It took until the end of the final game on Saturday for the pairings in the Hockey East first round to align, but once they did, there was a commonailty in all three series: rivals. 1. Battle of the Merrimack Valley UMass Lowell beat Merrimack, 5-0, on Saturday to earn split of the weekend series. … Read more
I remain a game behind Jim despite a stellar week. Dave last week: 7-2-0 Jim last week: 7-2-0 Dave’s record-to-date: 125-79-25 Jim’s record-to-date: 126-78-25 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Feb. 23 Maine at Boston College Dave’s pick: The Eagles win convincingly to clinch at least a share of the regular season title. BC 4, Maine 1 Jim’s pick: … Read more
Our guests on the February 20 edition of USCHO Live! are Northeastern coach Jim Madigan, whose No. 11 Huskies are Beanpot champs and in the hunt for the Hockey East regular-season title, and Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin, whose Lakers are atop the Atlantic Hockey standings and look to clinch the regular season in a two-game series at Rochester Institute of Technology this weekend.
Listen live or on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2018/02/20/madigan-gotkin-guest-on-feb-20-episode-of-uscho-live/
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. Boston College remains in the driver’s seat. Factoring in Thursday’s win over Massachusetts, the Eagles posted two impressive road wins (5-2 over UMass and 5-0 over Maine) to stay two points ahead of Providence (plus a game in hand) and three ahead of … Read more
Dave picked up two games last weekend which means this race is as tight as it can get with a few weeks left. Jim last week: 5-5-2 Jim to date: 119-76-25 Dave last week: 7-3-2 Dave to date: 118-77-25 Friday, February 16 New Hampshire at Merrimack Jim’s pick: Not sure either team is playing that … Read more
New Hampshire paid tribute to its long-time head coach Dick Umile throughout the entire weekend.
After a week when Jim and I disagreed on almost everything, we agreed on every pick last week. Unfortunately. Dave last week: 6-4-2 Jim last week: 6-4-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 111-74-23 Jim’s record-to-date: 114-71-23 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Feb. 9 UMass Lowell at Boston College Dave’s pick: I’m not sure I want to pick either team. BC has … Read more
Our guests on the February 6 edition of USCHO Live! are Connecticut coach Mike Cavanaugh, whose Huskies are just two points out of a first-round bye in Hockey East, and USCHO.com Big Ten columnist Paula C. Weston. Listen live or on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2018/02/06/uconns-cavanaugh-uscho-coms-weston-join-feb-6-edition-of-uscho-live/
Don’t look now but Vermont, left for dead a few weeks back, are suddenly hot and fighting for first-round home ice. That leads this week’s three things: 1. Unbeaten in five, Vermont is red hot Raise your hand if you saw a five-game unbeaten streak coming for Vermont. Put that hand down! No one called … Read more
Dave and I differed on a significant number of picks last week. That hasn’t happened often. Still, there wasn’t a lot of difference in the records (though I happily picked up a game). Jim last week: 7-4-1 Jim to date: 108-67-21 Dave last week: 6-5-1 Dave to date: 105-70-21 Friday, February 2 New Hampshire at … Read more
Maine and Connecticut each pulled off sweeps this weekend, allowing each to move up the standings with just four weekend left in the regular season. 1. Maine in top 4 race; UConn solidifies position in middle of standings Maine went on the road to win two at Massachusetts. Upon swept its two-game series with New Hampshire. … Read more
Dave and I had an equally mediocre week, which means I maintain a two-game lead in the overall standings. Jim last week: 5-4-2 Dave last week: 5-4-2 Jim to date: 101-63-20 Dave to date: 99-56-20 Friday, January 26 Vermont at Merrimack Jim’s pick: Given that UVM played well last weekend, I’m hoping they can hit … Read more
I had some serious concern that Boston University would even be in position to get a first-round bye heading into this weekend. That’s changed quickly and leads the three things I learned this weekend. 1. Sweep of Merrimack comes at perfect time for BU When combined with some idle teams and some timely ties and … Read more
Jim picked up a game for the second week in a row. Time for a U-turn. Dave last week: 8-3-2 Jim last week: 9-2-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 94-61-18 Jim’s record-to-date: 96-59-18 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Jan. 19 Boston University at Merrimack Dave’s pick: I feel like the parent of a petulant two-year-old, saying for the umpteenth time, “This … Read more
Our guests on the Tuesday, January 16, edition of USCHO Live! are two coaches coming off successful weekends, Michigan’s Mel Pearson and Northeastern’s Jim Madigan. Listen: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2018/01/15/michigans-pearson-northeasterns-madigan-guest-on-jan-16-uscho-live/
These are the three things I think I learned. 1. Northeastern moves into prime position The Huskies took on one of the hottest teams in college hockey–Maine, who had gone 7-0-2 in its last nine–and swept! Putting nine goals past Jeremy Swayman is a feat, but the Huskies sure can score. With the two league … Read more
It’s been a while since either Dave or I have picked up a game on one another. I finally picked up a single game on Dave, but feel I shouldn’t gloat as both of us had disgustingly bad records last week. Jim last week: 5-3-4 Jim to date: 87-57-16 Dave last week: 4-4-4 Dave to … Read more
A 3-0 win for Maine over Boston University on Saturday night was more than just two points in the Hockey East standings for the two goaltenders involved. That lead this week’s three things: 1. Swayman wins bronze then makes history at BU Maine’s Jeremy Swayman and BU’s Jake Oettinger each had a bronze medal place … Read more
Somehow Dave and I continue to put up the same record, week after week. That leaves us tied yet again. Jim last week: 10-6-0 Jim to date: 82-54-12 Dave last week: 10-6-0 Dave to date: 82-54-12 Friday, January 5 Merrimack at Connecticut Jim’s pick: These are two teams each looking to get things going in … Read more
Team USA, comprised mostly of college players, earned the second seed in Group A and will face Russia in Tuesday’s Worl Juniors quarterfinal. Along the way, a number of American players – and those representing other countries – hailing from Hockey East schools have played extremely well. That leads our takeaways this week. 1. Hockey … Read more