Archive of USCHO’s blog content
It’s the home stretch of 2012 for many ECAC teams, as exams and the holidays break are quickly approaching. Here’s a look at this weekend, which features all non-conference matchups. All games are 7 p.m. unless noted. Harvard and RPI both have the weekend off. Last week: 3-6-2 Overall: 23-28-10 Friday, Nov. 23 Colgate at … Read more
I’m thankful I enjoyed such a good picks record last week. I’m unhappy, though, that Jim did, too. With this week’s slate of nonconference games, I’ll be surprised if we once again emerge with the same results. Just too many unfamiliar teams to disagree on. Dave last week: 8-1-1 Jim last week: 8-1-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 41-17-3 Jim’s record-to-date: … Read more
Momentum can be a funny thing in college hockey. You get a crop of young, eager players who snare a win at long last, and you never know where it might lead. Johnson and Wales hopes it leads to bigger and better things. Who knows; the Wildcats may already be on their way. After a … Read more
Did I mention look out for the Owls? Westfield State continues to roll, improving its overall record to 6-1-0, and sits atop the MASCAC at 3-0-0. Bob Miele’s club netted 12 goals in its last two games, before being shutout by No. 8 Amherst, 6-0. Plymouth State grabbed a big victory on Monday night, defeating … Read more
Marian and Lawrence will be traveling to De Pere, Wis., this weekend to compete in the NCHA/MCHA Thanksgiving Classic. St. Norbert will be hosting, and the fourth team competing is St. Scholastica. Both NCHA teams will be joining the MCHA next season, so this should be a fun weekend for all teams involved. Milwaukee School … Read more
It is Thanksgiving week, and I am hungry for success in my predictions on games in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. I haven’t been bad up to this point. Through 27 games, I am 14-11. But I would like to stretch out that gap a little more, and so with a lighter schedule on tap … Read more
The Thanksgiving holiday comes a tough time, both for turkeys and fans of SUNYAC rivalries. Only four of the league’s nine teams will see any action at all during the long weekend, and none of those will face each other. Still, anytime teams take to the ice, there is always the possibility of something interesting … Read more
This week, I have to give kudos to the Wisconsin-Eau Claire men’s hockey team for proving me wrong. For my Nov. 16 picks, I tabbed the Blugolds to lose both games to St. Norbert. I was banking on the fact that the Green Knights rarely lose at home. Not only did Wis.-Eau Claire claim one … Read more
In the opening week, I went 3-2-2 (.571) on my picks, so hopefully we can improve with some interesting games against nontraditional opponents. Just one weekend of games in the books and the stakes get raised for many teams focused on opportunities to host hardware in some of the best four-team, weekend tournaments anywhere in … Read more
I went 6-0 last week and am now 15-2-2 (.842) for the season so far. We’ll see what happens when ECAC West schools venture back out into nonconference play this weekend. Nov. 23-24 Cortland at Neumann Neumann (3-2-0 overall) shutout Utica last weekend, and has been in every one of its games so far this … Read more
Well after really picking poorly two weeks ago, I rallied last week to go 6-0-1 (.929) for the weekend, which brings the season total to 10-4-3 (.676). Lightning can strike about anywhere, so I am looking for a little consistency in trying to match last week’s performance with some interesting post-Thanksgiving tournament action. There’s lots … Read more
It was a great weekend last week. At the same time that Arlan paid up for the six pack I won for winning last season’s picks, I got enough games right that I passed Arlan for the season. Last weekend, I went 17-5-3 (.711) to bring my season total to 78-37-14 (.658), while Arlan went … Read more
No. 7 North Dakota (5-3-2) at No. 6 Notre Dame (8-3) Joe: UND goalie Clarke Saunders has shown he can steal a game even if the Irish barrage him with shots. Notre Dame’s CCHA-leading defense (1.64 goals) should slow down North Dakota’s balanced attack enough to garner one win. Split. Tyler: The Irish defense is … 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
Here’s offering a hearty welcome to Maryland and Rutgers, the two newest participants in the exciting game of When Will You Add Hockey? OK, exciting isn’t the right word there. But with the schools set to join the Big Ten — Maryland’s confirmation for the 2014-15 season came Monday and Rutgers’ is expected to follow … Read more
Last zero zoinked The nation’s last unbeaten finally took its tumble, as Colgate scored four goals in the last 12 minutes of Friday’s game to ground the Green (more on Colgate in a bit). Dartmouth went on to draw in Ithaca the following night, bringing its record to 5-1-2. Junior Eric Robinson’s eight goals in … Read more
The D-III landscape has felt nary an upset-induced shudder through the early weeks of the 2012-13 season. That is, until this past week. Stubbed toes — ties, losses, or both — were sustained by nine entries in USCHO’s Top 15, all of them to lesser or even unranked teams. Tops among the upended elite were … Read more
Lindenwood gets in the win column It took a year plus a few more weeks, but Lindenwood finally has a win over a team that competes at the D-I level full-time. The Lions swept Sacred Heart a year ago, but despite their D-I label, the Pioneers only dabble in that pool. Thus, Lindenwood’s 5-1 win … Read more
Three things from Atlantic Hockey play this weekend: 1. A few weeks ago I made this prediction: [blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/chrislerch/status/265621096202661888″] We’re beginning to see some real separation at the top. Niagara and Holy Cross have opened a six and five point lead, respectively, over the rest of the pack. The Purple Eagles, who defeated Canisius and … Read more