Paula C. Weston

Last games of the calendar year. May 2012 be kinder to me in the prognostication department, among other departments. Season to date: 65-44-14 (.585) This week There are tournaments, nonconference series, two single nonconference games and one single exhibition game. I’m not calling the exhibition game. Catamount Cup Two CCHA teams, Ferris State and Lake … Read more

In this lull between actual games, there are still a few things worth mentioning. A couple of Bills come due In a community as small as our college hockey crowd, one never really leaves completely — even after one is completely gone. Recently, I’ve heard from former CCHA commissioner Bill Beagan and former Western Michigan … Read more

It doesn’t seem possible that it’s two days before Christmas, and it doesn’t seem possible that two days before Christmas there is a mere dusting of snow on the ground in Flint, Mich. Know what else doesn’t seem possible? A first-place Ohio State. Miami and Michigan as close to last place as first. No runaway … Read more

The only game on the docket was Northern Michigan’s 4-1 win over Michigan Tech, and it was revealing in small ways. 1. Sophomore goaltender Jared Coreau is finding his stride. Coreau — who shares the net with senior Reid Ellingson — posted a record of 3-1-0 in December and improved to 2.13 goals against and … Read more

There is one game on the schedule for this week. Since it’s a game involving Northern Michigan, this week’s picks blog also provides an early Christmas present to Wildcats fans — who love to love me. Paula’s picks Last week: 7-5-0 (.583) Season to date: 64-44-14 (.582) This week, it’s all or nothing. Watch the … Read more

Three quick things learned from the weekend. 1. There’s no place like home … unless you’re Miami or Ohio State. Everybody got points this weekend at home except the RedHawks and Buckeyes, who won in each other’s barns. Clearly, that did very little to change things in the CCHA standings, but it did make most … Read more

Sometimes, a tie is more — or less — than a tie. After Michigan State captured the extra shootout point following a 3-3 home tie against Michigan, the Spartans celebrated as though they’d won some hardware and the Wolverines responded as though they hadn’t captured four of six possible points in the home-and-home series. “The … Read more

It’s hard to believe that the year’s almost over and that we’ve nearly reached the holiday break. I have only one wish for Christmas: A better picks percentage in 2012. Paula’s picks Last week: 7-5-0 (.583) Season to date: 64-44-14 (.582) I’d feel better about picking the Michigan-Alaska split correctly had I not also picked … Read more

Every team in the league played this past weekend, and with one exception, someone won two games and someone got swept. Putting aside the only nonconference series for a moment, such decisiveness provided a little distance and clarity at the top of the league’s standings while muddying the waters further down. First is first. With … Read more

It took Michigan State all of 20 seconds to take a 1-0 lead over Bowling Green en route to a 5-1 win, but the Spartans were lucky that early goal didn’t cost them. At least, that’s what coach Tom Anastos said. “We expected a different game than certainly what we played last weekend [against Minnesota], … Read more