These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. The favorites all swept. The favorites didn’t just win, they swept. Top-seeded Boston College defeated tenth-seeded Merrimack, 1-0 and 4-3 (OT). No. 2 Northeastern took care of business against No. 8 Massachusetts, 3-2 and 7-2. No. 3 Providence edged Maine, 4-3 and 3-2. … Read more
Well, Dave pulled the rabbit out of his (expletive) last weekend perfectly picking the Vermont-Mass series. Thus, I’m going to have to correctly pick a couple of upsets this week or else the old man will be the champion, despite having trailed the entire season. Jim last week: 3-4-0 Dave last week: 5-2-0 Jim to … Read more
Our guests on the March 6 edition of USCHO Live! are Massachusetts coach Greg Carvel, whose Minutemen won a three-game series at Vermont to advance to take on No. 7 Northeastern in the Hockey East quarterfinals, and Penn State Guy Gadowsky, whose No. 12 Nittany Lions move on to the Big Ten semifinals against No. 5 Notre Dame after a weekend sweep of then-No. 11 Minnesota.
Listen live or on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2018/03/06/carvel-gadowsky-to-guest-on-march-6-installment-of-uscho-live/
New Hampshire fought down to the final minute in back-to-back losses to Maine in Hockey East first-round play. But their loss to rival Maine ended the illustrious career of bench boss Dick Umile. 1. The legendary career of Umile ends, but memories never will Minutes after Maine advanced past New Hampshire with a 3-1 win … Read more
Amazing. After 22 weeks of the regular season, Dave and I have the exact same record. It’s almost impossible to believe. The postseason will be the deciding factor this year. May the best man win. Jim last week: 5-3-1 Jim to date: 131-81-26 Dave last week: 6-2-1 Dave to date: 131-81-26 Hockey East playoffs – … Read more
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/