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
It was a good week for the CCHA, with three nonconference wins and a bunch of exhibition victories (and one notable exception — congratulations, Ontario IT) but this week really kicks off the regular season. Last week: 3-0 Season to date: 3-0 Hey, that was easy! Click on any team’s name to see its season … Read more
How was your summer? Quiet? So much to talk about in the world of college hockey in the coming weeks and months, including the impending — and sad — demise of the CCHA. In the meantime, however, there is hockey to be played and within the next five days, two CCHA teams are playing hockey … Read more
I just heard someone say, “Michigan will need their best game to beat Colorado College.” I think that’s only partly true. I think that Michigan’s best game may not be enough to beat the Colorado College team I saw last night. My pick: CC 4-3.
What struck me most about Colorado College’s 8-4 win over Boston College was twofold. First, these Eagles were completely unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of this kind of drubbing and had never had to experience an NCAA tournament loss. Second, this was not the same CC team that I saw in the Great … Read more