These are the three things I think I learned. 1. This weekend is a looong one. From Wednesday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Jan. 7, a Hockey East team is playing every single day but two: Monday (probably today, as you read this) and Wednesday. And the slate of Tuesday and Thursday games continues next week … Read more
There were very few games in the final week before Christmas, but with both Dave and I struggling, I somehow picked up a single game. Thus we enter the second half totally deadlocked! Jim last week: 2-3-0 Dave last week: 1-4-0 Jim to date: 77-54-20 Dave to date: 77-54-20 (With the holiday tournament season upon … Read more
Despite twice catching Dave at the end of last weekend, having faith in Massachusetts against Princeton on Tuesday leaves me a game behind yet again. Light schedule for Hockey East teams this weekend: Jim last week: 9-3-0 Dave last week: 9-3-0 Jim to date: 75-51-20 Dave to date: 76-50-20 Friday, December 16 Arizona State at … Read more
The Boston College Eagles, off to their best start in Hockey East history at 8-0-1, threatened to run away with the conference by the time February rolled around. But a 3-2 comeback victory by Notre Dame on Saturday against the Eagles could keep the race interesting in the New Year. 1. Three-goal explosion for Notre … Read more
With a number of upsets last week, Jim and I were both less than mediocre with our picks. Dave last week: 4-3-2 Jim last week: 4-3-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 68-47-20 Jim’s record-to-date: 67-48-20 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Dec. 9 Massachusetts at Connecticut Dave’s pick: Both teams are coming off surprisingly strong weekends. My money is on UConn keeping … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this weekend. 1. New Hampshire may just be for real. Yeah, I get it. The Wildcats’ overall record is just two games over .500, and the collective Hockey East record of the league teams they’ve beaten is an ugly 4-14-5. So we’ll see how they do … Read more
Boy, it wasn’t long ago that I was looking at a five-game deficit against Dave. But picking up a game here and a game there, suddenly that lead has shrunk to one. Jim last week: 8-4-1 Dave last week: 6-6-1 Dave to date: 63-45-18 Dave to date: 64-44-18 Friday, December 2 Boston University at Providence … Read more
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