Welcome back to Pete’s Picks, your weekly look into the mind of the GameTimeCT sports producer who loves pretzels.
This week we are going to change it up.
The reception for my picks has been great, but everyone is always telling me that I missed something.
So this week and next , you will get to do the picks.
Welcome to January Madness!
It’s just like that one in March, minus the TV contracts. Those would be nice, though.
While we wait to see what the CIAC’s plans for the winter season will be, including if there will be a postseason tournament experience, we have decided to put together a tournament of our own: The CT Hockey Sweater Tournament.
Get it? Because hockey jerseys are called sweaters.
It’s fun! We’re having fun, here.
The tournament has been split into four brackets — named after four current or recently retired NHL players who played some high school hockey in Connecticut. The 55 teams jerseys were broken up into four brackets in two ways.
With the help of my colleague Mike Fornabaio and Luke Devoe of @CTHSHockey — who is a friend of the program — we each ranked our top 16 jerseys.
Each team ranked in the respective top 16s received a point total, with the highest ranking receiving the highest point total. For example: a team ranked No. 1 received 16 points, No. 2 got 15, all the way down to No. 16 receiving a single point. I then totaled up the points between the three rankings and came up with a top 16.
Those top 16 teams became the top four seeds in each bracket.
The other 39 teams were entered in a randomizing ranking website and I just filled in the brackets accordingly.
Makes sense? Good.
There is the Max Pacioretty Bracket, Jonathan Quick Bracket, Nick Bonino Bracket and the Chris Drury Bracket.
The winners of the four brackets will meet in the semifinals to determine the championship round.
Each matchup for the first round is below. The polls will be open for the weekend and the winners will advance.
Three of the brackets have 14 teams. So the top two teams have byes. One bracket has 13 teams and will have three byes.
In regards to photos. We used photos that we have taken over the years, some were used with the help of some team’s Twitter accounts and others were submitted. If a photo representing a team is not the updated version of the jersey, please email me at pete.paguaga@hearstmediact.com and I will update the photos immediately.
Now the real reason why you are all here, voting.
Let’s get at it. The polls will close on Sunday night (Jan. 10) at 7 p.m.
♦♦♦
Byes: No. 1 Fairfield Prep, No. 2 Lyman Hall co-op, No. 3 Notre Dame-Fairfield
No. 13 Eastern CT vs. No. 4 Wilton
Which jersey is better?
-
Wilton
66%
-
Eastern CT
34%
Total Response: 557 Votes

No. 12 Rocky Hill vs. No. 5 Cheshire
Which jersey is better?
-
Cheshire
61%
-
Rocky Hill
39%
Total Response: 593 Votes

No. 10 Hand vs. No. 7 Glastonbury
Which jersey is better?
-
Glastonbury
53%
-
Hand
47%
Total Response: 606 Votes

No. 11 Newtown vs. No. 6 Watertown/Pomperaug
Which jersey is better?
-
Watertown/Pomperaug
51%
-
Newtown
49%
Total Response: 565 Votes

♦♦♦
Byes: No. 1 Hamden, No. 2 Darien
No. 9 Staples vs. No. 8 Fairfield co-op
Which jersey is better?
-
Staples
61%
-
Fairfield co-op
39%
Total Response: 638 Votes

No. 13 Tri-Town vs. No. 4 West Haven
Which jersey is better?
-
West Haven
81%
-
Tri-Town
19%
Total Response: 700 Votes

No. 12 Westhill/Stamford vs. No. 5 Trumbull
Which jersey is better?
-
Trumbull
71%
-
Westhill/Stamford
29%
Total Response: 545 Votes

No. 10 McMahon/Norwalk vs. No. 7 Northwest Catholic
Which jersey is better?
-
Northwest Catholic
61%
-
McMahon/Norwalk
39%
Total Response: 540 Votes

No. 14 Conard vs. No. 3 Woodstock Academy
Which jersey is better?
-
Woodstock Academy
62%
-
Conard
38%
Total Response: 535 Votes

No. 11 Hall/Southington vs. No. 6 E.O. Smith/Tolland
Which jersey is better?
-
Hall/Southington
55%
-
E.O. Smith/Tolland
45%
Total Response: 477 Votes

♦♦♦
Byes: No. 1 New Canaan, No. 2 Notre Dame-West Haven
No. 9 BBD vs. No. 8 Guilford
Which jersey is better?
-
Guilford
74%
-
BBD
26%
Total Response: 511 Votes

No. 13 Masuk vs. No. 4 Housatonic co-op
Which jersey is better?
-
Masuk
61%
-
Housatonic co-op
39%
Total Response: 474 Votes

No. 12 SGWL vs. No. 5 Amity
Which jersey is better?
-
Amity
66%
-
SGWL
34%
Total Response: 546 Votes

No. 10 Milford co-op vs. No. 7 New Milford
Which jersey is better?
-
New Milford
66%
-
Milford co-op
34%
Total Response: 454 Votes

No. 14 Shepaug vs. No. 3 Branford
Which jersey is better?
-
Branford
78%
-
Shepaug
22%
Total Response: 492 Votes

No. 11 Ridgefield vs. No. 6 St. Joseph
Which jersey is better?
-
Ridgefield
54%
-
St. Joseph
46%
Total Response: 560 Votes

♦♦♦
Byes: No. 1 Simsbury, No. 2 Greenwich
No. 9 Wethersfield vs. No. 8 Immaculate
Which jersey is better?
-
Immaculate
54%
-
Wethersfield
46%
Total Response: 448 Votes

No. 13 East Catholic vs. No. 4 Farmington Valley
Which jersey is better?
-
East Catholic
51%
-
Farmington Valley
49%
Total Response: 456 Votes

No. 12 East Haven vs. No. 5 Newington
Which jersey is better?
-
East Haven
63%
-
Newington
37%
Total Response: 440 Votes

No. 10 North Branford vs. No. 7 Sheehan
Which jersey is better?
-
North Branford
63%
-
Sheehan
37%
Total Response: 441 Votes

No. 14 Northeastern vs. No. 3 Enfield
Which jersey is better?
-
Enfield
52%
-
Northeastern
48%
Total Response: 398 Votes

No. 11 JBWA vs. No. 6 Xavier
Which jersey is better?
-
Xavier
82%
-
JBWA
18%
Total Response: 454 Votes
