Game picks by USCHO writers
It is almost here and there is that feeling in the air that creates excitement around the start of a new season. This year brings some significant changes from last year including: a new league, the MAC; new teams with Keene State and Misericordia joining the D-III party this year; new conference alignments that find … Read more
The national championship game has a lot to live up to following Thursday’s outstanding semifinal games where hockey fans were treated with great action from start to finish and no overtime was required to decide the entrants for the championship contest. It is a great story with Hobart seeking to win back-to-back titles, the first … Read more
The final national poll before the Frozen Four had Hobart, Utica, Trinity, and Adrian ranked one through four. It is not often that we get a pure draw that leaves the best in the country battling it out on the ice for a national title, but we do this year, and the semifinal matchups are … Read more
This was a fun way to break down the Frozen Four teams last season, so I’m bringing it back and making it an annual post. Instead of focusing on the hypotheticals of head to head matchups of teams that haven’t played each other this season, let’s look at what each of the final four teams … Read more
Time flies, here we are, the national championship game is officially here tomorrow, Sunday, March 17 at 3:00pm CST. UW-River Falls enters the game on home-ice a perfect 30-0-0, whilst Elmira enters 23-7-1 as they’ve been on a roll as of late after hitting some rough patches earlier in the season. This game will be … Read more
The first round of the NCAA tournament saw five games and ten teams seeking a chance to advance and play more hockey. While Adrian and St. Norbert advanced to a quarterfinal date with each other (fourth meeting in a couple of months between the two teams), Curry, Elmira and Plymouth State provided some drama in … Read more
We’re in River Falls, Wisconsin at Hunt Arena for the 2024 Women’s D-III Frozen Four. Undefeated River Falls looks to go perfect and end the year 31-0-0 with a pair of wins at home. The semifinals are on Friday, March 14 and the National Championship is Sunday, March 16. #10 Elmira (22-7-1) vs #6 Middlebury … Read more
We’re onto the Quarterfinals in the 2024 NCAA Women’s D-III Hockey Playoffs! Here are the picks for the weekend from Myself, Tim Costello, & Brian Lester! #3 Gustavus at #1 UW-River Falls Chris Sugar – This game shouldn’t be played and is wrong on every level, but with that being said, I’m taking Gustavus to … Read more
The conference title battles are behind us now and just thirteen teams remain in pursuit of the 2023-24 national championship starting with first round action on Saturday, March 9. Hobart, Utica, and Trinity have earned a first round bye based on their ranking and overall performance in the regular season and conference tournaments. A total … Read more
The 2024 D-III Women’s NCAA Tournament is upon us, here we are with our game picks as Myself, Tim Costello, & Brian Lester make our Round One picks! #8 Hamilton (15-6-6) vs. #10 Nazareth (22-6-1) Brian Lester The Continentals fell short of a conference championship, but the good news is they have new life in … Read more
Championship week is upon us and while MASCAC and UCHC find a No.1 v. No.2 matchup for the title, all other conferences find lower seeds with a chance to claim a conference crown and D-III auto-bid to the national tournament. It really does not get better for scoreboard watching than this weekend! Relative to my … Read more
It’s now totally a “Win-or-Go-Home” scenario as teams contend for conference championships either in quarterfinal action like NESCAC, or in most cases the semifinal round where you can almost see a championship trophy but best not look too far ahead. There is no margin for error from here on out. For me and my picks … Read more
By the end of the weekend we will know which teams out west in NCAA Division III hockey are playing for conference titles next weekend. The MIAC, NCHA and WIAC are all hosting their semifinal rounds, and keep in mind, for all three tournaments, not only is a title on the line, but an automatic … Read more
It may be Valentine’s Day but do not look for much love to be shared between foes on the ice this week. For the NEHC it is now “win or go home” time as the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament begins on Saturday. Elsewhere there are still battles across the conference for playoff position, … Read more
February rolls on and it’s the end of the regular season for NCHA and WIAC teams while MIAC teams continue on with their regular season action for one more week after this one. Speaking of the NCHA, the biggest matchup of the weekend out west features Adrian and Trine, two nationally ranked teams in the … Read more
Some top seeds are already determined as the final weeks of the regular season play out, but in many other conferences, the battles from top to bottom are still on the line to determine the top seed, home-ice berths and even qualification for the post-season. There is plenty to be motivated about with the remaining … Read more
Forget about March for a moment. February is roaring in like a lion as we have two premier matchups on tap out west in NCAA Division III hockey. In the MIAC, St. Scholastica battles Bethel while Adrian takes on St. Norbert in a rivalry series in the NCHA. In both matchups, a lot is riding … Read more
Moving into February and for most conferences that means three weeks left in league action with the NEHC only having two weeks before the conference tournament begins. There is still a lot at stake in battles for playoff position and home-ice advantage so wins, points and tiebreakers are all part of the equation this time … Read more
The slate of games this week is crazy good when you consider not only the ranking implications but maybe more importantly the league and seeding outcomes relative to tiebreakers, and the all-important head-to-head competition. As February approaches the stakes are certainly higher and like the games, I need to build momentum with my picks as … Read more
As we reach the middle of the month here in Division III hockey we have come to learn that no pick is ever a lock. Any given night seems to be the theme and that probably won’t change this weekend. We are into full on conference play now and things really get interesting. So let’s … Read more