Join The 2015 NCAA Hockey Bracket Pool!

It's time for the 9th annual NCAA Hockey Bracket Pool, run by me and Joe Gravellese. Last season, we had 50 entries at 10 dollars per bracket. You do the math: we had a very happy winner.

For probably the first time ever, we will not be changing the scoring from last season. Last season's rules were fair and kept it interesting right up through the final. I'm sure this year's wide-open field won't hurt, either. Everyone can enter, and I will put up a website with live scoring on Friday once all the brackets are in.

You can download a PDF bracket here, or an Excel bracket here with fancy dropdown boxes. Forward your completed bracket to me at grant dot salzano at gmail dot com.

Here is the scoring:

– 10 points for a correct pick in the first round, 20 points in the 2nd, 40 points in the third, 80 points for a correct champion.

– You must pick a victory margin for each game, which is new this year (last year we only did margin of victory in round 1). If you have the game winner right and margin of victory right, you will get 2 bonus points. Note that you do not have to have the losing team correct to get the bonus points (Example: If you have BC beating Minnesota in the finals by 1, but BC actually beats Ferris State in the finals by 1, you still get the 2-point bonus. If you don't have the game winner right, you do not get the bonus).

– You will be deducted points for how early you have the national champion eliminated, 50 points for the first round and 25 points for the second round. Last year everyone picked Yale to lose in the first round, so everyone was docked 50 points. If someone had Yale losing in the 2nd round, they would have been docked 25 points.

– You can give the $10 entry fee to either me or to Joe Gravellese, or you can paypal me (include any applicable paypal fees) at grant dot salzano at gmail dot com. I must have your bracket and fee before puck drop on Friday. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS WHATSOEVER.

– The payout will depend on the number of entries we have, but will be a 3rd-2nd-1st structure.

– Eff BU.

Let us know if you have any questions, and good luck!