If you’re even a light sportsbook gambler, you’ve likely been trying all week to find that underdog in a conference basketball tournament whose odds just don’t match the ability of the team.
In basketball, the chances of seeing a top 10 team as a heavy ‘dog this time of year is pretty slim. In hockey, not so much.
Thus we present you with Notre Dame. The Irish survived a best-pf-three series last weekend with Wisconsin, winning the final two games to advance. That Friday loss likely has a lot to do with the price on Notre Dame to get past No. 2 Michigan in the semifinal round.
Notre Dame is a +180 underdog compared to Michigan at -235. These are two teams with razor thing margins folks. How are not both somewhere around -120?
Could it be a bettor’s paradise? Possibly. But you also have to consider the fact that this Michigan team has been driven for part of the second half of this season and marched easily past Michigan State a weekend ago.
But is this the time we throw pizza money on Notre Dame, “just in case?” My opinion is absolutely.
By the way, how did we all do last week? No one on the USCHO staff was perfect, most cursed by Boston College’s dramatic victory (well add in Saturday and call it victories) over Massachusetts. Everything else was chalk, which meant a $100 wager on a five-team parlay paid a disappointing $1,520.57.
We’ve included the Eagles again this week. Can you make something of them?
You can make your selections on the games listed below as well as others in USCHO Pick ‘Em. Go to social.uscho.com to join the fun!
As usual, a disclaimer:
Understand, this is for entertainment purposes only. USCHO.com is not a licensed gambling platform and no money may be wagered through this site or any subsidiary of USCHO.
All games are the first games when they occur in a two-game series, unless noted.
Enjoy and, if you bet, may you be successful.
(Games marked with an asterisks * have odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook)
Boston College (+165) at No. 11 Northeastern (-125) Saturday
Listen, Boston College sweeping UMass a week ago was something no one saw coming. Pick that one in a parlay and you made about 7.5-to-1. No bad chump change even if it looked like a chump bet.
The Eagles then got past New Hampshire on Wednesday in overtime to advance in the Hockey East Tournament but now face the top seed win Northeastern.
This isn’t a dramatic hill to climb for the Eagles. In fact, the two teams have split this season, BC winning in October and in mid February, while also losing in the Beanpot semifinals and one night after the BC win last month.
BC’s Jack McBain only played in one of those four games, as did Northeastern goaltender Devon Levi. Those two players are pure game changers so their presence should influence this series.
No. 16 Boston University (-105) at Connecticut (-125)
While Boston University was the sexy team down the stretch in college hockey, losses to Boston College and Maine recently made them less desirable to bettors.
Same goes for Connecticut which lost three of its final four games, including a 5-3 loss to Vermont last weekend.
BU holds a 2-1-0 mark over UConn this season but has to travel to Hartford after the Terriers inability to get a single point last Saturday against Maine.
If there is a monkey to talk about on a team’s back this game, though, it’s UConn which remains winless in the Hockey East tournament. This is the first season the Huskies have earned home ice in the quarterfinals, placing them a single win from the TD Garden. But UConn is 0-9 all time in the Hockey East tournament.
Penn State (+220) at Minnesota (-300) * Saturday
Penn State could be this season’s Cinderella, having knocked off Ohio State last weekend in the best-of-three quarterfinals. But the Nittany Lions remain a heavy underdog against Minnesota, a team that is ready to take top-seed pressure and responsibility.
The Gophers are 3-1 against Penn State this season, the only loss coming in the first matchup of the two teams way back in November, a 5-3 win for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions offense is known for generating plenty of scoring chances, but if Penn State is to pull off the upset there, it’s likely going to be about how their defense performs. Of note, though, Penn State is the only team to score more than two goals against Minnesota in the month of February, scoring four times in a 6-4 loss on February 19.
No. 8 Notre Dame (+180) at No. 4 Michigan. (-235) * Saturday
As mentioned at the top, this is probably the best underdog value you can get this weekend in college hockey. Notre Dame is the eighth-ranked team, ninth in the PairWise, but is +180 against a Michigan team that was swept by the Irish this season (0-4-0) and lost twice in the final weekend of the regular season.
Okay, we’ve even you all the reasons to bet Notre Dame. Now, let’s talk about why Michigan will win.
The Wolverines still have the best team on paper heading into this game and should be the dominant force. If Michigan can play from the lead, their chances are strong.
That’s a big “if” though. As much as I tout Notre Dame here, if I was forced to bet this game (and I won’t be), I’d take Michigan.
No. 10 Minnesota Duluth (+110) at No. 9 St. Cloud State (-140) *
Honestly, let’s just throw a coin in the air on this matchup. The fact that it is the first game in a three-game series makes it even less predictable.
I think the odds on St. Cloud State (-140) are far too high, so I’d avoid the Huskies. At the game team, Minnesota Duluth delivers little in the way of value, particularly after scoring just two goals in regulation last weekend versus St. Cloud State.
Gun to my head, I’d pick the Huskies here based on UMD’s recent struggles to score goals.
Pick records to date:
Matthew Semisch – 56-30 (3-2)
Ed Trefzger – 55-31 (4-1)
Chris Lerch – 55-31 (4-1)
Jim Connelly – 54-32 (4-1)
Dan Rubin – 51-35 (3-2)
Drew Claussen – 50-36 (3-2)
Paula Weston – 49-37 (4-1)
John Doyle – 45-41 (3-2)
Nate Owen – 44-42 (3-2)
Jack Hittinger – 40-46 (0-5)
