Monday’s blog chronicled how the CCHA teams fared during holiday play. For those of you wondering, the Lakers swept their way through Canada, winning all five games they played against Canadian university squads. Their most recent victories were a 3-0 win over Ryerson (Jan. 5) and a 3-1 win over York (Jan. 6).
How did I do through the second half of December? For the weekend of Dec. 10-12, the last weekend I picked before the holiday tournaments, I went 4-5-0. For the tournaments, I went 10-6-3.
Overall this season, for games I’ve picked, I’m 68-38-18 (.621).
Here are my picks for games this week. There’s a full slate of CCHA play, with two intense rivalries. Lake Superior State is the team resting this weekend, and it’s well deserved. All games are Friday-Saturday. Start times are noted.
FSU at BGSU. Here’s an okay-ish note: 15 of the last 17 meetings between these teams were decided by two or fewer goals, and FSU is 9-4-2 in those games. Last season, the Bulldogs swept the Falcons in the early going, and the teams are 4-4-0 in their last three seasons … but three of those BGSU wins were from 2007-08. Both teams play better on Friday nights this year. I think that works in FSU’s favor. 7:05 p.m. both nights. FSU 3-2, 4-1.
Miami at OSU. This rivalry has become as intense as anything else in D-I hockey – at least to the people who follow these two teams and the players on the ice. The teams played seven games in 2009-10, four regular-season and a three-game CCHA playoff series. Miami went 5-1-1 in those contests. 7:35 p.m. Friday, 7:05 p.m. Saturday. Miami 3-2, 3-2.
ND at NMU. Notre Dame is 6-3-1 against Northern Michigan in the teams’ last 10 meetings. The teams split a series Dec. 11-12 in South Bend, with NMU winning the first game, 3-2, and ND the second, 5-2. Last season, the Wildcats were 1-0-1 on the road against the Irish, winning the shootout. 7:35 p.m. both nights. NMU 3-2, ND 3-2.
UM vs. MSU. These teams last met Dec. 11 in the Big Chill game, when the Wolverines shellacked the Spartans, 5-0. They eyeballed each other at the GLI last week without having a chance to meet. Since 1999-2000, UM has a 22-20-11 edge over MSU, and the Wolverines have won the last four meetings, dating back to Jan. 30, 2010. Last year, three regular-season games were decided by a goal and UM ended MSU’s year with a two-game road sweep in the CCHA playoffs. This series is home-and-home, with Friday’s game beginning at 7:35 p.m. in East Lansing. Saturday’s game in Ann Arbor starts at 7:05 p.m. MSU 3-2, UM 4-1.
WMU at UAF. The Broncos have won once in Fairbanks, with the Nanooks leading them at home 8-1-1 all-time. The last time WMU opened any new calendar year with a win was in 2003, with a 4-1 win over the now-defunct Findlay Oilers. Last year, the Nanooks ended the Broncos’ season with a two-game, first-round home sweep in the CCHA playoffs, a set in which Alaska outscored WMU 8-1. UAF hasn’t played since Dec. 11; WMU hasn’t played since Dec. 19. Both games are at 7:05 p.m. AT. WMU 3-2, UAF 3-1.
