These are the three things I think I learned this week. Three: Home ice isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. I’d commented earlier this season that home ice appeared to be more dominant than usual this year. Well, this weekend may have singlehandedly changed all that. One might have thought that the Boston … Read more
When Boston College coach Jerry York recorded his 500th win back in 1996, USCHO was in its first year of existence. There was no room for us in many press boxes and some coaches were befuddled by exactly what USCHO was all about. “What’s this Internet website thing?” one coach asked me, his face clouded … Read more
New Hampshire head coach Dick Umile, whose Wildcats are No. 2 in this week’s USCHO.com poll, will be our guest on the Nov. 27 edition of USCHO Live! Join us for the conversation and information, Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 8 to 9 p.m. ET at blogtalkradio.com/uscholive. If you can’t listen live, check out the podcast of USCHO … Read more
After blowing a 4-0 lead on Friday night, finishing in a 4-4 tie with Colorado College, it looked like New Hampshire’s trip to Colorado could be a disaster when the Wildcats fell behind, 3-0, to Denver on Saturday. Then something changed. That leads my three takeaways from this weekend. 1. Comeback makes long flight more … Read more
I’m thankful I enjoyed such a good picks record last week. I’m unhappy, though, that Jim did, too. With this week’s slate of nonconference games, I’ll be surprised if we once again emerge with the same results. Just too many unfamiliar teams to disagree on. Dave last week: 8-1-1 Jim last week: 8-1-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 41-17-3 Jim’s record-to-date: … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. Three: Boston College can get away with occasionally playing like pyromaniacs. The Eagles have earned their unanimous number one ranking, but they’ve played with fire a couple times this season and gotten away with it. They kicked off their current nine-game winning streak with a … Read more
That which I receive, I giveth back. Very useless week for me. Jim last week: 6-4-0 Dave last week: 8-2-0 Jim’s record-to-date: 29-20-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 33-16-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 16 Merrimack at Boston College Jim’s pick: Let’s keep this simple… I’m not betting against BC right now. BC 4, MC 2 Dave’s pick: Agreed 100 percent. I won’t … Read more
After an election week where every major news network wanted to be the first to call each of the 50 states, I want to make a very early call about Hockey East. Three teams seem definitively head and shoulders above the rest, and that leads my three things that I learned this weekend: 1. Hockey … Read more
I gave up some ground to Jimmy last week. Time to reestablish that four-game lead. Dave last week: 5-5-0 Jim last week: 7-3-0 Dave’s record-to-date: 25-14-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 23-16-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 9 Maine at Massachusetts-Lowell Dave’s pick: The River Hawks have gotten off to a slow start, but Maine’s has been glacial. UML … Read more
Here are the three things I think I learned this week. Three: Merrimack could be a force yet again this year. I’ll admit it. I thought this season would be a tough one for the Warriors. They’d excelled the past couple years despite the attrition, but they’d just lost too much this time around. Which is why I … Read more
Finally a bounce-back week for me but I still couldn’t gain any ground on the Old Man. Jim last week: 7-1-2 Dave last week: 7-1-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 16-13-4 Dave’s record-to-date: 20-9-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 2 Boston College at Maine Jim’s pick: Though I still am not convinced that Maine is a cellar-dwellar, I can’t pick the … Read more
No team wants a goaltending controversy. And even though Northeastern seems to have found a diamond in the rough in Bryan Mountain, that may not be the best thing for this club. That leads my three things I learned this weekend: 1. Rawlings struggles, Mountain shines Chris Rawlings is supposed to be the backbone to … Read more
Hockey East had a tough weekend and many of those losses extended to Jim and me. We both believed a little too much in the league. We’ll be hoping for better results this week for all concerned. Dave last week: 5-5-1 Jim last week: 4-6-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 13-8-2 Jim’s record-to-date: 9-12-2 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, October 26 … Read more
I probably learned more than three things about Hockey East this weekend. At least I think so. But that’s our Monday morning format, which also leaves me something for the mid-week column. So here are the three most significant things I think I learned. Three: Boston College dodged a celebration bullet. Imagine the scene on … Read more
Well, this has been one very ugly start for me and I find myself in a hole to the old man (aka Dave) early. Hopefully I can stop the bleeding here in week 3. Jim last week: 5-3-1 Dave last week: 7-1-1 Jim’s record-to-date: 5-6-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 8-3-1 This week’s picks: Friday, Oct. 19 Boston College … Read more
The Hockey East slate of game has barely begun and already I sit here with my jaw dropped. The team that made the jaw hit the floor, of course, is Northeastern. The Huskies pulled a minor upset midweek, knocking off newly-ranked Merrimack. But Saturday was the game-changer. NU’s upset of No. 1 Boston College leads … Read more
I suppose I should be hanging my head in shame at starting the year 1-2. I should be asking who would have expected Merrimack to knock off fifth-ranked Union? And who would have expected Maine to fall to Quinnipiac? The sad rationalizations should be flying. Instead, I’m giddy with delight. Why? Because I may be … Read more
I’ll be reading from Cracking the Ice and signing copies at the Andover Bookstore, 89R Main Street, Andover, MA. Thursday night at 7. If you’re in the area, stop by.
It seems almost unthinkable that the college hockey season is already upon us. This weekend (and week to come), there are three games involving Hockey East teams. So let’s kick off our season of predictions. Saturday, Oct. 6 Quinnipiac at Maine Jim’s pick: The Black Bears lost a lot but do return Dan Sullivan in … Read more
I know I’m preaching to the choir here since almost all of you have been reading Jim Connelly’s work for years now, but… I still feel great over Jim receiving the Joe Concannon Hockey East Media Award last week. He loves the sport and works tirelessly to bring you insights in everything ranging from this blog, … Read more