NCHC picks: March 13

We ended our picks race last week in the regular season with me up. Last week, I went 4-3-1 (.562)  and Matthew went 5-2-1 (.687). On the year, I finished the regular season with a very respectable 111-52-14 (.667) record, while Matthew went 105-58-14 (.632).

Let’s see how we can do in the playoffs.

Friday-Saturday-Sunday, March 13-15

Colorado College at North Dakota
Candace: CC will play North Dakota close, but lose both games. North Dakota 4-2, 3-2
Matthew: I could see this series maybe — maybe — going to three games, but for as much as I think CC could give UND headaches, I can’t see the Tigers advancing to Minneapolis. North Dakota 3-2, 5-2

Western Michigan at Miami
Candace: Western looked good last weekend in beating Minnesota-Duluth, but I think the Broncos’ season ends this weekend. Miami 3-2, 3-1
Matthew: This might be the most straightforward series for any first-round favorite. Western has been more down than up in recent weeks and I’m finding it hard to see them getting anything this weekend in Oxford. Miami 4-1, 4-2

St. Cloud State at Omaha
Candace: Like Matthew, I see it going three games, but probably see a different winner. I wonder how @RedArmyUNO feels about this? Omaha 4-2, St. Cloud 3-2, Omaha 4-3
Matthew: St. Cloud is less than a month removed from sweeping UNO in Minnesota and the Mavericks haven’t made it to a league playoff championship weekend in more than a decade. I think this series goes three, but flip a coin as to who wins the third game. Omaha 3-2, SCSU 3-1, SCSU 3-2

Minnesota-Duluth at Denver
Candace: These two teams played four times this season, and went 2-2. I like Denver to win in three. Denver 3-2, Minnesota-Duluth 3-2, Denver 4-2
Matthew: There really isn’t much to separate these two, but we often see the road team win in these middle-of-the-pack first-round series so I’ll take the Bulldogs in three. Minnesota-Duluth 2-1, Denver 3-2, UMD 4-2