Jim ConnellyAfter an election week where every major news network wanted to be the first to call each of the 50 states, I want to make a very early call about Hockey East. Three teams seem definitively head and shoulders above the rest, and that leads my three things that I learned this weekend: 1. Hockey … Read more
After an election week where every major news network wanted to be the first to call each of the 50 states, I want to make a very early call about Hockey East. Three teams seem definitively head and shoulders above the rest, and that leads my three things that I learned this weekend: 1. Hockey … Read more
Starting out win just one win in its first 10 games, you have to believe that some pucks haven’t bounced Maine’s way thus far. So it seems fitting that on the night when Maine breaks out of a seven-game losing skid that one very perfect bounce earned the Black Bears the win. With the score … Read more
Many may think that Saturday’s football game between Boston College and Notre Dame will be the highlight of the weekend on the BC campus. It will have to be one legendary game, though, to top the undercard between the BC and Notre Dame hockey teams. In a hard-hitting, end-to-end battle between these two rivals, the … Read more
There is an unspeakable value for the ability of a team to close out a game to earn a victory. On Sunday afternoon, that ability – and a similar inability – reared its head. For the second time in three weeks, top-ranked Boston College overcame a third-period deficit against Massachusetts, scoring twice in the game’s … Read more
Finally a bounce-back week for me but I still couldn’t gain any ground on the Old Man. Jim last week: 7-1-2 Dave last week: 7-1-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 16-13-4 Dave’s record-to-date: 20-9-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 2 Boston College at Maine Jim’s pick: Though I still am not convinced that Maine is a cellar-dwellar, I can’t pick the … Read more
Finally a bounce-back week for me but I still couldn’t gain any ground on the Old Man. Jim last week: 7-1-2 Dave last week: 7-1-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 16-13-4 Dave’s record-to-date: 20-9-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 2 Boston College at Maine Jim’s pick: Though I still am not convinced that Maine is a cellar-dwellar, I can’t pick the … Read more
We’re about a month into the Hockey East season, which means that new league coordinator of officials Dan Schachte has had equally as much time to evaluate the league. And while he certainly likes what he sees from his crew of officials, saying he “couldn’t be happier with what these guys bring” to the table, … Read more
No team wants a goaltending controversy. And even though Northeastern seems to have found a diamond in the rough in Bryan Mountain, that may not be the best thing for this club. That leads my three things I learned this weekend: 1. Rawlings struggles, Mountain shines Chris Rawlings is supposed to be the backbone to … Read more
No team wants a goaltending controversy. And even though Northeastern seems to have found a diamond in the rough in Bryan Mountain, that may not be the best thing for this club. That leads my three things I learned this weekend: 1. Rawlings struggles, Mountain shines Chris Rawlings is supposed to be the backbone to … Read more
Entering the season with high expectations, the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks faced their true litmus test over the weekend with a two-game home-and-home series with No. 1 Boston College. While Friday night, a 1-0 loss at home for Lowell, might have earned a satisfactory grade, Sunday’s game may have been a bit of a failure. The … Read more
The Boston College Eagles raised their national championship banner on Saturday night and then used the momentum of the electric crowd at Kelley Rink to jump out to an early lead and never look back. The Eagles, led by sophomore forward Johnny Gaudreau (goal, assist), scored twice early in the first and then rode goaltender … Read more
Well, this has been one very ugly start for me and I find myself in a hole to the old man (aka Dave) early. Hopefully I can stop the bleeding here in week 3. Jim last week: 5-3-1 Dave last week: 7-1-1 Jim’s record-to-date: 5-6-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 8-3-1 This week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 19 Boston College … Read more
Well, this has been one very ugly start for me and I find myself in a hole to the old man (aka Dave) early. Hopefully I can stop the bleeding here in week 3. Jim last week: 5-3-1 Dave last week: 7-1-1 Jim’s record-to-date: 5-6-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 8-3-1 This week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 19 Boston College … Read more
I wasn’t even able to write my first column of the season before the league proved once again parity will be its middle name. Whether it be Northeastern’s upset of No. 1 Boston College, last-year’s cellar dweller Vermont’s ability to grab a road tie with No. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell or New Hampshire’s early season sweep of … Read more
The Hockey East slate of game has barely begun and already I sit here with my jaw dropped. The team that made the jaw hit the floor, of course, is Northeastern. The Huskies pulled a minor upset midweek, knocking off newly-ranked Merrimack. But Saturday was the game-changer. NU’s upset of No. 1 Boston College leads … Read more
The Hockey East slate of game has barely begun and already I sit here with my jaw dropped. The team that made the jaw hit the floor, of course, is Northeastern. The Huskies pulled a minor upset midweek, knocking off newly-ranked Merrimack. But Saturday was the game-changer. NU’s upset of No. 1 Boston College leads … Read more
The movie “Hoosiers” gave us one of the best lines in sports movie history when the crotchety old Hickory fan Opal Fleener said to coach Norman Dale, “Sun don’t shine on the same dog’s [behind] every day, but mister, you ain’t seen a ray of light since you got here.” For Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon, … Read more
A year ago at this time, Northeastern bench boss Jim Madigan had barely unpacked his office when he was forced to be thinking about serving as head coach for the first time in his career. Hired in August, Madigan had just two weeks before players arrived on campus and a short six-week window before the … Read more
Few Massachusetts-Lowell fans will forget the season of 2011-12. Entering with low expectations and a new head coach in Norm Bazin, many fans would’ve been satisfied just making the playoffs. Bazin and his team, though, took things a major step further. The River Hawks finished second in Hockey East, tying the best finish in program … Read more