We both had identically respectable weeks, which isn’t bad considering all of the splits a weekend ago.

Jim last week: 9-4-1
Dave last week: 9-4-1
Jim to date: 55-41-17
Dave to date: 58-38-17

Friday, November 25

Friendship Four (Belfast, N.I.)
Massachusetts vs. Vermont (11:00 a.m. ET, TV: NESN/ASN)
Jim’s pick: The first edition of this special event nearly resulted in numerous upsets, but UMass-Lowell, the favorite entering, came out on top. At least in this game, I think picking the favorite is a must.
UVM 4, UMass 2
Dave’s pick: Jim has direct experience with this tournament that I lack, but we share the same conclusion, at least for this game.
UVM 4, UMass 2

Shillelagh Tournament (South Bend, Ind.)
Holy Cross at Notre Dame
Jim’s pick: Holy Cross has given some Hockey East teams a fit. But, simply put, Notre Dame is the better team here.
UND 4, HC 1
Dave’s pick: Agreed. The Irish aren’t number 12 in the country for nothing.
UND 3, HC 1

Minnesota at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: I really don’t have a good feeling for how good Northeastern is. But I’m ready to pick an upset, so let’s go with this one.
NU 5, MN 4
Dave’s pick: This was toughest pick of the week for me and I was tempted to go for the Huskies on home ice. But they’ve been a bit too up and down for me, so even though some of that could attributed to John Stevens being out of the lineup, I’ll stick with the Gophers.
MN 4, NU 3 (OT)

Providence at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: I liked the way Providence played this past weekend, so I’ll go with the Friars, even on the road.
PC 3, MC 2
Dave’s pick: I wasn’t impressed with Providence’s play at Northeastern for the first 45 minutes last Friday, but I still think they’re the decidedly better team, even in Merrimack’s little House of Horrors.
PC 4, MC 3

Saturday, November 26

Friendship Four (Belfast, N.I.)
Consolation (11 a.m. ET)/Championship (2:30 p.m. ET – TV: NESN/ASN)
Jim’s pick: If Quinnipiac reaches the title game, I’m not picking against them. If it’s St. Lawrence, that’s a much more difficult decision. We will pick all possible outcomes to cover both games.
QU 3, UVM 2; QU 4, UMass 1; UVM 3, SLU 2; SLU 4, UMass 2
Dave’s pick: Hockey East Homer Hendrickson is going to pull a Benedict Arnold here and go with either of the ECAC teams over both of the good guys.
QU 4, UVM 2; QU 5, UMass 1; SLU 3, UVM 2; SLU 4, UMass 1

Shillelagh Tournament (South Bend, Ind.)
Clarkson/Yale at Notre Dame (Consolation or Championship)
Jim’s pick: Either of these could be difficult matchups for the Irish. But I’ll play Hockey East homer here.
UND 3, Yale 1; UND 4, Clarkson 3
Dave’s pick: Jim is working on my Homer side of the street, but I ain’t crossing over to the side. The Irish are just too good.
UND 4, Yale 1; UND 3, Clarkson 2

New Hampshire vs. Cornell (at Madison Square Garden, New York)
Jim’s pick: I like some of the effort from UNH of late, but I have to go with the favorite.
CU 4, UNH 2
Dave’s pick: The Wildcats have won two straight, but Cornell has taken three of four and I guess I’m going against Hockey East yet again.
CU 3, UNH 2

Brown at Maine
Jim’s pick: Maine plays so well at home, so I have to pick them.
UM 5, Brown 3
Dave’s pick: I’d be picking the Black Bears over 1-7-0 Brown at any venue on the planet. At Alfond, this is a no-brainer.
UM 4, Brown 1

Colgate at Providence
Jim’s pick: This one is a toss up to me, so I’ll pick Providence on home ice.
PC 3, CU 2
Dave’s pick: Here’s another one where home ice makes the choice easier, but I’d be picking the Friars regardless of venue in this match-up.
PC 4, CU 2

Sacred Heart at Connecticut
Jim’s pick: This game has proven a challenge for UConn in the past and SHU has been strong this season against Hockey East opponents. And after outlining that, I’m going with UConn.
UC 3, SHU 1
Dave’s pick: I’m with UConn both as the stronger team and also at home.
UC 4, SHU 1

Sunday, November 27

Minnesota at Boston College
Jim’s pick: BC has played well of late, but seeing as I picked Minnesota to lose on Friday, I have a feeling the Gophers will be hungry on Sunday.
MN 4, BC 3
Dave’s pick: Despite that loss to Harvard last week, I’m still an Eagles believer.
BC 4, MN 2

Tuesday, November 29

Boston College at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: The final game of what amounts to the BC-NU-MN round robin goes to the Eagles.
BC 4, NU 2
Dave’s pick: The Huskies will make it tough on home ice, but the Eagles will win to make them 12-1-1 over the last 14.
BC 4, NU 3