Game picks by USCHO writers
So yes, Dave wins this season. Finally. The old man wasn’t even close the last two years and the way he gloated last week you would think he’d won the Lamoriello Cup. I guess once you get old you look for the little things for satisfaction. Jim last week: 2-1-0 Dave last week: 2-1-0 Jim … Read more
Colorado College v Wisconsin Wisconsin vs. Colorado College Matthew: This is going to be a surreal Final Five championship on several levels: The Xcel Energy Center won’t be completely packed considering North Dakota and Minnesota were eliminated previously, and few people had picked UW or CC – and even fewer picked both – to make … Read more
St. Cloud State v Wisconsin: Matthew: Wisconsin struggled mightily through most of this season to score and to sort out its special teams units, and yet the Badgers are as little as 60 minutes of game time away from playing for the Broadmoor Trophy and the WCHA playoff championship. UW has scored 14 goals in … Read more
If Jim weren’t such a great friend, I’d gloat just a little over how thoroughly I trounced him in the picks race this year. But since Jim is such a great friend… I’m going to gloat a lot! Hey, that’s what buddies do. I might even get a sign to put over my bed in … Read more
Last Week: 2-6 On the Season: 142-81-29 (.621) This Week’s Picks: Atlantic Hockey Semifinals and Finals March 22-23 Read more about each team in my weekly AHA column. Semifinals: No. 7 Canisius vs. No. 1 Niagara All that stuff about throwing out the records when these teams play each other is true. Never have the stakes … Read more
My last-ever, CCHA-only picks. But first, here’s how I’ve done so far. Last week: 7-4-0 (.636) Season to date: 129-94-29 (.569) Who knew I could improve, even a little, toward the end? CCHA playoff championship The semifinal games are televised by FOX Sports Detroit PLUS. The championship game is carried by FOX Sports Detroit. There … Read more
Nate: Last week: 2-2 Overall (playoffs): 6-2 Three of the of the top four teams in the regular season standings meet in Atlantic City this weekend to decide this year’s ECAC champion. No. 7 Brown is the only team out of the top four to make it to the finals weekend, although I wouldn’t call … Read more
Minnesota State v Wisconsin: Matthew: Mike Hastings was richly deserving of his WCHA Coach of the Year honors this season as MSU has been marvelous in their first year under his tutelage. The problem, though, is that the Mavericks are winless all-time in the Final Five and were taken to the three-game limit last week … Read more
Last week: 4-0 It’s the last weekend of hockey at campus sites across the league, as the ECAC is set to head to Atlantic City next weekend for the semifinals and championship. I picked all four opening round series correctly, although I did pick Cornell and Princeton to go to three games. Here’s a look … Read more
Last Week: 5-3 On the Season: 140-75-29 (.623) This Week’s Picks: Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals (Best of Three Series) March 15-17 Updated from last week: There have been 29 best-of-three series in Atlantic Hockey history, played either in the first or quarterfinal rounds. The home team won 28 of them. Read more about each series in … Read more
No. 12 seed at Alaska-Anchorage at No. 1 St. Cloud State: Matthew: Alaska-Anchorage took a pair of poundings last Friday and Sunday at Denver, losing the teams’ two games by a combined 13-2, and this weekend doesn’t look any brighter for the Seawolves. UAA head coach Dave Shyiak is in the final season of his … Read more
I knew the series in Fairbanks and Sault Ste. Marie would go to three games. I was wrong, however, about who would advance from those series. Last week: 4-4-0 (.500) Season to date: 122-90-29 (.566) Typical. This week This is the second round of the CCHA playoffs. The winners from these four series advance to … Read more
There are a maximum of 15 games remaining to be played in Hockey East. I enter this weekend eight games behind Dave. I should be waving the white flag. But my never-give-up mentality is keeping me alive. Then again, Dave can just match all of my picks this weekend and I’m done. So let’s just … Read more
Last Week: 6-4-2 On the Season: 135-72-29 (.623) For comparison purposes, here’s my success rate at picking the results at this point in the season over the past few years: 2007: .634 2008: .651 2009: .653 2010: .636 2011: .598 2012: .678 This Week’s Picks: Atlantic Hockey First Round (Best of Three Series) March … Read more
For a while there, my plummeting position in the picks race was starting to resemble the September, 2011 Red Sox. I became so despondent, I had to console myself with a bucket of fried chicken. Fortunately, the proper order to the universe has been restored, which means my lead widened by another two games last … Read more
The last regular-season weekend of the CCHA was exciting. It was also difficult — and I’m not talking about my picks. Last week: 8-3-1 (.708) Season to date: 118-86-29 (.569) I don’t know how that happened. This week We begin the CCHA playoffs this weekend with three best-of-three series at single sites. Times are local. … Read more
Last week: 9-2-1 Final regular season record: 100-95-31 Three of the four teams that had a bye last year are in action during this weekend’s first round – all on the road. Cornell, Colgate, and Harvard all have a bit longer trip if they want to make it back to Atlantic City in two weeks. … Read more
No. 8 St. Cloud State at No. 14 Wisconsin: Matthew: Thanks to the Wisconsin high school state basketball championships going on at UW’s Kohl Center, this series will take place at Madison, Wis.’s much older Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Many Badgers fans aren’t over the moon about it – the two games aren’t part of the … Read more
Last week: 6-5-1 Overall: 91-93-30 I hit a bit of a slump down the stretch, so I’ll need a hot finish to push me over .500 for the year. Regardless, there’s a lot of the line in the ECAC’s final weekend of the regular season. Check Brian Sullivan’s post from earlier this week for … Read more
Last Week: 7-6-1 On the Season: 129-68-27 (.636) This Week’s Picks: Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 Niagara at Air Force – The Purple Eagles can almost guarantee themselves an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament with a sweep. At most, Niagara can lose two more games after this weekend, and that probably … Read more