Game picks by USCHO writers
Here are our predictions for this weekend: No. 6 Denver at No. 9 North Dakota Joe: The key for UND will be reviving its 37th-ranked power play (15.1 percent) against a solid DU penalty kill (86.4 percent overall). They will at home against a DU squad motivated to pick up some of the points lost … Read more
Last week: 6-4-2 Overall: 38-35-15 We’re at the unofficial halfway point of the college hockey season, with most teams winding down the pre-holiday break portion of their schedules this weekend. All games are at 7 p.m. unless noted. Friday, Dec. 7 Colgate at Massachusetts I realize all-time records mean little, especially considering there’s a lot … Read more
There’s a game tonight between Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan. It’s a Tuesday. As the kids say, WTF — which stands, of course, for “What Tremendous Fun!” Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan. At home last weekend, the Huskies lost to and tied Minnesota-Duluth, 7-3 and 4-4. Late in the third period and down 4-2, MTU … Read more
Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan Joe: Neither team comes into this single-game Tuesday night on a roll with the WCHA’s Huskies losing and tying Minnesota-Duluth over the weekend while the CCHA Wildcats were swept on the road by Western Michigan. Based on recent strength of schedule, I pick NMU to win at home. Tyler: Michigan … Read more
Three things from Atlantic Hockey play this weekend: Western weekend winners – The Western side of Atlantic Hockey went 5-0-1 against its Eastern counterparts this past weekend. On the season, the West “pod” leads the East 16-6-4 in inter-region play. Things are more distributed in the standings, with Western teams holding down the 1, T4, … Read more
Last week: 9-3-3 Overall: 32-31-13 I finally showed some signs of knowing what I’m talking about last week, posting my best picks record of the season. Here’s a look at this upcoming weekend, with a couple bonus midweek games thrown in. All games are 7 p.m. unless noted. Friday, Nov. 29 Clarkson at Cornell Cornell … Read more
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