As most of North American continues to experience the Big Freeze of 2014, we can at least take comfort that this first season of Big Ten play has been entertaining. This is how my partner-in-writing, Drew Claussen, and I have called it so far. Last week Drew: 3-1-0 (.750) Paula: 3-1-0 (.750) Season Drew: 76-38-12 … Read more
The schedule’s even lighter than usual this week, with two Friday-Saturday series. Minnesota and Ohio State sit this one out. First, let’s see how Drew Claussen and I are doing. Last week Drew: 3-2-1 (.583) Paula: 4-1-1 (.750) Season Drew: 73-37-12 (.648) Paula: 75-34-14 (.667) This week All four games are televised this week. All … Read more
It was a weekend that produced a sweep for Minnesota, a sort of sweep for Michigan State and a split for the Badgers and Buckeyes. Here are three things that I saw from this weekend’s action in the Big Ten. 1. The Gophers I was really intrigued to see how Minnesota would respond after getting … Read more
The schedule for this season has allowed for few conference-only weekends, all on a Friday-Saturday schedule, but that’s what we have this week in the Big Ten. First, let’s see how Drew Claussen and I are doing with picks this season. Last week Drew: 1-3-2 (.333) Paula: 2-2-2 (.500) Season Drew: 70-35-11 (.651) Paula: 71-33-13 … Read more
What a weekend in the Big Ten. We learned just how evenly matched this league can be — or at least microcosms within this league can be — and we learned that no one is safe. Frankly, it’s the kind of weekend that makes me giddy about the potential for the Big Ten championship tournament. … Read more
Drew Claussen and I are already each 0-1 for this week, each of us having picked last night’s Minnesota-Wisconsin game incorrectly. We posted those picks yesterday and we’ll include our record from that series in next week’s running total. Last week Drew: 4-1-1 (.750) Paula: 4-0-2 (.833) Season Drew: 69-32-9 (.668) Paula: 69-31-11 (.672) This … Read more
Paula: Minnesota and Wisconsin face off tonight for the 267th time, with the Golden Gophers holding a 159-87-21 all-time edge over the Badgers, and Minnesota is 6-3-1 in the last 10 games between the two rivals. Drew: The Badgers are coming off of a weekend where I thought they looked pretty strong. Problem is that … Read more
Hope everyone had a great weekend. Hey, at least the six Big Ten games provided more entertainment value than the Super Bowl. Here are three things I saw. 1. Penn State is still searching for it first conference win I said in my picks on Friday that I wasn’t going to pick Penn State to … Read more
It’s all conference action this weekend. First, let’s see how Drew and I are doing. Last week Drew: 5-4 (.750) Paula: 5-4 (.750) Season Drew: 65-31-8 (.674) Paula: 65-31-9 (.672) Remember that Drew and I both picked the whole field for the North Star College Cup. The picks also include the Michigan-Michigan State series. It’s … Read more
We have the second game of the Michigan-Michigan State series, the new North Star College Cup, Ohio State at Wisconsin and Penn State hosting Boston College for a single game. First, let’s see how Drew and I are doing. We’ll include last night’s game between the Spartans and Wolverines in next week’s results. Last week … Read more
In 2004, for its 50th anniversary edition, Sports Illustrated listed the top sports rivalries by state. The ongoing, on-ice duel between the Spartans and the Wolverines topped the list for Michigan, surprising no one familiar with the storied history between the schools. Michigan State’s Munn Ice Arena and Michigan’s Yost are just about 64 miles … Read more
Another light weekend in terms of conference games this weekend in the Big Ten. The two conference series both produced sweeps. Here are three things that I saw this weekend. 1. Gophers beat Buckeyes outside Minnesota’s second time playing in the Hockey City Classic was better than its first. The Gophers defeated Ohio State 1-0 … Read more
On mornings like this when I look back to the CCHA picks blog — and the league’s 11 participants — I am suddenly digging the six-league Big Ten. And my partner-in-writing, Drew Claussen, is a genius. Last week Drew: 3-1-0 (.750) Paula: 1-2-1 (.375) Season Drew: 57-26-8 (.670) Paula: 57-26-9 (.668) This week Once again, … Read more
And the picks percentages take another hit this week. Last week Drew: 1-2-1 (.375) Paula: 1-2-1 (.375) Season Drew: 54-25-8 (.667) Paula: 56-24-8 (.682) This weeks It’s all Big Ten action this week and everyone plays. Michigan at Wisconsin Drew: After the Great Lakes Invitational, the Wolverines need a good weekend to prove to me … Read more
Minnesota and Wisconsin were the only two Big Ten teams in action this weekend. The Gophers played in their home tournament, the Mariucci Classic, and tied Colgate before downing RPI. The Badgers split a home series with former WCHA foe Alaska-Anchorage. Here are three things that I saw in the four games. 1. Gophers look … Read more
Well … Drew and I were both wrong about the GLI. Last week Drew: 4-3-1 (.563) Paula: 4-3-1 (.563) Season Drew: 53-23-7 (.681) Paula: 55-22-7 (.696) This week It’s a light schedule this week before full-on Big Ten play begins Jan. 10. Only the two league teams formerly with the WCHA play this weekend; both … Read more
Happy holidays, everyone! Five of the six Big Ten teams return to play this week. First, let’s see how my partner-in-writing, Drew Claussen, and I finished up the first half of the season. Week of Dec. 13-14 Drew: 3-0 Paula: 3-0 Season Drew: 49-20-6 (.693) Paula: 51-19-6 (.711) This week We have two tournaments and … Read more
Very light weekend in terms of games in the Big Ten, but here are three things I saw in the three games. Kerdiles makes up for mistake in a big way At the end of a very long shift on the power play, Wisconsin sophomore Nic Kerdiles attempted a long cross-ice pass. Instead of finding … Read more
What a show Ferris State and Michigan put on Wednesday night! It was exactly what a match between Nos. 3 and 4 should be — and contained exactly the kind of passion befitting a longstanding rivalry. So, Drew picked Ferris State and I picked Michigan … and they tied. Here’s how we’re doing so far, … Read more
Hey! There’s a game tonight! And it’s a doozy! Ferris State at Michigan Paula: That the Bulldogs are tearing up the new WCHA makes my heart very happy. Very. Undefeated in the WCHA (10-0-2), Ferris State is riding a 13-game undefeated streak into Yost Ice Arena. Last weekend, FSU swept former CCHA and current WCHA rival … Read more