The Merrimack Warriors continue to be a team that leaves us scratching our heads. An 0-3 start to the season made it easy to write off this team early. But that was likely premature. That leads the three things I learned this week. 1. Merrimack might be hitting its stride? I have had a difficult … Read more
We both had identically respectable weeks, which isn’t bad considering all of the splits a weekend ago.Jim last week: 9-4-1Dave last week: 9-4-1Jim to date: 55-41-17Dave to date: 58-38-17Friday, November 25Friendship Four (Belfast, N.I.)Massachusetts vs. Vermont (11:00 a.m. ET, TV: NESN/ASN)Jim’s pick: The first edition of this special event nearly resulted in numerous upsets, but … Read more
Sweeps weren’t to be had in Hockey East this weekend. Though Vermont came pretty close with a heck of a Saturday night rally. 1) Splits seem to be the rule over sweeps Not every team is playing a two-game series right now, but for those that do, it appears that sweeps won’t exactly be givens. … Read more
I differed with Jim on only three games last week. One was a tie and he got the other two right. So my five-game lead was almost sliced in half. Dave last week: 6-6-3 Jim last week: 8-4-3 Dave’s record-to-date: 49-34-16 Jim’s record-to-date: 46-37-16 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 18 Providence at Northeastern Dave’s pick: These two … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. UNH suffered an embarrassing loss. I’ll admit it. When I saw that New Hampshire lost in overtime to Arizona State, I instinctively concluded that the Wildcats were in for a loooong season. After all, Arizona State only began playing varsity hockey last season, … Read more
Just when you would think you would gain some games, Dave goes (almost) perfect on the week. Jim last week: 7-2-3 Jim to date: 38-33-13 Dave last week: 9-0-3 Dave to date: 43-28-13 Friday, November 11 Massachusetts at Merrimack Jim’s pick: Neither team is playing incredible. Neither is playing well but neither is playing that … Read more
Now Boston College fans, don’t try to crucify me here. But with a 7-0-1 record in its last eight games, Boston College has the nation’s longest unbeaten streak. How many people who are part of the BC faithful knew that? That leads the three things I learned this week. 1. Boston College: We’re going streaking … Read more
Because of some scheduling glitches with my travel, I ended up picking first last week. And Dave made only one pick differently from me and picked up a game. The season is early (or so I keep reminding myself). Jim last week: 6-6-1 Jim to date: 31-31-10 Dave last week: 7-5-1 Dave to date: 34-28-10 … Read more
Our scheduled guests for the Nov. 1 edition of USCHO Live! are Minnesota Duluth coach Scott Sandelin, whose Bulldogs are this week’s unanimous No. 1 team in the USCHO.com Division I men’s hockey poll after sweeping previous No. 1 North Dakota, and Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon, whose Catamounts enter the poll at No. 19 after weekend wins over Michigan and Northeastern. Listen live at 8 p.m. EDT or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2016/11/01/sandelin-sneddon-slated-for-nov-1-uscho-live/
News of the suspension of four of its captains before the season cast plenty of doubt over the start to Vermont’s season. Now, with that quartet back in the lineup, the Catamounts are proving to be a team to reckon with. That leads the three things I’ve learned this week. 1. Watch out for the … Read more
Jim is still stuck at .500 while I’m only two games better. We’re both hoping our numbers take off in the upcoming weeks. Dave last week: 11-7-6 Jim last week: 9-9-6 Dave’s record-to-date: 27-23-9 Jim’s record-to-date: 25-25-9 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 28 Providence at Boston College Dave’s pick: Other than its Icebreaker game against Denver, this … Read more
Our scheduled guests for the October 25 edition of USCHO Live! are Boston University coach David Quinn and Bemidji Pioneer sports editor Jack Hittinger. Listen live at 8 p.m. EDT or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2016/10/25/bu-coach-quinn-bemidji-writer-hittinger-guest-on-oct-25-uscho-live/
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. Things are looking a lot better at Merrimack. The Warriors got off to a rocky start on the season with three losses: 2-1 to Sacred Heart, 4-0 to Clarkson, and 4-1 to St. Lawrence. A look at the details made those losses look … Read more
When you have two people who are wearing Hockey East tinted glasses and picking non-league games, well let’s just say their records aren’t going to be very impressive if Hockey East struggles as it has been. But hey, .500 is an excellent batting average, right? Jim last week: 8-8-3 Dave last week: 9-7-3 Jim to-date: … Read more
Our scheduled guests for the October 18 edition of USCHO Live! are North Dakota coach Brad Berry — whose defending national champions are a unanimous No. 1 in this week’s USCHO.com Division I men’s hockey poll — and Maine beat writer Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News. Listen live at 8 p.m. EDT or after the show on-demand: http://www.uscho.com/uscho-live/2016/10/17/north-dakotas-berry-maine-writer-mahoney-slated-for-oct-18-edition-of-uscho-live/
With Hockey East going a collective 7-9-3 this weekend in non-league play, the league’s early-season collective struggles continue. While March seems so far away, might the results this month rear their ugly head come March? That leads the three things I learned this weekend. 1. Non-league woes could translate to thin NCAA representation come March Sure, … Read more
It’s hard to believe Jim opened the season by going .500 and… taking the lead! Dave last week: 7-9-3 Jim last week: 8-8-3 Dave’s record-to-date: 7-9-3 Jim’s record-to-date: 8-8-3 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 14 Merrimack at Clarkson Dave’s pick: When you open the season with a 2-1 home loss to Sacred Heart despite getting a 14-5 advantage … Read more
Our guest on the October 11 edition of USCHO Live! was Rich Coppola, Sports director at Fox 61 in Hartford and one of the radio voices of UConn hockey. Jim and Ed also reviewed the happenings in college hockey over the summer.
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1.Beware the Atlantic Hockey Conference. It wasn’t that long ago that games against the Atlantic Hockey Conference were considered close to automatic wins. Maybe not by the lower end of the Hockey East, but certainly among the elite. Not this past weekend. Atlantic teams … Read more
After handily beating Dave last year in our weekly picks contest, I know he’ll be looking for revenge. With this weekend’s non-conference action, I think there are a lot of difficult games to pick. So fingers crossed for a good start! Friday, October 7 Air Force vs. Boston College (at Icebreaker Tournament, Denver, Colo.) Jim’s … Read more