Game picks by USCHO writers
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
The trend lately has been bonus hockey, upsets and games that generally have the look and feel of playoff games as teams battle for conference points and position in the standings. Still some fun non-conference action mid-week going on but for most the action is focused on conference play and building momentum over the remainder … Read more
The schedule now shifts to mostly conference play for the balance of the second half, so every game means a little bit more moving forward in January and the second half. I finally found a sweet spot with my picks last week going an impressive 11-1-0 (.917) and that now brings the season overall record … Read more
…And now the second half begins in earnest! The calendar has turned to a new year, but the teams are focused on producing big second half wins in pursuit of conference titles and maybe something more. I stumbled horribly with my picks for the the final games before the New Year with my picks going … Read more
Welcome to the final weekend of 2023. A handful of games are on tap in the west region of NCAA Division III hockey, including No. 2 St. Scholastica heading over to Wisconsin to take part in the Superior Showdown. Meanwhile, Aurora heads East to take on nationally ranked Norwich in one of the bigger games … Read more
Happy New Year and best wishes for a great 2024! The semester break is over as many teams resume New Year’s tournament play or non-conference action to finish out calendar year 2023 but officially kick-off the second half of the campaign. The first half delivered fantastic hockey and many surprises that fans everywhere can only … Read more
For many teams this weekend represents the end of the first half of the season. There are a very few games next week and therefore, the last opportunities for creating positive momentum heading into the semester break and holiday season. It has been a very exciting and dynamic start to the 2023-24 season and this … Read more
It is hard to believe but December begins this weekend and that means there are now limited opportunities for teams to get their mojo going before the impending semester break. Finishing the first half strong is on every coach’s to-do list and that should mean even more great hockey this weekend. Last week I finished … Read more
Happy Thanksgiving! The Thanksgiving Holiday weekend means just about an abundance of everything food, parades, football and of course, college pucks! In the annual tradition of overindulging, please note the abundance of picks below covering all the non-conference and holiday tournament action I could cram into in a 20-pick slate. Last week my picks slipped … Read more