Paula C. Weston

I spent the morning thankful for speedy internet connections and the magic of in-home laundry. I hope that your post-Thanksgiving Monday contained at least half as much gratitude. Three things from this weekend, quickly: 1. Michigan is not ready for prime time. With three wins in their last 10 games and a 5-1 loss to … Read more

It’s a light schedule this weekend, but everyone played last week. As I suspected, I didn’t do nearly as well this past weekend with predictions as I did the first three weeks of CCHA play. Last week: 5-6-1 (.458) Season to date: 47-26-14 (.621) The wrong-way split in Fairbanks hurt. The non-splits did, too. I’ll … Read more

There’s a single game tonight between Bowling Green and Michigan in Ann Arbor. I’ll post the rest of my picks for this weekend plus my picks record Friday morning. Bowling Green at No. 19 Michigan In their TMQ column this week, my friends and colleagues, Jim Connelly and Todd D. Milewski, ask, “How much respect … Read more

This was a strange weekend. Three things that strike me as interesting about it: 1. The number of times you shoot the puck may count for something. In Ohio State’s sweep of Northern Michigan, the Buckeyes outshot the Wildcats 77-34 and allowed only 12 shots on goal during Saturday’s 4-2 win. Alabama-Huntsville notched its first … Read more

I’m already starting out in the hole this week since I picked Michigan to win last night. This is how I’m doing so far this season, without that pick: Last week: 6-2-3 (.682) Season to date: 42-20-13 (.647) Two splits did so the right way — or, at least, the way I called them — … Read more

There’s nothing unusual about No. 8 beating No. 13 by two goals, but the score of Notre Dame’s 3-1 over Michigan doesn’t tell the whole story. “It was a weird game for me,” said ND coach Jeff Jackson. “I thought pucks were bouncing real funny. I don’t know if it was the ice conditions – … Read more

The Notre Dame-Michigan series is Thursday-Friday, so here’s my prediction for just that series. I’ll have the rest of my picks for the weekend Friday morning, as well as a running total of how I’m doing. No. 8 Notre Dame at No. 13 Michigan. Each team enters this series with a loss as its most … Read more

Once again, no one can close a deal in the CCHA. 1. There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned thrashing. It’s even sweeter for a team at home, against its arch-rival. Both the Wolverines and the Spartans experienced that this weekend, with Michigan coming out of the weekend at the sour end. Friday’s 5-1 lopsided UM … Read more

Michigan State coach Tom Anastos said he had a “gut feeling” about starting the line of sophomores Brent Darnell and Matt Berry and freshman Matt DeBlouw for tonight’s game against arch-rival Michigan. That line started in Ann Arbor Friday night, where the Spartans lost 5-1. In tonight’s rematch, those three Spartans were responsible for five … Read more

After two close periods of hockey, Michigan scored three third-period goals to bury Michigan State, 5-1, in the first meeting between these two rivals this season. Five different Wolverines scored and freshman Jared Rutledge earned his first collegiate win, topping 28-of-29 shots to do so. “We were scoring timely goals and that was important,” said … Read more