Well well well, we finally found somebody with the cajones to step into the ring with The Prognosticator. Welcome Tom Rodbell, a life-long ECAC fan from the Nutmeg State. Don’t try to push your Bobcats or Bulldogs fervor on him, though – he’s from a family of Engineers fans, who considers Brian Pothier his favorite collegiate player of all time. So without further ado, let’s see how the picks fall.
Prediction precision
Last week
7-5-1 (.577)
Season record
53-28-11 (.636)
Guest guessers: 32-28-6 (.530)
Keep the challenges coming; who’s next? ECACWriter@USCHO.com for the chance to submit your own picks.
This week
All times Eastern
Friday, December 10
Mass.-Lowell at Princeton – 7:00
The Riverhawks are 2-12-2, last place in Hockey East, and giving up nearly twice as many goals (62) as they are scoring (34). Alabama-Huntsville is the only team in the nation with a winning percentage as bad as UML’s (and it’s the same, .188). The Tigers are 6-5-0 and tied (despite playing three more games) with Yale atop our league. My heavens, I think I’m developing a prediction! 5-2 Tigers.
TR: Massachusetts- Lowell @ Princeton- I am not a big believer in the Tigers fast E.C.A.C start. Unfortunately this game will not do much to refute that. Mass- Lowell has lost seven straight and this weekend is not going to be the one to turn it around. Princeton wins 4 – 1.
American Int’l at Union – 7:00
This will be AIC’s first non-conference game of the year, and they’re 4-8-0 overall. Without delving a single statistic further, I think Union has a decided edge. 4-1 Dutch.
TR: This will be a big test for American International. Their first out of conference game comes against a Union team with something to prove. The Dutchmen are coming off of a whitewashing at Yale and as much as I would love to see an upset here, I don’t believe American International has the muscle to pull it off. Union wins 4 -2.
Saturday, December 11
Boston University at Rensselaer – 3:30
Two teams with a lot to prove: BU squeaked out a comeback home win over low-ish (if not lowly) Northeastern on Wednesday, while RPI is still trying to establish the consistency that carried them so well last year. This is one of those cases where I believe the national stereotype of the ECAC might work for the Engineers, giving them some element of surprise on the shorthanded Terriers. 4-3 RPI in a close one.
TR: I am hesitant to predict the outcome of this game. As you know I bleed cherry red and white, and I would love to see an upset here. R.P.I had the upper hand last year against the Terriers, but B.U. is coming off of a weekend in which they were smacked by B.C. by a combined score of 14 – 7. I would imagine they are going to have extra motivation in this one. That being said… I am still going to go with the Engineers in a 4 – 3 win.
Mass.-Lowell at Princeton – 7:00
It was Einstein who purportedly said, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Who am I to argue with Einstein? As Tom is about to say (being the brilliant Seer that I am), the second verse will be the same as the first: 4-2 Tigers.
TR: I see no reason why this game would be any different than the first. Tigers eviscerate 5 – 1.
Army at Union – 7:00
Colgate beat Army. Twice. And I think we can all agree who we’d reasonably expect to win a game between Colgate and Union right now. 5-1 Dutchmen.
TR: The Black Knights have not shown me that they have the ability to go into a ranked teams house and come out with a win, even though I would love to see nothing more. The Dutchmen sweep the weekend and win in convincing fashion 6 – 1.
Quinnipiac at Providence – 7:00
QU and PC have very similar offensive and defensive averages, and in the broad scheme of things I imagine them as very similar teams this year. I’m going to give PC the edge right now, almost entirely based on the home-ice advantage, as the Friars are 3-1-3 at The Coffin while the Bobcats are sub-.500 on the road. I could’ve easily swung the other way, but hey, I gotta make a call. 2-1 Friars.
TR: This will be an extremely hard fought game that will come down to the wire. In the end, I believe this will be the weekend that will turn the Cats season around. Bobcats take this one down 4 – 3.
Niagara at Colgate – 7:05
I picked the Raiders over the Purps last time out, and look what happened. Fool me once, shame on you… 4-3 Niagara.
TR: This game is another tough one to predict. The Red Raiders have been going through a difficult season to date, while the Purple Eagles have been nothing short of erratic in their play. I will say Colgate takes revenge for their loss two weeks ago to this same Niagara team. Colgate wins 3 – 2.
Sunday, December 12
Vermont at Dartmouth – 4:00
Vermont is not the Frozen Four team they were in 2008-09, and Dartmouth is not the unpredictable headcase it was last year. The edge is decidedly Dartmouth’s, 5-2.
TR: The Big Green are winners of three straight and I see no reason why that streak is in jeopardy. Vermont’s struggles continue in this one as Dartmouth wins 4 – 2.
Clarkson at Sacred Heart – 4:05
Clarkson is surfing the heat wave right now, and Sacred Heart is just a little spritz in the face. The Knights should be able to wipe SHU away with little trouble. 5-2 ‘Tech.
TR: I believe that the Golden Knights are the most underrated team in the E.C.A.C after a tough season last year. The Pioneers on the other hand are just plain bad and have not fared well against the E.C.A.C with no wins in four chances. Clarkson steamrolls Sacred Heart 6 – 0.
I also promise not to tweet 80 times a period when I’m watching a game. There’s updates, and then there’s overkill, am I right? Catch me at SullivanHockey on Twitter.
