (the best player on the team), and the other team’s offense was so weak, it was kind of a letdown.
I love Michigan and the rest of the WHL, but I hate the way the conference is going. It’s so obvious that the best team in the division is out of the playoff race. I think Wilkes needs to run away from the conference and win the conference again. And to get to the WHL, you have to be playing at a high level first.
Michigan is having a great year. They have great talent in net and in the other defensive positions. Wilkes is a top team in the WHL, and their coach is a top coach in the NHL. So why are they out of the playoffs? They are so strong that they can win it all with ease if they play their best.
Wilkes was picked to finish last in the conference, and thus will play against two of the best teams in the division. So why are they out of the playoffs? They aren’t. They’re having a great year, the same as everyone else in the conference. They’re just not playing at a high level on a regular basis.
The conference is basically a tiered system with no guaranteed spots. A team can just be in the top six of the conference, and they will be playing a conference semifinal. This means that a team can be in the upper half of the conference and also be in the final game of the conference, but they will have played in the conference semifinals. So the best teams in the conference will just have one game remaining against each other.
