Jim Connelly

Jim Connelly is the USCHO Executive Editor. He has been with USCHO since 1999 and previously covered Atlantic Hockey and Hockey East. He also serves as a color analyst for Hockey East on NESN.

Hockey East picks: Jan. 29-Feb. 2

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Ties through 65 minutes were the way of Hockey East last weekend as four of the eight games went down as ties with the extra league point decided in a shootout. Five games, in fact, went to overtime, which continues to highlight just how close things are in Hockey East. Jim last week: 4-0-4 Marisa … Read more

North Dakota at Omaha preview with Mavericks coach Mike Gabinet: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 9

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by No. 9 Omaha head coach Mike Gabinet to preview this weekend’s home series vs. No. 2 North Dakota. We discuss this year’s Mavericks, their steady improvement, and how they dealt mentally with the extended pause after the semester break.

Also of note this weekend in league play are the Hockey East home-and-home series between No. 10 UMass and No. 16 UMass Lowell, No. 18 Michigan Tech at No. 8 Bowling Green in the WCHA, and a trio of Big Ten matchups.

Non-conference games include No. 3 Minnesota State at Bemidji State – which is fresh off a sweep of Bowling Green last weekend – and No. 11 Quinnipiac hosting LIU.

And after weekend meetings juggling the schedule for the rest of the season, Atlantic Hockey prepares for a nearly full slate of games.

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Mercyhurst’s Rick Gotkin on this season’s Lakers, COVID-19 accommodations, scheduling: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 9

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

With four straight wins, including 5-of-6 points from then-No. 17 Robert Morris, Mercyhurst has been playing well. Lakers head coach Rick Gotkin joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger to talk about his team, as well as how they’ve adjusted to COVID-19 restrictions and a schedule in flux. We also touch upon the impact of the pandemic beyond the rink, including the extra year of eligibility and recruiting by watching video and making Zoom calls.

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Another milestone for York, sweeps for a bunch of top-20 teams, and how about BU? Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 10

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger look back at a busy weekend – and week – in college hockey.

Boston College coach Jerry York hit another career milestone: 1,100 wins.

Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota Duluth, and Bemidji State were among the teams with sweeps.

Minnesota State’s Dryden McKay notched his sixth shutout, putting him not only in the Richter conversation, but also for the Hobey.

Quinnipiac and Clarkson are neck-and-neck in the ECAC.

Mercyhurst took five of six points from Robert Morris.

And how about Boston University at 5-1?

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Michigan at Notre Dame preview with Fighting Irish broadcaster Darin Pritchett: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 8

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Notre Dame swept Michigan at Yost Ice Arena in two one-goal games just after Thanksgiving. The No. 8 Wolverines visit the No 16 Fighting Irish this weekend in Big Ten play. Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by the voice of the Irish, Darin Pritchett, for a preview.

We also look ahead to Arizona State at No. 4 Minnesota and No. 12 Wisconsin at Penn State in the Big Ten, No. 10 Quinnipiac at No. 14 Clarkson for three ECAC contests, No. 18 Providence home-and-home with No. 8 UMass in Hockey East, and a slate of NCHC matchups highlighted by No. 19 Denver at No. 11 Omaha.

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This Week in Hockey East: Rapidly-improving Connecticut team making waves with added experience, talent

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Building and continuously rebuilding a college sports program is easily the greatest challenge that every coaching staff faces.

Success, particularly in college hockey, often leads to NHL teams taking notice and players being snatched prior to the conclusion of their four-year college career, often leaving significant holes in a lineup.

Three years ago, Connecticut coach Mike Cavanaugh faced exactly that.

Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson talks Fighting Irish, Big Ten, pandemic, analytics: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 8

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson, whose Fighting Irish swept then-No. 1 Minnesota last weekend. Jackson speaks about this year’s team, the Big Ten’s response to the pandemic and how his team has adjusted, about analytics vs. the “eye test,” and about this weekend’s series with Michigan.

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No. 1 Minnesota swept by Notre Dame; Western Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan, BC sweep : Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 9

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger take a look at the weekend and the news of the week.

Highlights include Notre Dame’s sweep of No. 1 Minnesota, which displaces the Golden Gophers from the top of the USCHO.com men’s D-I poll, while Boston College ascends to the top with weekend wins over a tough Merrimack.

Minnesota State and Bowling Green – with its 1,000th team win – keep up their winning ways in the WCHA.

Western Michigan surprised some with a pair of home wins over No. 4 St. Cloud State.

The Big Ten’s Michigan and Wisconsin got weekend sweeps.

Quinnipiac seems a cut above in the four-team ECAC, while UConn popped up on people’s radar with a sweep of New Hampshire.

Also, LIU split the weekend at Army as coach Brett Riley faced uncle Brian Riley at West Point.

And why the seeming differences in approaching COVID-19 protocols between leagues and teams?

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Saturday roundup: Sweep completed as Notre Dame defeats No. 1 Minnesota, 2-1; No. 3 BC survives, 2-1, against Merrimack; WMU sweeps No. 4 St. Cloud State

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A cutout of coach Gordon Bombay seems to approve as Notre Dame took it to No. 1 Minnesota for the second straight night, sweeping the Gophers in a road series, winning Saturday, 2-1. The Fighting Irish are now 3-1-0 since the start of 2021 (Photo: Jim Rosvold)

Previewing UMass vs. Boston University with Minutemen coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 7

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by UMass head coach Greg Carvel to preview the Minutemen’s scheduled home-and-home series with Boston University.

We also look at No. 14 Northeastern vs. No. 3 Boston College, Notre Dame at No. 1 Minnesota, St. Lawrence vs. No. 13 Clarkson, No. 2 North Dakota at No. 18 Denver, No. 5 Minnesota State at No. 19 Lake Superior, and a non-conference series between LIU and Army West Point, which has Brett and uncle Brian Riley facing off as head coaches for the first time.

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Alabama Huntsville’s Lance West talks this year’s Chargers, future growth of program: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 6

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

Alabama Huntsville won its first two games of the season, and first home wins, with a weekend sweep of Ferris state.

First-year Chargers head coach Lance West joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger to talk about the weekend, future plans which include a new arena and a new league home, filling 13 open spots on the team during the offseason, and recruiting.

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Nobody left undefeated, St. Cloud is on a roll, ECAC is a tight race: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 3 Episode 8

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger look at the games of the past weekend and at top news of the week.

No. 1 Minnesota fell from the ranks of the unbeaten in a split at No. 12 Wisconsin. That’s good news for the Badgers and not necessarily bad for the Gophers.

No. 6 St. Cloud State got a weekend sweep – including a come-from-behind win and by scoring the only goal in OT – at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth.

No. 2 Boston College split with New Hampshire, with the road teams winning each end of the weekend in overtime.

The ECAC is tight right out of the gate, and close results and OT games proved it.

Then No. 20 Robert Morris has 11 wins and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Also … The Riley family notched its 1,000 win behind the Army West Point bench for father Jack and sons Rob and Brian. Three-on-three overtime is getting more comfortable for teams, with 12-of-14 overtime games being decided before a shootout. And is scoring up? It feels like it.

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