Game picks by USCHO writers
It’s only week two of the season and there are already intriguing matchups lining up across early conference play. Nothing should get teams more motivated than winning and getting points over key conference opponents. It is still very early in the season, and no one is going to win a conference championship in early November … Read more
It’s almost over. The end of scrimmages and meaningless exhibition games that don’t count on any record or in any standings. This Friday starts the 2023-24 season – a season before the change in the D-III landscape changes dramatically with new conferences and most importantly, just a single at-large bid available for the national tournament. … Read more
After a crazy 15 goal affair between Adrian and UNE and a chess match decided late in the third period between Hobart and Endicott, we are down to the final two teams that will battle for the national title on Sunday evening. For many, including this writer, we have the two best teams in the … Read more
More overtimes, more close games, and one more big upset were the hallmarks of the semifinal round. So, now there are just four teams remaining and it is Endicott as the No. 3 seed playing host next weekend in their very first NCAA Frozen Four appearance. That seems pretty special for the Gulls who will … Read more
Last week saw some incredibly competitive and close hockey in each of the first-round games which included two overtime games and one very extended four overtime thriller. The top seeded teams awaited the outcome from last week’s action and are now preparing for quarterfinal action with the hope of garnering a spot in this year’s … Read more
It is time to go dancing at the national tournament and while the season saw its fair share of crazy results on a week in and week out basis, the 2022-23 NCAA tournament field is not surprising other than the NESCAC entrant from Bowdoin. Then again, that should not be too much of a surprise … Read more
Three games. Three titles. Three berths to the NCAA Division III hockey tournament on the line. It all comes down to an exciting Saturday night of hockey in the west region. The NCHA final features a pair of top 10 teams in the USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll, with No. 3 Adrian and No. … Read more
It all has come down to this weekend and the opportunity the conference finalists have to win a league championship and advance to the NCAA tournament. For St. Anselm and St. Michael’s it is all about winning the only title they can play for as D-II teams, but the D-III teams all know the … Read more
Well, if the early week’s action was not enough for all you D-III hockey fans out there in the east, then buckle up because the action this weekend is going to further reduce the number of teams competing for conference titles across the regions. While NESCAC, and now MASCAC, play their quarterfinal round, all other … Read more
Mother Nature did her best to play spoiler in the postseason, but fear not, hockey will be played in the wake of a winter storm. MIAC tourney play kicks off this weekend while the second weekend of tournament action in the NCHA and WIAC will take place. One thing worth noting about the NCHA playoffs, … Read more
This week is all about the conference tournaments as we enter the official win-or-go-home portion of the 2022-23 season. I will be doing this week’s extensive picks in two parts starting with the quarterfinal rounds taking place Tuesday through Thursday and re-calibrating for the weekend’s quarterfinal and semifinal rounds across the conferences. Last week’s volume-based … Read more
It’s playoff time in the NCHA and WIAC this weekend. And meanwhile in the MIAC, the final weekend of the regular-season is here and a champion will be crowned. Here’s at look at the big games ahead as hockey in the west region of NCAA Division III heats up to another level. NCHA Lake Forest … Read more
It is officially playoff season as the NEHC quarterfinals take place on Saturday while elsewhere the battles for first place and home-ice seeding continue in the final week of the regular season across the CCC, NE-10, SUNYAC and NESCAC conferences. Last week’s super-sized picks rebounded nicely at 10-2-1 (.808) which now brings my season total … Read more
February is rolling along and the action on the ice is heating up. Two big matchups loom this weekend as UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior battle in a series where the WIAC title will be on the line. Nationally ranked opponents Adrian and St. Norbert will do the same in the NCHA. Check out the picks … Read more
It is the last week of the regular season in the NEHC with a critical matchup finding Norwich traveling to Hobart for the top spot. Elsewhere there are two weeks left and still a lot of movement possible including very tight races in the SUNYAC and NESCAC. Last week’s picks rebounded nicely at 9-3-0 (.750) … Read more
February is underway and it’s hard to believe we are just about at that time of the year where conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament are just around the corner. Conference leaders are trying to maintain their success while those below them in the standings are jockeying for the best position possible before the regular … Read more
It is February and that means there are precious few weeks to earn wins and points to improve your standing, seeding and otherwise build momentum heading into the most crucial part of the season. There continues to be a lot of movement in most of the conferences but not so much at the very top … Read more
The final weekend of January is here and it’s all conference play across the schedule. Saint John’s and Augsburg play a big MIAC series, with Friday’s game being played outdoors, and nationally ranked UW-Stevens Point faces a big test against UW-Stout, the hottest team in the MIAC at the moment. In the NCHA, St. Norbert … Read more
Yes, there are still three unbeatens in conference play (Endicott, Plymouth State & Utica) in the east and all face some stiff competition this weekend which should be exciting for fans everywhere looking for the upset bug to continue its presence in all D-III hockey. Last week’s picks improved slightly at 8-3-1 (.708) which brings … Read more
Conference play is in full swing this weekend out west. St. Scholastica and St. Olaf battle in a key MIAC series while UW-Stevens Point takes aim at maintaining its lead at the top of the WIAC standings as it faces off against UW-River Falls. Adrian and St. Norbert both go into their respective matchups as … Read more