Game picks by USCHO writers
It’s the second weekend of Big Ten league play, yet the last weekend of conference play before the first half ends. Here’s how Drew Claussen and I have been doing so far. Last week Drew: 4-1-1 (.750) Paula: 3-2-1 (.583) Season Drew: 43-22-13 (.635) Paula: 44-21-13 (.647) This week There are two conference series reminiscent … Read more
Even when I have a strong week, Jimmy matches me. And when I don’t… Dave last week: 8-4-2 Jim last week: 8-4-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 82-35-21 Jim’s record-to-date: 87-30-21 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Dec. 11 Merrimack at Connecticut Dave’s pick: A week ago, I’d have gone with the Warriors, but it’s hard to ignore UConn’s sweep of Massachusetts-Lowell … Read more
Thanks to Minnesota-Duluth, I picked up another game on Matthew in our picks contest last week, going 5-3 (.625) to move to 60-27-8 (.673) while Matthew went 4-4 (.500) to move to 56-31-8 (.631). Friday-Saturday, Dec. 11-12 No. 6 St. Cloud State at No. 11 Denver Candace: I’m guessing home ice makes Denver happier, but … Read more
Jack here … The semester is winding down for most of the schools in the WCHA. As such, just about every team will play a couple games this weekend before shutting down until after Christmas (save Alabama Huntsville, which plays a nonconference series next weekend). All that means is one final week of league action … Read more
Last week: Dan: 7-3-1 Chris: 9-1-1 On the season: Dan: 59-31-8 (.643) Chris: 69-21-8 (.745) This Week’s Picks: Friday, December 4 and Saturday December 5 Canisius at Air Force Dan: These are teams heading in opposite directions. Canisius has won only once since Halloween, and Air Force is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Couple … Read more
Oh, it’s about time! Big Ten conference hockey begins this weekend! So far this season, the Big Ten is 29-32-11 (.479) in nonconference play. Here’s how Drew Claussen and I have done predicting the first two months of the season. Last week Drew: 7-1-1 (.833) Paula: 5-3-1 (.611) Season Drew: 39-21-12 (.625) Paula: 41-19-12 (.653) … Read more
Dave and I had equally as impressive weeks last week, thus my lead stands at five games. (Did I hit “bold” there?) Jim last week: 12-2-1 Jim to-date: 79-26-19 Dave last week: 12-2-1 Dave to-date: 74-31-19 Friday, December 4 Vermont at Boston University Jim’s pick: I feel like Vermont is better than it is playing right … Read more
Last time: 5-2-4 Overall: 20-9-6 It’s the last full weekend of conference play prior to the holiday break. Here’s a look at the games set for this weekend. All matchups start at 7 p.m. unless noted. Friday, Dec. 4 Quinnipiac at Yale, 6:35 p.m. The Bulldogs have only beaten the Bobcats once since 2011, but … Read more
Shane here … We’re into December. Hard to believe the season is two months old already. So what do we know? Not much more than we did before the season started. Minnesota State, Michigan Tech and Bowling Green are still the league favorites. Travel to Alabama, Alaska and the Upper Peninsula is still a grind … Read more
Matthew and I picked the same last weekend, and did pretty well overall, going a perfect 10-0. I think that’s a first ever in the time that we’ve covered the conference. On the year, I am 55-24-8 (.678), and Matthew is 52-27-8 (.643). Let’s see how we can do this week. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 4-5 Miami … Read more
Sat. Nov. 28 Western Michigan vs. Notre Dame Candace: Western didn’t look that great against Rensselaer, and I have to think home ice carries the Fighting Irish through. Notre Dame 4-2 Matthew: I really want to take Western here, but i can’t see Notre Dame losing twice in its own tournament this year. Notre Dame … Read more
Last week, Jim and I disagreed on only two picks. One of those games ended in a tie. In the other, he correctly picked the order of the Boston University – Michigan split, getting them both right. Could it be that Jimmy is smarter than I am? As Vizzini said in The Princess Bride, “Inconceivable!” … Read more
Please, no more ties. Brown vs. Colgate in Northern Ireland (Friday) Hockey across the pond. Why not? With both Brown and Colgate pretty desperate for a win, one must think Friday’s 11 a.m. EST matchup in the semifinals of the Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland, will be anything but groggy. These teams played to … Read more
Thanks to Minnesota-Duluth, I got another game on Matthew in our season picks race. Last week, I went 5-2-2 to move to 45-24-8 on the year, while Matthew went 4-3-2 to move to 42-27-8. Some interesting nonconference matchups this week. Let’s see how we do. Unfortunately for Matthew, we see eye-to-eye this week. Western Michigan … Read more
Lots of ties last week. Lots. It looks like Drew Claussen and I engaged in a role reversal, too. Last week Drew: 1-4-3 (.313) Paula: 4-1-3 (.688) Season Drew: 32-20-11 (.595) Paula: 36-16-11 (.659) This week There are five Big Ten teams playing this weekend. Wisconsin has a bye. Dartmouth at Michigan Drew: Michigan’s defense … Read more
Last week: Dan: 6-3-2 Chris: 6-3-2 On the season: Dan: 52-28-7 (.638) Chris: 60-20-7 (.730) This Week’s Picks: Friday, November 27 and Saturday November 28 Army West Point at Canisius Dan: It’s hard to imagine Army West Point being swept by anybody these days, and I really think they’re on the verge of a breakout. … Read more
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What are we thankful for? Overtime games and ties, apparently. There were plenty of those last week in a league that seems to filled with parity but not necessarily a lot of goals. Perhaps that will change this weekend. Perhaps we should pick all ties and see if we come out any … Read more
Heading into Friday night’s games, I had a feeling the potential best weekend series would come from the series between Niagara and American International. Any time there are two teams needing to avoid falling behind their league brethren at a critical early juncture, they begin to produce high energy action as both identify opportunities to … Read more
Last time: 7-3-2 Overall: 15-7-3 Here’s a look at the games set for this weekend, as Rensselaer (six games) and Quinnipiac (eleven games) look to extend unbeaten streaks. At 11-0, the Bobcats are off to the best start in the program’s Division I history. Saturday, Nov. 21 Colgate at Brown These teams will head to … Read more
Matthew and I again split our results last week, so I’m hanging on to a tenuous two-game lead in our season picks race. We both went a very respectable 4-1-1 (.750). On the year, I am 40-22-6 (.632) while Matthew is 38-24-6 (.602). No. 17 Minnesota-Duluth at Colorado College Candace: It wouldn’t surprise me if … Read more