These are the three things I think I learned this weekend. 1. UMass is a lot better than I thought. Last year, Union was 25-10-3. Massachusetts was 5-29-2. On Friday, the two would play in Union’s barn. The math seemed pretty easy. The Minutemen would give it their best, but their best wouldn’t be good … Read more
Thanks to UMass’ win on Saturday at Arizona State, I’ve grabbed a one-game lead in the season-long picks race. Let’s hope to expand on that this week. Jim last week: 9-5-2 Dave last week: 8-6-2 Friday, October 13 Connecticut at AIC Jim’s pick: AIC has tended to “play up” when facing Hockey East teams in … Read more
Our seventh season of USCHO Live! gets underway this Tuesday, Oct. 10. Our scheduled guests are New Hampshire coach Dick Umile, whose Wildcats enter the USCHO.com poll at No. 20 this week after a weekend sweep of then-No. 5 UMass Lowell, and first-year Michigan Tech coach Joe Shawhan, whose Huskies enter the USCHO.com poll at No. 15 after winning the 2017 IceBreaker tournament.. Listen live at 8 p.m. EDT or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2017/10/09/unhs-umile-michigan-techs-shawhan-join-oct-10-season-debut-of-uscho-live/
Scoring 14 goals in two night against Sacred Heart makes one wonder: does Northeastern have the most potent offense in the league? That leads the three things we learned this week: 1. Was what we saw from the Huskies going to be commonplace? It’s impossible to think that the Huskies can maintain a seven-goals-per-game pace, … Read more
Let’s kick off the picks in Hockey East so that I may defend my title against Dave. Maybe he can keep it a little closer this year. Friday, October 6 Connecticut at Maine Jim’s pick: This could be a compelling series to start the season because it is being played in Orono. I think I’ll … Read more
Three takeaways from UMass-Lowell’s 4-3 victory over Boston College in the Hockey East championship game.
These are the three takeaways from BC’s dramatic win over BU. 1. It ain’t over till it’s over! Holee smokes! I’ve seen many dramatic comebacks over the years, but I don’t think I’ve seen three extra skater goals in the last three minutes. So with three minutes left in a 3-0 game, I began to pack … Read more
UMass-Lowell dominates Notre Dame, 5-1, in a Hockey East semifinal.
The good news is that I clinched the picks title against Dave. The bad news is that I did so on undoubtedly my worst picks week of the year. My 3-6 record was enough to beat Dave last week. So I know. But the reality is that you’ll get very authentic picks from both of us … Read more
For the first time since 2013 – and just the second time in the last decade – the top four seeds in the Hockey East tournament advanced out of the quarterfinal round. Top-seeded UMass Lowell needed three games against New Hampshire and will face Notre Dame in Friday’s opening semifinal. Boston College and Boston University … Read more
Stick a fork in me; I’m done. I’m down five games to Jim and am picking first this week so he can play the Four Corners offense, mimicking my choices, and leave me with nothing but three contrarian picks next week.It’s a move I employed a year or two ago and was deservedly called gutless … Read more
On the March 7 edition of USCHO Live! our scheduled guests are New Hampshire coach Dick Umile, whose Wildcats moved forward to the Hockey East quarterfinals after a three-game series win over Merrimack, and Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin, whose Lakers travel to Army for the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals after a sweep of American International. Listen live at 8 p.m. EST or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2017/03/07/umile-gotkin-talk-playoffs-on-march-7-uscho-live/
These are the three things I learned this week. 1. To no one’s surprise, UMass’s and Maine’s seasons end while Providence and Vermont move on. Massachusetts ends its season with 17 straight losses. For Maine, it ends without a single win on the road. So it was no surprise at all that Providence and Vermont … Read more
Here comes the postseason. And after Dave and I had equally mediocre weeks last weekend, I head into the playoffs with a four-game lead. Jim last week: 6-5-0 Dave last week: 6-5-0 Jim to date: 151-85-32 Dave to date: 147-89-32 We will pick each series in order. Regardless of our picks in the first two … Read more
On the Feb. 27 edition of USCHO Live! our scheduled guests are Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna with a look at that league’s wild regular season finish and Wisconsin coach Tony Granato, whose No. 16 Badgers are just three points behind first-place Minnesota in the Big Ten after a weekend split with the Gophers. Listen live at 8 p.m. EST or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2017/02/27/hockey-east-commissioner-bertagna-wisconsin-coach-granato-join-us-feb-27-for-special-monday-uscho-live/
A year ago people thought it was strange – though not unprecedented – that Hockey East had co-champs as Boston College and Providence tied for first. So why not top that, right? 1. Three-way tie for first ends crazy final weekend in Hockey East It was less than a month ago that I called the race … Read more
I made sure I differed from Jim in a large number of games last week and only got one wrong through the weekend, but the five ties left me still three back. Then I lost the Thursday night match, so I’m in real trouble. This week, I’m picking first so I’ll just have to hope … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. If the season ended today, Hockey East would only get three teams into the NCAA tournament. After this weekend’s action, only Boston University, UMass Lowell, and Providence are on pace to earn selections. All three teams are in the top 10 of the … Read more
Last week was a rarity. Dave and I didn’t pick a single game differently. I expect that to change this week with Dave heading into desperation mode. Jim last week: 7-5-0 Dave last week: 7-5-0 Jim to date: 139-79-27 Dave to date: 136-82-27 Friday, February 17 Vermont at Boston College Jim’s pick: I’ve been giving … Read more
On the Feb. 14 edition of USCHO Live! our scheduled guests are Northern Michigan coach Walt Kyle, whose Wildcats have won seven straight –including five consecutive shutout wins by Finland native Atte Tolvanen — and Providence coach Nate Leaman, whose Friars have improved to 10-6-2 in Hockey East after nine straight wins, all in conference. Listen live at 8 p.m. EST or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2017/02/13/northern-michigans-kyle-providences-leaman-scheduled-for-feb-14-uscho-live/