Game picks by USCHO writers
I knew last week would be a bit painful. Perhaps I should be grateful for any week in which I at least break even. Last week: 4-3-1 (.562) Season to date: 51-29-15 (.616) Wrong-way splits … sigh. This week It’s a full slate of CCHA action this week, with 10 teams playing and Bowling Green … Read more
No. 13 Nebraska Omaha at No. 3 Minnesota Joe: Gophers freshman goalie Adam Wilcox, who leads the league’s top scoring defense (1.77 goals) gets a serious test when he faces the Mavs’ WCHA’s second-ranked offense (3.75 goals). Neither team has a clear advantage with Minnesota and Nebraska Omaha at Nos. 1 and 2 respectively in … Read more
Last week: 4-3-2 On the season: 48-25-15 (.631) This Week’s Picks: Thursday, Nov. 29: Army at Bentley – The visiting team won all three games in this series last season, but I think that trend stops here. Bentley wins. Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1: Robert Morris at Holy Cross – This series … Read more
Last week: 8-1-2 On the season: 44-22-113 (.639) This Week’s Picks: Friday, Nov. 23 and Saturday, Nov. 24: Mercyhurst at Bentley – With Niagara idle and Holy Cross in non-conference play this weekend, here’s a chance for one of these teams to make a big move with a sweep. But I’m picking a split in … Read more
It’s the home stretch of 2012 for many ECAC teams, as exams and the holidays break are quickly approaching. Here’s a look at this weekend, which features all non-conference matchups. All games are 7 p.m. unless noted. Harvard and RPI both have the weekend off. Last week: 3-6-2 Overall: 23-28-10 Friday, Nov. 23 Colgate at … Read more
I’m thankful I enjoyed such a good picks record last week. I’m unhappy, though, that Jim did, too. With this week’s slate of nonconference games, I’ll be surprised if we once again emerge with the same results. Just too many unfamiliar teams to disagree on. Dave last week: 8-1-1 Jim last week: 8-1-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 41-17-3 Jim’s record-to-date: … Read more
No. 7 North Dakota (5-3-2) at No. 6 Notre Dame (8-3) Joe: UND goalie Clarke Saunders has shown he can steal a game even if the Irish barrage him with shots. Notre Dame’s CCHA-leading defense (1.64 goals) should slow down North Dakota’s balanced attack enough to garner one win. Split. Tyler: The Irish defense is … Read more
It’s a light schedule this weekend, but everyone played last week. As I suspected, I didn’t do nearly as well this past weekend with predictions as I did the first three weeks of CCHA play. Last week: 5-6-1 (.458) Season to date: 47-26-14 (.621) The wrong-way split in Fairbanks hurt. The non-splits did, too. I’ll … Read more
There’s a single game tonight between Bowling Green and Michigan in Ann Arbor. I’ll post the rest of my picks for this weekend plus my picks record Friday morning. Bowling Green at No. 19 Michigan In their TMQ column this week, my friends and colleagues, Jim Connelly and Todd D. Milewski, ask, “How much respect … Read more
Last week: 8-3 On the season: 36-21-11 (.610) This Week’s Picks: Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17: Mercyhurst at Rensselaer – The Engineers have played well against the AHA no matter what kind of season they are having. But the Lakers are on a four-game unbeaten streak and should be able to grind out … Read more
I’m already starting out in the hole this week since I picked Michigan to win last night. This is how I’m doing so far this season, without that pick: Last week: 6-2-3 (.682) Season to date: 42-20-13 (.647) Two splits did so the right way — or, at least, the way I called them — … Read more
Last week: 4-6-2 Overall: 20-22-8 Cornell heads home this weekend looking to rebound after a sweep, while Dartmouth, Quinnipiac and Princeton take to the road looking to build on a four-point performance last time out. Yale and Union are off, while Brown and RPI each host non-conference opponents. All games are 7 p.m unless noted. … Read more
That which I receive, I giveth back. Very useless week for me. Jim last week: 6-4-0 Dave last week: 8-2-0 Jim’s record-to-date: 29-20-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 33-16-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 16 Merrimack at Boston College Jim’s pick: Let’s keep this simple… I’m not betting against BC right now. BC 4, MC 2 Dave’s pick: Agreed 100 percent. I won’t … Read more
No. 2 Denver (7-1, 5-1 WCHA) versus No. 14 Colorado College (7-3, 4-0), home and home series Joe: This always entertaining series enters its 20th year with the Gold Pan Trophy on the line. The deciding factor could be special teams with a good Denver play (20 percent), especially with a healthy Nolan Zajac, taking … Read more
The Notre Dame-Michigan series is Thursday-Friday, so here’s my prediction for just that series. I’ll have the rest of my picks for the weekend Friday morning, as well as a running total of how I’m doing. No. 8 Notre Dame at No. 13 Michigan. Each team enters this series with a loss as its most … Read more
Last week: 6-3-3 On the season: 28-18-11 (.587) This Week’s Picks: Friday, Nov. 2 and Saturday, Nov. 3: Air Force at Penn State – The Nittany Lions have done pretty well against AHA competition (4-1) but I think that ends this weekend. Air Force sweeps. Niagara at Army – This is a battle between … Read more
The splits continued last week, without a single sweep in the bunch. Somehow, I managed to look pretty good at the end of it. Last week: 7-2-1 (.750) Season to date: 36-18-10 (.641) Once again, my gratitude to the three series that split the way I said they would. I fear that the hockey pick … Read more
I gave up some ground to Jimmy last week. Time to reestablish that four-game lead. Dave last week: 5-5-0 Jim last week: 7-3-0 Dave’s record-to-date: 25-14-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 23-16-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 9 Maine at Massachusetts-Lowell Dave’s pick: The River Hawks have gotten off to a slow start, but Maine’s has been glacial. UML … Read more
No. 2 Minnesota (5-2, 2-2 WCHA) at Alaska-Anchorage (2-2-2, 0-1-1) Tyler: Minnesota travels north to the Last Frontier needing a win more than any other team in the league. The Gophers haven’t proven the preseason hype, but it is common for even the best teams in the WCHA to go through a rough patch. The … Read more
Here’s a look at the sixth weekend of play in the ECAC. Note that I’m coming off my first winning picks record this season, so take that for what it’s worth. All games are 7 p.m. unless noted. Last week: 8-3-3 Overall: 16-16-6 Friday, Nov. 9 Colgate at Quinnipiac These teams met two weeks ago, … Read more