Ever since Hockey East changed to a three-weekend playoff format two years ago, the weekend between Beanpot games created a must-watch couple of days for the Hockey East standings as most of the games in hand that have been accumulated throughout the season level off just three weeks prior to the regular-season finale. That was … Read more
No ties last week. It’s been a while since we could say that. And hey, I picked up a game on Jim, so life is good. Dave last week: 9-3-0 Jim last week: 8-4-0 Dave’s record-to-date: 136-57-31 Jim’s record-to-date: 139-54-31 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Feb. 5 New Hampshire at Boston College Dave’s pick: The Wildcats’ split with … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. All four Beanpot schools are going into Monday night’s games on high notes. Boston College and Boston University polished off Notre Dame and Merrimack, respectively, by identical 4-0 scores. The Eagles get the extra tip of the fedora considering that Notre Dame was … Read more
Darn it, UConn. A tie against Boston College and a loss to Sacred Heart was the only thing that kept me from perfection last week. Still at 11-1-1, I picked up a game on Dave, which is a better-than-average consolation prize. Jim last week: 11-1-1 Jim to date: 131-50-31 Dave last week: 10-2-1 Dave to … Read more
It was an 8-0 decision for Boston College over Massachusetts that gave BC head coach Jerry York his 1,000th career win. That doesn’t make the value of the victory any less. 1) 1-0 or 8-0, York’s victory on Friday was special I honestly don’t care about the final score. But Boston College head coach Jerry … Read more
Jim and I had pretty good weeks, but both games we differed on ended as ties so I made up no ground. So that’s a good week for him and a bad one for me. Dave last week: 8-2-3 Jim last week: 8-2-3 Dave’s record-to-date: 117-52-30 Jim’s record-to-date: 120-49-30 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Jan. 22 Massachusetts-Lowell at … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. It was great to see the first full weekend of Hockey East play. Hey, I like the prime nonconference games as much as the next guy. But it was great to see the first full slate of six league games on Friday and … Read more
Dave and I had equally decent weeks last week, meaning I maintain my slim three-game lead. Jim last week: 9-4-2 Jim to date: 112-47-27 Dave last week: 9-4-2 Dave to date: 109-50-27 Friday, January 15 Boston University at Boston College Jim’s pick: Both teams are playing equally as well right now. Which means I will … Read more
A sweep of St. Lawrence puts Northeastern back into the conversation of the relevant teams in Hockey East and leads the three things I learned this weekend. 1. Northeastern may be poised for a big second half The Huskies swept St. Lawrence on the road this weekend, which one might have believed would be improbable given … Read more
Holee smokes! I’ve shaved two games off Jim’s lead. Something good must have been in my holiday eggnog. Dave last week: 7-3-3 Jim last week: 5-5-3 Dave’s record-to-date: 100-46-25 Jim’s record-to-date: 103-43-25 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Jan. 8 Providence at Boston College Dave’s pick: I think there’s a razor-thin difference between these two clubs, so I’m going … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. Providence is mortal. The Friars went longer than any other team before sustaining a loss, but since the holiday break they’ve lost two of their last three. Losing in overtime to a 9-2-2 Cornell team in the first game out of the break … Read more
The post-holiday action continues with more nonconference play. Jim last week: 5-5-0 Jim to-date: 98-38-22 Dave last week: 5-5-0 Dave to-date: 93-43-22 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Jan. 1 Mariucci Classic Connecticut at Minnesota Dave’s pick: UConn finished strong in the first half, but I’m going with the Gophers on their home ice. UM … Read more
Thanks to Union’s overtime win against Vermont, I went perfect and gained a game on Dave in the slow week before Christmas. A five-game lead feels like a luxury entering the second half but one bad week and that lead could be gone. Jim last week: 3-0-0 Jim to-date: 93-33-22 Dave last week: 2-1-0 Dave … Read more
Dave was able to pick up a single game last weekend during light action. Jim last week: 3-3-1 Jim to-date: 90-33-22 Dave last week: 4-2-1 Jim to-date: 86-37-22 Saturday, Dec. 19 Michigan State at Northeastern Jim’s pick: This is a tough one to pick as I think Northeastern has played well of late and Michigan … Read more
There remains just one unbeaten team in the country thanks to Boston University. That leads the three things I learned this week. 1. A motivated BU team knocks off Quinnipiac Maybe a 3-2 loss on Friday night to Yale was the motivation that Boston University needed as a night later, after falling behind, 1-0, to … Read more
Even when I have a strong week, Jimmy matches me. And when I don’t… Dave last week: 8-4-2 Jim last week: 8-4-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 82-35-21 Jim’s record-to-date: 87-30-21 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Dec. 11 Merrimack at Connecticut Dave’s pick: A week ago, I’d have gone with the Warriors, but it’s hard to ignore UConn’s sweep of Massachusetts-Lowell … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. Connecticut sweeps Massachusetts-Lowell! UConn got off to a surprisingly strong start in Hockey East last year, but came into the weekend struggling with a 1-7-0 league record. And since the Huskies were facing a Lowell squad that was undefeated in Hockey East play, … Read more
Dave and I had equally as impressive weeks last week, thus my lead stands at five games. (Did I hit “bold” there?) Jim last week: 12-2-1 Jim to-date: 79-26-19 Dave last week: 12-2-1 Dave to-date: 74-31-19 Friday, December 4 Vermont at Boston University Jim’s pick: I feel like Vermont is better than it is playing right … Read more
Shootouts are not the norm in college hockey, particularly for schools out east. But this weekend, they twice translated to trophies for Hockey East teams. 1. UMass-Lowell plays comeback kids at inaugural Friendship Four Wild and wooly is the only way to explain UMass-Lowell’s championship at the inaugural Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland. … Read more
Last week, Jim and I disagreed on only two picks. One of those games ended in a tie. In the other, he correctly picked the order of the Boston University – Michigan split, getting them both right. Could it be that Jimmy is smarter than I am? As Vizzini said in The Princess Bride, “Inconceivable!” … Read more