Candace and I both went 3-1 Friday, which looks pretty good when you consider we both went 2-3-5 last week. Now, though, we’ve got two more North Star College Cup games today to call. Yesterday at St. Paul, Minn.’s Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota-Duluth outlasting Minnesota State 5-4 in overtime Friday before top-ranked Minnesota bested No. … Read more
Matthew and I only picked two games differently last weekend, and both ended in ties, so we are still tied on the year. Last weekend, we both went a dismal 2-3-5 (.450) to move to 64-44-18 (.579) on the season. Maybe this weekend, we can do better. Unfortunately for the six-pack race, we see this week’s … Read more
It’s getting impossible to ignore it: Western Michigan is one of the hottest teams in the country. The Broncos have yet to lose in the second half, and have beaten two top-five teams during their current 5-0-1 run. In fact, if you count the shootout win, the Broncos have beaten the number three team in … Read more
Well, we are more than halfway through the season, and after last weekend, Matthew and I are back to where we were in October: dead even in our picks race. Last weekend, I went 4-4 ).500, to move to 62-41-13 (.590) on the year, while Matthew went 7-1 (.875) to also move to 62-41-13 (.590). … Read more
Although we’re starting to see more daylight open up between the NCHC’s sets of leaders and trailers, it appears to be time to start thinking about adding Minnesota-Duluth to the former category. Duluth spent the first half of the season putting up a decidedly mediocre record and splitting series almost as though that was the … Read more
Thanks to picking the UNH sweep of Nebraska-Omaha and the Brown win over Colorado College, I now have a three-game lead over Matthew in our picks race. Last week, I went 3-0-1 (.875), moving to 58-37-13 (.597) on the year. A couple more good weekends and I’ll be above .600! Matthew went 1-2-1 (.375) to … Read more
The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, who had an excellent month in November in which they went 6-2 while sweeping Denver and Miami and splitting with Denver and North Dakota, haven’t won since that month. The Mavericks closed the first half by losing and tying/winning a shootout at Colorado College. They opened the second half this weekend by … Read more
Matthew and I went 1-1 in picking the GLI, so on the season, I am 55-37-12 (.586) and Matthew is 54-38-12 (.576). It’s still a light weekend for NCHC squads, but let’s see how we do. Friday, Jan. 3 Brown at No. 16 Denver Candace: Can Denver pick up where it left off? With Sam … Read more
Well, Matthew and I both missed picking Western’s upset of Michigan. Let’s see if we are more accurate for Saturday. Western Michigan v Michigan Tech (Great Lakes Invitational championship) Candace: Western has been inconsistent so far this year, but so has Tech. I’ll go with the conference pick and figure the Broncos have more momentum … Read more
In the last week before the break, Matthew and I both went 7-2-2 (.727). On the year, I still hold a one-game lead, as I am 54-36-12 (.588) and Matthew is 53-37-12 (.578). We’ll pick the Saturday game after Friday’s result. Friday, Dec. 27 Western Michigan vs. No. 3 Michigan (Great Lakes Invitational) Candace: Western … Read more
Tuesday, Dec. 17 No. 17 Denver at Massachusetts Candace: Denver continues to look good since getting swept by Nebraska-Omaha at the beginning of the November. NCHC co-goaltender of the week Sam Brittain, the top goalie in the nation, is a virtual fortress in net. This could be a trap game for a Denver team playing … Read more
Because of sweeps last weekend, as well as Denver winning the first night, neither Matthew nor I did particularly well last week, both going 3-5 (.375). On the year, I am now 47-34-10 (.571), while Matthew is 46-35-10 (.560). Hopefully, we can close on a strong note. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 13-14 Western Michigan at Minnesota-Duluth Candace: … Read more
This season’s St. Cloud State team appears to be one that gets the job done on the road, no matter how hairy any given scenario might be for the Huskies. Last Friday’s game at intrastate rival Minnesota-Duluth proved a perfect example. Playing its first home game since Oct. 26, UMD bossed large parts of its … Read more
Since Matthew and I picked every game the same last week, we both went 5-2-1 (.687). On the year, I am 44-29-10 (.590), maintaining a one-game lead on Matthew, who is 43-30-10 (.578). Friday-Saturday, Dec. 6-7 No. 16 Nebraska-Omaha at Colorado College Candace: I figure that sooner or later, CC will starting scoring more and … Read more
Matthew and I add a pick for today. Western Michigan vs. Alabama-Huntsville (Shillelagh Tournament) Candace: I think Holy Cross over Boston College is all the upset goddess can stand this weekend. Western Michigan 3-1 Matthew: As confident as I am that Alabama-Huntsville will finally pick up its first win of the season, I’m equally sure … Read more
Thanks to Minnesota-Duluth’s win on Sunday over Minnesota, I stayed a game ahead of Matthew in our picks race, as we both went 5-2-3 (.650) last week. Overall on the year, I am 39-27-9 (.580) while Matthew is 38-28-9 (.566). Here we go with this week’s games. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 29-30 No. 13 Miami at Bemidji … Read more
You may remember I suggested in my NCHC column last Wednesday that, with Nebraska-Omaha goaltender Ryan Massa playing so well on Friday nights so far this month, maybe the time had come to make him the Mavericks’ solid No. 1 starter. It appears UNO coach Dean Blais could be leaning that way. One wouldn’t expect … Read more
Well, thanks to picking the right dates for North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth to win, I am back ahead in the picks race. Last week, I went 7-4 (.636) to move to 34-25-6 (.569), while Matthew went 5-6 (.454) to move to 33-26-6 (.553). Let’s see how long I can keep the lead in the six-pack … Read more
We forgot to pick this game last week, so here you go. Nov. 19 Air Force at Colorado College Candace: CC is at home, and after a pretty tough stretch, should be both rested and fired up. Expect the Tigers to come out firing and win by a couple. Colorado College 4-2 Matthew: Although Air … Read more
Well, Matthew and I both were dismal last week, going 2-5-1 (.312). It seems that teams are having trouble establishing consistency, and so are we. On the year, I am now 27-21-6 (.555), while Matthew is 28-20-6 (.574). I’ll try and at least catch him this week. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 15-16 Western Michigan at Denver Candace: … Read more