The final weekend of regular-season CCHA play was very interesting, thanks to a couple of upsets and some overtime. 1. Miami is the last-ever CCHA regular-season champ. The RedHawks needed to win one game to capture the regular-season championship, but they needed to play two to do so. After losing 3-0 to Ohio State Friday … Read more
I think that this is the first time in my tenure as CCHA columnist for USCHO.com that I’m glad that all 11 teams make the playoffs. I’ve never been an advocate of letting everyone into the playoffs. I like the idea of someone not having played well enough to earn a chance to make it … Read more
The second-to-last weekend of CCHA play taught us a few things. 1. Notre Dame and Western Michigan are well matched. The Fighting Irish played two games against the Broncos in Kalamazoo and the teams split their points evenly but unconventionally. The teams tied both nights, with the Broncos taking the extra shootout point after Friday’s … Read more
As we head into the penultimate weekend of CCHA regular-season play — ever — here’s how I’ve done so far. Last week: 3-6-1 (.350) Season to date: 106-79-26 (.564) I suppose I should content myself with the possibility of an overall regular-season picks record above .500. This week With two weekends left, every game in … Read more
Some weekends are more interesting than most. Disclaimer: I haven’t worked out every possible permutation with ties and shootouts, so these are reasonable (but rough) estimates. 1. Four teams are still in the hunt for the regular-season title. Interestingly, each of them was paired this past weekend against another still mathematically capable of capturing the … Read more
Please forgive my omission of a pick for the Tuesday Northern Michigan-Michigan Tech game. Some Februaries are more challenging than others. Last week: 6-4-0 (.600) Season to date: 103-73-25 (.575) Certainly better than last week — and it would have been much better, had Ohio State and Alaska split in the way that I had … Read more
While winter was bearing down on the East Coast, the hockey in the Midwest couldn’t have been hotter. 1. Notre Dame controls its own destiny. The Fighting Irish beat Michigan twice while everyone else around them split, most notably Miami and Western Michigan. It’s the first two-game sweep Notre Dame has managed in the new … Read more
I knew last time out was a fluke. I’m sure you did, too. Last week: 2-6-2 (.300) Season to date: 97-69-25 (.573) I should have flipped a coin. This week There are five CCHA series this week with Lake Superior State taking a bye week. Every series is Friday-Saturday — unless that winter storm throws … Read more
The play during the first weekend in February was an excellent preview for the race to the Mason Cup because in the CCHA, anything can happen. The three teams from my former home state of Ohio showed that each is in the hunt for something completely attainable. 1. Miami is in the hunt for that … Read more
Last Friday night was … well, it was magical. For me. For my picks. Last week: 10-2-0 (.833) Season to date: 95-63-23 (.588) No chance of a picks week that good again. Ever. This week There are five CCHA series this weekend. Northern Michigan is idle. All series are Friday-Saturday and all times are local. … Read more
What a weekend. 1. If you don’t like the CCHA standings, stick around for a week because they’re sure to change. At the end of the first half of the season, I was worried that the CCHA may fall into its old trap of becoming a two-tier league with a handful of teams huddled together … Read more
My second-half swoon is temporarily on hold. Last week: 8-5-0 (.615) Season to date: 85-61-23 (.571) Any week above .500 is a very good week for me, indeed. This week Everybody plays this week. There are five conference series and one Big Ten Hockey preview in East Lansing. All series are Friday-Saturday. Times are local. … Read more
Our guests on the Jan. 22 edition of USCHO Live! include Massachusetts-Lowell head coach Norm Bazin, whose River Hawks have won nine straight games, and USCHO.com CCHA columnist Paula C. Weston. Join us for the conversation and information, Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 8 to 9 p.m. ET at blogtalkradio.com/uscholive. If you can’t listen live, check out the … Read more
It was an interesting weekend in the CCHA, one that resulted in two teams sharing the top spot. 1. Sweeping is hard to do, but sometimes you don’t need a broom to move ahead. Alaska, however, had no problem sweeping Notre Dame and thereby helping Western Michigan slide into a tie for No. 1 in … Read more
Now these are the kinds of picks that I make that everyone knows, loves, and mocks. Last week’s record includes the Tuesday night game between Notre Dame and Bowling Green Last week: 4-5-2 (.455) Season to date: 77-56-23 (.567) The Buckeyes and Bulldogs split … but neither won on the night I predicted. Of course. … Read more
Another Tuesday, another game. No. 5 Notre Dame at Bowling Green. The Irish lost to Minnesota in Minneapolis last Tuesday (Jan. 8) and split with Michigan State in East Lansing Friday and Saturday. The Falcons had the weekend off, having last played last Tuesday, a 5-1 road win over Michigan. The Irish are 7-1-0 versus … Read more
In an interesting weekend of conference competition in the CCHA, everyone played except for Bowling Green. Here’s what we learned. 1. It was tough to score, even for the top teams in the league. On Friday night, six of the 10 teams playing were held to one goal or fewer; in Saturday’s action, four teams … Read more
Talk about rock bottom. Tuesday: 0-2 (.000) Season to date: 73-51-21 (.576) Oy. This week There are five conference series this weekend. Bowling Green is idle. All series are Friday-Saturday and everything is Eastern Standard Time. Alaska at Michigan. The Nanooks have been off for a month and the Wolverines probably wish they’d been. Alaska’s … Read more
Last weekend was a good weekend for the CCHA, but was a good weekend for me? Of course not. Last week: 3-4-2 (.444) Season to date: 73-49-21 (.584) Slowly approaching season numbers that may not even add up to mediocrity. Tonight There’s a full schedule of CCHA action this weekend, but there are two games … Read more
What a difference a week can make. 1. Upper Peninsula — represent! After a dismal showing in midseason tournaments, the CCHA rebounded with a 6-0-2 record against nonconference opponents last weekend, led by the two league U.P. teams, Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State. The unranked Wildcats and Lakers each dispatched ranked opponents, with NMU … Read more