Hockey East picks: Oct. 24-25

Jim beat me by a game in week one and then by another in week two.  Apparently by the start of the playoffs, he’ll be ahead of me by 21 games. Dave last week: 12-4-1 Jim last week: 13-3-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 19-10-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 21-8-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 24 Colorado College at Boston College  Dave’s … Read more

Teams sweeping, splitting, and… uh-oh, getting swept

I think I learned these three things this week. 1. Vermont is better than I thought, and Notre Dame completed an important sweep. These two teams both swept this weekend, but I thought Vermont’s was the more significant. I was surprised and impressed when the Catamounts opened the season by taking it to Northeastern in … Read more

Lowell, UVM legit? Favorites fall and non-league struggles

Are Massachusetts-Lowell and Vermont better than their positions in the coaches’ poll suggested? Conversely, are some of the top teams in the poll headed for tough times this year? And as far as non-league play goes, Hockey East may like to forget this weekend. This leads my three things I learned from the opening weekend … Read more

Hockey East picks – Oct. 10-12

Another year beckons and hope springs eternal. Let’s get right to the games. Dave’s record-to-date: 0-0-0 Jim’s record-to-date: 0-0-0 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 10 Boston University at Massachusetts   Dave’s pick: In one game, the Terriers equal their total number of road wins from all of last year. BU 4, UMass 1 Jim’s pick: A lot … Read more

Hellebuyck leads River Hawk repeat, five in NCAA field and a somewhat unfortunate pairing at Big Dance

Connor Hellebuyck was a brick wall. That’s all you need to know about this past weekend in Hockey East. 1. Double shutout leads River Hawks to back-to-back title You can’t win if you can’t score. That was the simple lesson learned by both Notre Dame and New Hampshire at the Hockey East Championship this weekend. … Read more

Seven Hockey East teams in the NCAA tournament? That’s not-so-far-fetched whatsoever.

Since the beginning of the New Year, I’ve been talking about a seemingly unlikely scenario that six Hockey East teams could reach the NCAA tournament. Well, in the sense of being greedy, it’s not out of the questions that seven – yes, seven - Hockey East teams could punch their NCAA tickets. For a couple of teams – namely Northeastern and, … Read more

Hockey East Picks – March 21-22

Surprisingly, I had a half-decent record in the crazy quarterfinal round of games, thanks in large part to picking the entire New Hampshire-Northeastern series correctly. And with a .670 winning percentage entering the final weekend of games, I can now officially claim domination over Dave. I had him beat when he went on injured reserve … Read more

Irish eyes smile, River Hawks keep defense alive and one team (make that TWO teams) need to keep practicing

After Notre Dame beat Boston College on the final day of the regular season, there was a reason to believe that the Irish could beat the Eagles in a best-of-three series. Still, it was difficult to pick Notre Dame. That leads the three things I learned this week: 1) Notre Dame proves postseason proficiency I … Read more

Notre Dame, Providence surging into playoffs; Maine, Northeastern not so much

Notre Dame upsets No. 1 Boston College while Providence wins two at Maine. These two teams are playing their best hockey heading into the playoffs. That leads the three things I learned this week: 1. Irish upset Eagles to take six-game unbeaten streak into playoffs Notre Dame pulled off an impressive upset of the top-seeded … Read more

Tightning races, Vermont earns overdue wins and a tie that feels like a win

The fact that Boston College clinched the regular season title a night after Valentine’s Day hardly means that there won’t be excitement in Hockey East in the final weekend of the regular season. That is one of three things I learned this weekend in Hockey East: 1. League races from two through eight incredibly tight … Read more

Crowning a champ, 20 wins and the Irish on the move

Last Monday night, Boston College won its fifth straight Beanpot. But that wasn’t the only trophy the Eagles received last week. That leads off the three things I learned this week: 1. Boston College clinches regular-season title So it seems a little bit early in the calendar, but the Hockey East regular season trophy is already decided. … Read more