Pickin’ the Big Ten: Dec. 18

There is one game this weekend, a Sunday matinee between Northeastern and Michigan State. First, a look at how Drew Claussen and I have done through most of the first half of the season. Last week Drew: 2-2-0 (.500) Paula: 3-1-0 (.750) Season Drew: 42-29-10 (.580) Paula: 44-27-10 (.605) This week This single game is … Read more

Gophers pick up a sweep, Michigan and Wisconsin split

Four Big Ten teams were in action against each other this weekend. Minnesota traveled to East Lansing to face Michigan State and Wisconsin headed East to square off against Michigan. Penn State and Ohio State had the weekend off. Here’s how the dust settled this weekend: Minnesota swept Michigan State, winning 4-2 on Friday and … Read more

Denver’s Montgomery, USCHO’s Weston join Nov. 29 USCHO Live!

Our scheduled guests for the Nov. 29 edition of USCHO Live! are Denver coach Jim Montgomery, whose Pioneers are at No. 2 in this week’s USCHO.com men’s Division I hockey poll, and USCHO.com correspondent Paula C. Weston, who covers the Big Ten beat. Listen live at 8 p.m. EST or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2016/11/29/denvers-armstrong-uschos-weston-join-nov-29-uscho-live/

Michigan State’s big weekend and Lucia’s 700th win standout as conference play looms

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. I feel like I need to go on a cleanse until Christmas. Four Big Ten teams followed Turkey Day with some nonconference games this weekend. Here’s how things shook out: Minnesota dropped Friday’s game at Northeastern 6-4 and rebounded by beating Boston College 4-2 on Sunday Michigan … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: November 25-27

This is the final week of full-on nonconference play for the Big Ten before league action begins next Thursday, and B1G hockey is in good shape with a record of 38-19-8 and a .646 win percentage. Here’s how Drew Claussen and I are doing so far, too.Last weekDrew: 6-2-0 (.750)Paula: 6-2-0 (.750)This week, it was … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: Nov. 18-19

B1G Hockey continues its solid start to the season with a collective nonconference record of 32-17-8 and the second-best nonconference win percentage (.632) in Division I, right behind the NCHC (.635). Drew Claussen and I aren’t doing too badly overall, either. Last week Drew: 6-1-1 (.813) Paula: 5-2-1 (.688) Even though I called the Ferris … Read more

Penn State keeps on keeping on and Ohio State gets back on track, kind of

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Four of the six Big Ten teams played nonconference opponents this weekend with Minnesota and Wisconsin taking the weekend off. Here’s how things played out: Michigan State dropped Thursday’s game to Ferris State but rebounded on Saturday to get a split Michigan split a series at home with … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: Nov. 10-12

Michigan State kicks off the weekend with a home game against former CCHA rival Ferris State Thursday night. Before we get to the picks, though, let’s look at how Drew Claussen and I have been faring. Last week Drew: 4-3-2 (.556) Paula: 5-2-2 (.667) Season Drew: 22-18-7 (.543) Paula: 26-14-7 (.628) Not bad. This week … Read more

Gadowsky, Schooley to guest on Nov. 8 USCHO Live!

Our scheduled guests for the Nov. 8 edition of USCHO Live! are Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky, whose Nittany Lions moved to No. 12 in this week’s USCHO.com poll, and Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley, whose Colonials gave Ohio State its first loss of the season in a win and a tie with the Buckeyes last weekend. Listen live at 8 p.m. EST or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2016/11/08/gadowsky-schooley-to-guest-on-nov-8-uscho-live/

Many Big Ten teams find success against Eastern foes

All six Big Ten teams were in action this weekend against various teams from the East Coast and, aside from a tough weekend for Michigan, things went very well. Here’s how things ended up: Penn State swept Canisius at home, winning 4-1 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday Ohio State trounced Niagara 10-2 on Friday … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: October 28-29

The Big Ten may not have the best inter-conference record in Division I, but B1G Hockey is still floating above .500 — and I’ll take that, all things considered. Let’s see how Drew Claussen and I are floating so far. Last week Drew: 4-4-2 (.500) Paula: 4-4-2 (.500) Season Drew: 12-11-4 (.519) Paula: 14-9-4 (.593) … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: Oct. 21-22

So far, B1G Hockey has had a solid start to the 2016-2017 season. Here’s how Drew Claussen and I have started. Last week Drew: 3-3-1 (.500) Paula: 4-2-1 (.643) Season Drew: 8-7-2 (.529) Paula: 10-5-2 (.647) This week Five Big Ten teams are in action this weekend, each playing two-game Friday-Saturday series. Wisconsin is playing … Read more

Badgers score an impressive split and Ohio State remains undefeated

Good morning everyone. I usually try and post these Sunday evening, but I ran my first full marathon yesterday so my motivation to do anything else was very low. Paula also completed the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon yesterday. It’s safe to say we covered more miles than any other columnist duo. Five of the … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: Oct. 14-16

The Big Ten had a decent opening weekend. So did Drew Claussen and I, although we were each bitten by picking splits the wrong way. Drew: 5-4-1 (.550) Paula: 6-3-1 (.650) This week All six B1G teams are in action this weekend, although Minnesota plays the U.S. Under-18 team in exhibition tonight. Michigan State and … Read more

Splits and near-misses and glimpses of good things to come

We had an interesting first weekend in the Big Ten, with every team picking up at least one win and two teams rewarding the B1G coaches for a little preseason faith. 1. The Nittany Lions, the Wolverines and the Badgers each earned splits. After a decisive 4-2 win over St. Lawrence Thursday night, Penn State … Read more

Pickin’ the Big Ten: Oct. 7-9

Last night, Penn State kicked off the Division I season for B1G hockey with a 4-2 win over visiting St. Lawrence, giving me a very temporary edge over my partner-in-writing, Drew Claussen. We’ll factor in last night’s pick with our overall totals from this weekend in next Friday’s blog. This is how we fared for … Read more