We are back to conference action this weekend, and, hopefully, my picks will improve as well. All teams are playing and looking to gain points in the MCHA standings. With a slate of nonconference games last week, my pick percentage took a hit; I went 5-5-1 (.454). My overall pick record so far is 20-12-1 … Read more
The first six weeks of the SUNYAC season have been the appetizer, and Oswego, USCHO’s top-ranked team, has been gobbling up all comers. Now comes the main course, or at least the first bite of it on Saturday, as the Lakers will finally meet their prime contender, No. 7 Plattsburgh, for the first time this … Read more
Last week, teams in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association took a break from beating up on each other, flexing their muscles against nonconference opponents. The NCHA dominated, going 7-0. I did very well on my picks, but I have to admit, it was an easy week. This week, conference play returns with several key games. … Read more
Talk about taking one on the chin. Last week, my picks were straight up horrible. I went 3-6, and now my record is a ho-hum 18-18. Just when I thought I was getting the hang of making predictions, I get thrown back down to reality in a hurry. This week, it looks like I will … Read more
My picks went 3-0-1 last week, and 18-2-3 (.848 ) for the season. We’ll see what happens when most ECAC West teams get back to conference action this week. Dec. 30-Jan. 1 Manhattanville at Elmira Manhattanville (5-2-1 overall, 2-1-1 ECAC West) finished runner-up at the Rutland (Vt.) Invitational last week, and the Valiants have been … Read more
Salve Regina is still two games under .500 overall, and seems to have settled into the middle of the pack in the ECAC Northeast. With Western New England, Curry, and Nichols in front of the Seahawks, and Wentworth, the preseason pick to win it all, behind them, it’s going to be tough sledding for Salve … Read more
Welcome back! Hope all of you had a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving! During the holiday weekend, Worcester finally won its first two games of the season after sweeping the Worcester City Shootout Tournament. Speaking of firsts, Connecticut College shocked Salem Sate with a 4-2 win to claim its first victory of the campaign as well. … Read more
There was plenty of excitement across the board this weekend. The traditional Thanksgiving tournaments provided many storylines, while nonconference games offered a ton of goals scored. There are seven teams that remain unbeaten through the weekend play. It will be interesting to see how those teams will face adversity as the season blazes on. Primelink … Read more
Momentum can be a funny thing in college hockey. You get a crop of young, eager players who snare a win at long last, and you never know where it might lead. Johnson and Wales hopes it leads to bigger and better things. Who knows; the Wildcats may already be on their way. After a … Read more
Did I mention look out for the Owls? Westfield State continues to roll, improving its overall record to 6-1-0, and sits atop the MASCAC at 3-0-0. Bob Miele’s club netted 12 goals in its last two games, before being shutout by No. 8 Amherst, 6-0. Plymouth State grabbed a big victory on Monday night, defeating … Read more
Marian and Lawrence will be traveling to De Pere, Wis., this weekend to compete in the NCHA/MCHA Thanksgiving Classic. St. Norbert will be hosting, and the fourth team competing is St. Scholastica. Both NCHA teams will be joining the MCHA next season, so this should be a fun weekend for all teams involved. Milwaukee School … Read more
It is Thanksgiving week, and I am hungry for success in my predictions on games in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. I haven’t been bad up to this point. Through 27 games, I am 14-11. But I would like to stretch out that gap a little more, and so with a lighter schedule on tap … Read more
The Thanksgiving holiday comes a tough time, both for turkeys and fans of SUNYAC rivalries. Only four of the league’s nine teams will see any action at all during the long weekend, and none of those will face each other. Still, anytime teams take to the ice, there is always the possibility of something interesting … Read more
This week, I have to give kudos to the Wisconsin-Eau Claire men’s hockey team for proving me wrong. For my Nov. 16 picks, I tabbed the Blugolds to lose both games to St. Norbert. I was banking on the fact that the Green Knights rarely lose at home. Not only did Wis.-Eau Claire claim one … Read more
In the opening week, I went 3-2-2 (.571) on my picks, so hopefully we can improve with some interesting games against nontraditional opponents. Just one weekend of games in the books and the stakes get raised for many teams focused on opportunities to host hardware in some of the best four-team, weekend tournaments anywhere in … Read more
I went 6-0 last week and am now 15-2-2 (.842) for the season so far. We’ll see what happens when ECAC West schools venture back out into nonconference play this weekend. Nov. 23-24 Cortland at Neumann Neumann (3-2-0 overall) shutout Utica last weekend, and has been in every one of its games so far this … Read more
Well after really picking poorly two weeks ago, I rallied last week to go 6-0-1 (.929) for the weekend, which brings the season total to 10-4-3 (.676). Lightning can strike about anywhere, so I am looking for a little consistency in trying to match last week’s performance with some interesting post-Thanksgiving tournament action. There’s lots … Read more
The D-III landscape has felt nary an upset-induced shudder through the early weeks of the 2012-13 season. That is, until this past week. Stubbed toes — ties, losses, or both — were sustained by nine entries in USCHO’s Top 15, all of them to lesser or even unranked teams. Tops among the upended elite were … Read more
It appears that Western New England means business this season. While other programs have garnered headlines for hiring new coaches, and some others have made noise by snagging preseason accolades, the Golden Bears are letting their play do the talking. After dropping the season opener to Westfield State, 4-3, in nonconference play on Nov. 2, … Read more
I feel as if momentum is on my side as I enter the third week of making picks for men’s hockey games in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Through two weeks, I am 10-8. The trick now is to keep momentum on my side, which is never easy in a league where any team can … Read more