Q: When is a record of 15-3-1 a disappointment? A: When your competition goes 16-2-1. Dave last week: 15-3-1 Jim last week: 16-2-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 15-3-1 Jim’s record-to-date: 16-2-1 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 18 Wisconsin at Boston College Dave’s pick: This ranks as the Game of the Week, the number two team in the country against … Read more
Here’s the inaugural Monday morning wrapup of the season with the extended column to come on Wednesday. These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. There’s no such thing as a sure thing. The one mortal lock going into last weekend was Massachusetts-Lowell hosting Sacred Heart. The River Hawks, after all, … Read more
For the first time since 1973, Boston University began its season with a new head coach behind the bench. It will take a good while to see how similar or different the program will be under David Quinn after the 40-year reign of Jack Parker.
Welcome back to another season of great hockey. Other than Boston College, which snuck in a Thursday night game , everyone is 0-0-0. Even Jimmy. For at least this week, he’s dead even with me. We’ll see how long that lasts. Dave’s record-to-date: 0-0-0 Jim’s record-to-date: 0-0-0 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 11 Massachusetts at … Read more
So yes, Dave wins this season. Finally. The old man wasn’t even close the last two years and the way he gloated last week you would think he’d won the Lamoriello Cup. I guess once you get old you look for the little things for satisfaction. Jim last week: 2-1-0 Dave last week: 2-1-0 Jim … Read more
In this, the final, Monday morning wrapup of the season, I’m tempted to say that one I learned was that USCHO’s Jayson Moy blows away all competition when it comes to Bracketology. He did, after all, pick the NCAA tournament perfectly in all its details. Yet again. But I can’t use Jayson as the best at … Read more
If Jim weren’t such a great friend, I’d gloat just a little over how thoroughly I trounced him in the picks race this year. But since Jim is such a great friend… I’m going to gloat a lot! Hey, that’s what buddies do. I might even get a sign to put over my bed in … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. Boston College coach Jerry York could miss the Hockey East championships. When news broke on Saturday that York had suffered a second detached retina of his right eye, he was ruled out of the weekend’s series with Vermont and nothing more. But with … Read more
There are a maximum of 15 games remaining to be played in Hockey East. I enter this weekend eight games behind Dave. I should be waving the white flag. But my never-give-up mentality is keeping me alive. Then again, Dave can just match all of my picks this weekend and I’m done. So let’s just … Read more
In 28 years, no team with a name other than Boston College, Boston University, Maine or New Hampshire ever won the Hockey East regular season title. Saturday night, that changed when Massachusetts-Lowell, a team that began the season 2-6-1 in league play, finished off an incredible late-season run to capture its first Hockey East regular … Read more
Many coaches have said that the Hockey East league title will come down to the final night of the regular season. All of them were correct. By virtue of Providence beating Massachusetts-Lowell, Boston College and Vermont skating to a 4-4 tie, and Maine’s victory over New Hampshire, tomorrow’s game between Lowell and Providence has virtually become … Read more
For a while there, my plummeting position in the picks race was starting to resemble the September, 2011 Red Sox. I became so despondent, I had to console myself with a bucket of fried chicken. Fortunately, the proper order to the universe has been restored, which means my lead widened by another two games last … Read more
Our guests on the March 5 edition of USCHO Live! will be two coaches looking to clinch a regular season title: St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko, whose WCHA first-place Huskies will try to nail down the MacNaughton Cup this weekend at Wisconsin, and Massachusetts-Lowell coach Norm Bazin, whose River Hawks stand atop Hockey East … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned. 1. Northeastern’s season ends next week. When the Huskies managed only a single point in Orono, their season went from being on life support to a flat line. With a sweep of BU, they can catch Massachusetts for ninth place if the Minutemen also get swept … Read more
Dave may have felt he was done in by the Curse of Nicole. Personally, I was done in by the Curse of Making Bad Picks. The white flag is in my hand right now, just about ready to be waved. Jim last week: 5-5-1 Jim to date: 94-71-20 Dave last week: 7-3-1 Dave to date: … Read more
Our guests on the Feb. 26 edition of USCHO Live! will be Providence head coach Nate Leaman, whose Friars are in a three-way tie for first in Hockey East, and USCHO.com Atlantic Hockey columnist Chris Lerch, for a look at that league’s playoff race. Join us for the conversation and information, Tuesday, Feb. 26, from … Read more
Two weekends left and there is a three-way tie for the top spot in Hockey East. Should Massachusetts-Lowell and Boston University win make-up games on Tuesday night, there will be a four-way tie for first heading into next weekend. 1. Providence, New Hampshire and Boston College That’s your first-place trio atop Hockey East. Add the … Read more
Last week, I was struck by the Curse of Nicole. Let me explain. Nicole, my daughter, was offended that I picked Boston College to defeat Northeastern in the Beanpot championship game. (She and her husband Greg are Northeastern graduates.) When she found out that Jim had picked the Huskies, she told me that he was … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. It’s anyone’s ballgame. Going into Sunday’s games, only four points separated first-place Merrimack from sixth-place Massachusetts-Lowell. At that point, all six teams had played exactly 20 games. (As a tribute to Warrior fans who years ago paid their dues and then some, I’ll … Read more
I picked up a game on the old man last week, but at this point that’s not going to help much. Let’s see if Dave plays prevent defense this week as I’m the one picking first. Jim last week: 3-2-1 Dave last week: 2-3-1 Jim’s record to date: 84-64-17 Dave’s record to date: 90-58-17 Friday, … Read more