Paula C. WestonSome weekends are more interesting than most. Disclaimer: I haven’t worked out every possible permutation with ties and shootouts, so these are reasonable (but rough) estimates. 1. Four teams are still in the hunt for the regular-season title. Interestingly, each of them was paired this past weekend against another still mathematically capable of capturing the … Read more
Some weekends are more interesting than most. Disclaimer: I haven’t worked out every possible permutation with ties and shootouts, so these are reasonable (but rough) estimates. 1. Four teams are still in the hunt for the regular-season title. Interestingly, each of them was paired this past weekend against another still mathematically capable of capturing the … Read more
Please forgive my omission of a pick for the Tuesday Northern Michigan-Michigan Tech game. Some Februaries are more challenging than others. Last week: 6-4-0 (.600) Season to date: 103-73-25 (.575) Certainly better than last week — and it would have been much better, had Ohio State and Alaska split in the way that I had … Read more
Please forgive my omission of a pick for the Tuesday Northern Michigan-Michigan Tech game. Some Februaries are more challenging than others. Last week: 6-4-0 (.600) Season to date: 103-73-25 (.575) Certainly better than last week — and it would have been much better, had Ohio State and Alaska split in the way that I had … Read more
It’s a windy night in Michigan and I’m writing my last Valentine’s Day CCHA column for USCHO. Ever. The gusts outside the house whistle around its corners and occasionally a stronger burst descends the chimney and moans, a lonesome sound that reminds me and six cats that this is my last Valentine’s Day CCHA column … Read more
While winter was bearing down on the East Coast, the hockey in the Midwest couldn’t have been hotter. 1. Notre Dame controls its own destiny. The Fighting Irish beat Michigan twice while everyone else around them split, most notably Miami and Western Michigan. It’s the first two-game sweep Notre Dame has managed in the new … Read more
While winter was bearing down on the East Coast, the hockey in the Midwest couldn’t have been hotter. 1. Notre Dame controls its own destiny. The Fighting Irish beat Michigan twice while everyone else around them split, most notably Miami and Western Michigan. It’s the first two-game sweep Notre Dame has managed in the new … Read more
After beating Bowling Green 3-1 tonight to salvage a weekend split with the Falcons, Michigan State finished what it set out to do before practice even began last Monday morning. The goal was to play a solid 120 minutes of hockey and that’s exactly what the Spartans did. Junior captain Greg Wolfe had two goals … Read more
I knew last time out was a fluke. I’m sure you did, too. Last week: 2-6-2 (.300) Season to date: 97-69-25 (.573) I should have flipped a coin. This week There are five CCHA series this week with Lake Superior State taking a bye week. Every series is Friday-Saturday — unless that winter storm throws … Read more
I knew last time out was a fluke. I’m sure you did, too. Last week: 2-6-2 (.300) Season to date: 97-69-25 (.573) I should have flipped a coin. This week There are five CCHA series this week with Lake Superior State taking a bye week. Every series is Friday-Saturday — unless that winter storm throws … Read more
For every team in the CCHA, one week can make a big difference. For Bowling Green, the difference from one week to the next can be a paradigm shift. “Last Monday, we were thinking we’d gone off track,” Falcons coach Chris Bergeron said. “This weekend, things are good. We’re dealing with 20-year-old kids here.” The … Read more
The play during the first weekend in February was an excellent preview for the race to the Mason Cup because in the CCHA, anything can happen. The three teams from my former home state of Ohio showed that each is in the hunt for something completely attainable. 1. Miami is in the hunt for that … Read more
The play during the first weekend in February was an excellent preview for the race to the Mason Cup because in the CCHA, anything can happen. The three teams from my former home state of Ohio showed that each is in the hunt for something completely attainable. 1. Miami is in the hunt for that … Read more
09Anyone familiar with Michigan coach Red Berenson knows that he’s fond of saying after a win that there wasn’t much difference between the two teams playing. In the Wolverines’ 3-2 home win over Michigan State, there was a difference of one goal, 14 shots on net, and little else — except for the two mistakes … Read more
Last Friday night was … well, it was magical. For me. For my picks. Last week: 10-2-0 (.833) Season to date: 95-63-23 (.588) No chance of a picks week that good again. Ever. This week There are five CCHA series this weekend. Northern Michigan is idle. All series are Friday-Saturday and all times are local. … Read more
Last Friday night was … well, it was magical. For me. For my picks. Last week: 10-2-0 (.833) Season to date: 95-63-23 (.588) No chance of a picks week that good again. Ever. This week There are five CCHA series this weekend. Northern Michigan is idle. All series are Friday-Saturday and all times are local. … Read more
With Western Michigan’s sweep of Michigan last weekend, the Broncos became the new top team in the CCHA, sitting one point ahead of second-place Miami and three points in front of the former No. 1, Notre Dame. Given that two of the Broncos’ five remaining series are against Miami and Notre Dame, I thought it … Read more
What a weekend. 1. If you don’t like the CCHA standings, stick around for a week because they’re sure to change. At the end of the first half of the season, I was worried that the CCHA may fall into its old trap of becoming a two-tier league with a handful of teams huddled together … Read more
What a weekend. 1. If you don’t like the CCHA standings, stick around for a week because they’re sure to change. At the end of the first half of the season, I was worried that the CCHA may fall into its old trap of becoming a two-tier league with a handful of teams huddled together … Read more
The theme for Michigan State’s 5-3 win over Penn State tonight? Toughness. After exchanging five goals within a 10-minute span in the middle of the second period, the Spartans and Nittany Lions were tied 3-3 heading into the final 20 minutes of their first-ever meeting. But the Spartans took advantage of a major penalty late … Read more