I have to admit that I love Thanksgiving weekend — and, no, it’s not just because I love to eat. Most years I get to spend this holiday with my BFF and her family in Columbus, Ohio, and they’ve treated me like one of their own since I met them. I had to skip Thanksgiving … Read more
Happy holiday weekend, one and all! I hope that you’re able to enjoy some quality time with people and things you love — like the CCHA. Because of the holiday, the picks are abbreviated. Paula’s picks Last week, including Tuesday: 5-4-3 (.541) Season to date: 53-34-13 (.695) I hate the wrong-way splits. This week This … Read more
“Picks” is probably a misnomer. It’s one Tuesday night game. Notre Dame at Western Michigan The Fighting Irish have a nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) on the line when they play in Lawson Arena tonight, a number that includes five wins decided by a single goal. The most recent of those was a 3-2 overtime win … Read more
The most predictable thing about the 2011-12 CCHA season is that it’s going to change. Every week. Seriously. First place, all alone. Heading into last weekend, Lake Superior State, Notre Dame and Ohio State were tied for first place. After their 3-2 win over Western Michigan Tuesday, the Fighting Irish spent a brief couple of … Read more
There’s nothing quite like calling the score of a single game on a single night correctly, as when I said Notre Dame would beat Western Michigan 3-2 Tuesday — and the Fighting Irish did just that. It was a fluke. Surely, you know this. Paula’s picks Last week, including Tuesday: 7-4-2 (.615) Season to date: … Read more
Okay, so the headline is a little dramatic. How else was I going to get you to read a Tuesday blog entry? There’s a pick at the end for the Western Michigan-Notre Dame game. I’m bound to be wrong. I have a couple of other things on my mind, too. Football, hockey and the future … Read more
Every weekend of CCHA hockey brings something even more surprising than the last. This is a most unusual season. First, Lake Superior State is still No. 1. Technically. The Lakers now share first place in league play with Notre Dame and Ohio State, and the prevailing preseason theories put only one of those three teams … Read more
As I was pulling out of my garage to head into Mott Community College for the day job Thursday, I saw hard little nuggets of snow fall on Flint, Mich., for the first time this season. Looked like the perfect way to begin a full weekend of CCHA hockey. Paula’s picks Last week: 7-3-2 (.667) … Read more
Before this season began, everyone in college hockey knew that Notre Dame was the league’s top team, that Miami was among the best in the country and that Alaska would reside in the CCHA’s top tier. After Week 5, we’re beginning to see a slightly different landscape emerge — and a very interesting one at … Read more
Happy November! Hard to believe that a full month of the college hockey season is a matter of record. Speaking of records, here’s mine. Paula’s picks Last week: 6-5-1 (.542) Season to date: 34-23-6 (.587) In this season of seeming CCHA parity, I will take any week over .500. This week There are four conference … Read more
With every CCHA team in action this past weekend, we learned a little bit more about how this season is shaping up. Here are three of the scariest things that emerged from the most recent games. Michigan’s offense is scary good. There is no other way to put this. Averaging 4.88 goals per game and … Read more
I knew it! That 2-0 Thursday night record was so sweet — and perfection so brief. How did I do last night? Not as bad as I thought I would: 1-1-1. Seriously, I thought it would be 0-3 the moment I posted the picks. Last Week: 4-5-2 Last night: 1-1-1 Season to date: 29-19-6 (.593) … Read more
These series that begin Thursday are killing me. Some weeks, there just isn’t enough coffee. So far, I’m 2-for-2 on Thursdays this season, but given that there are three games tonight, I’m sure my brief and uncharacteristic flirtation with perfection will come to an end. Here’s how I’ve done so far. Last Week: 4-5-2 Season … Read more
Raise your hand if you thought you’d see Ferris State, Lake Superior, and Ohio State Nos. 1, 2, and 3 — in that order — at any point in the season. Put it down. Liar. No. 1? Really? Apparently it’s a curse. In the preseason USCHO.com Division 1 Men’s Poll, Notre Dame was the top … Read more
Hey! I’m 2-for-2 in Thursday night picks! Last Weekend (including Thursday): 9-6-2 Season to date: 24-13-3 Win percentage: .705 When your pick percentage is as stunning as mine is over the course of a season, you cling to the little things. This Week The CCHA’s 41st season continues with five conference series and one nonconference … Read more
These Thursday quick picks so far this season have a Ryan Dzingel-specific theme. Last week, I apologized for calling Dzingel “Danny” in my column. This week, Dzingel is popular with the ladies. The 12-year-old ladies. In the eye of the adolescent beholder A message came my way via email that’s too good not to share. … Read more
Last Monday, we were looking back at the first weekend of Division I play. This week, we had a taste of CCHA action and a second look at some opening weekend trends. First, there’s nothing like a fast start. Five CCHA teams are still undefeated after four games, but it’s which teams that haven’t lost … Read more
So I had a feeling that the Wolverines would beat St. Lawrence last night, but 10-3? Not surprisingly, someone had a hat trick. Senior Luke Glendening — who had eight goals in 44 games last season — recorded his first career three-goal game. Including last night’s win, here’s how I’m doing so far with the … Read more
Two things, CCHA fans: 1. A big apology to Ryan Dzingel, who is clearly not Danny Dzingel, as I originally wrote in today’s column. Dzingel is a freshman forward for Ohio State. I am a middle-aged columnist-slash-teacher living in Flint. I hope that clears things up. 2. There’s a game tonight, so there must be … Read more
Well, that was interesting. With 18 nonconference games featuring CCHA teams, we were given a good early look at the league, top to bottom. Three things stand out. 1. No one is invincible. No. 1 Notre Dame opened its season with a 4-3 loss to Minnesota-Duluth … which is the same way the Irish ended … Read more