With a few teams idle, the Beanpot schools playing, at most, a single game and a couple of splits, the only team to gain any ground this weekend in Hockey East was Connecticut. That leads the three things I learned this weekend: 1. UConn only team to take three points It was a heckuva weekend … Read more
I was pretty mediocre last week, but that’s just fine and dandy because Jim was… um, awful. Heh, heh, heh. Dave last week: 6-4-1 Jim last week: 4-6-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 123-62-18 Jim’s record-to-date: 120-65-18 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Jan. 30 Massachusetts-Lowell at Merrimack Dave’s pick: Here’s a match-up of two suddenly struggling teams. The River Hawks have … Read more
With the results so one-sided this week, I’m listing the three things I think I learned a little differently. 1. There were four big winners this week. Boston University, Maine, Northeastern and Providence all swept this weekend. Coaches talk about how tough two points are in this league, and rightly so. Four points? Brutally tough … Read more
Even though I had a pretty crappy week picking games, somehow I gained two games on Dave who had an incredibly crappy week. One game behind with as we head down the home stretch of the season. Jim last week: 7-5-1 Jim to date: 116-59-17 Dave last week: 5-7-1 Dave to date: 117-58-17 Friday, January … Read more
The top of the Hockey East standings got a whole lot tighter because of some results on Sunday. That leads the three things I learned this week: 1. A BU comeback and solid weekend for the Irish make top of standings tight When Boston University trailing UMass Lowell, 3-1, on Sunday, one could take a … Read more
Jim and I disagreed on only two picks last weekend and going into the third period, it looked like I’d widen my lead by two. As visions of a six-game lead danced in my head, one of those wins became a tie and the other a loss. A pox on the Black Bears and Dartmouth! I should have … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. I should stop being surprised when Connecticut defeats a strong team. Earlier this year, UConn defeated Boston College and tied Boston University in the span of just four days. The Huskies also have toppled Quinnipiac and Vermont. But I really didn’t think they could … Read more
Though I thought I had a decent week, I continued to lose ground to Dave. Something needs to turn around fast (though with Dave picking second again, expect him to utilize the four-corners defense again!) Jim last week: 9-4-2 Jim to date: 101-50-13 Dave last week: 11-2-2 Dave to date: 105-46-13 Friday, January 9 Boston … Read more
Hockey East teams have been simply dominant since returning from the holiday break. That leads the three things I have learned in the past couple of weeks. 1. Nonleague opponents have been friends to Hockey East teams in second half Hockey East teams didn’t exactly enjoy the best first half out of conference. The league … Read more
Another week in which I was unable to gain ground on Dave, thus he’ll enter 2015 with a two-game lead. Jim last week: 7-4-0 Jim to date: 92-46-11 Dave last week: 7-4-0 Dave to date: 94-44-11 Friday, January 2 Connecticut at Massachusetts Jim’s pick: I really like the way UConn is playing right now and … Read more
In the handful of contests last week, I doubled my lead over Jim. (Somehow, that sounds a lot more impressive than saying my lead went from one to two games.) I could complain that I would have widened that lead even more if I’d picked the New Hampshire – Maine split the other way, but I’ll … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. So maybe Boston College’s seniors are better than I’ve claimed. I’ve commented about how limited BC’s senior forwards are, referring to them as role players and not the scoring leaders you need out of at least some of your upperclassmen. While I still think there’s … Read more
I had a pretty good week, but so did Jim. My razor-thin margin remains. Dave last week: 6-1-2 Jim last week: 6-1-2 Dave’s record-to-date: 83-38-11 Jim’s record-to-date: 82-39-11 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Dec. 12 Maine at New Hampshire Dave’s pick: Maine’s home/road splits are hard to ignore, and I also think the Wildcats are much better than … Read more
These are the three things I think I learned this week. 1. I wonder if some defensemen give too much space to Jack Eichel. Not always. Not even most of the time. But too often. Eichel seems to be a player that you have to play a “tight gap” defense against. You have to stay … Read more
For the second straight week, Dave and I had just one game picked differently. And for the second straight week, I won that game. Thus, I have trimmed Dave’s lead to the slimmest of margins as we near the halfway point. Jim last week: 10-7-0 Jim to-date: 76-38-9 Dave last week: 9-8-0 Dave to-date: 77-37-9 … Read more
If you were a Hockey East team ranked in the top 10 in the nation’s polls, this wasn’t a great week. That leads off the three things I learned this week: 1. It ain’t easy wearing a target on your back Everyone knows it’s lonely at the top, and for many of the Hockey East … Read more
Dave and I picked differently on just two games last week and one of those wasn’t played. So I made up the most I possibly could on the deficit. Jim last week: 11-3-1 Jim to-date: 66-31-9 Dave last week: 10-4-1 Dave to-date: 68-29-9 Friday, November 26 Minnesota at Boston College Jim’s pick: I would like … Read more
Our scheduled guests on the Nov. 18 edition of USCHO Live! are College Hockey, Inc. executive director Mike Snee to discuss today’s announcement at Arizona State, Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin, whose Bulldogs swept then-No.-1 Minnesota last weekend, and Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson, whose 10-0 Huskies are No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll for the first time in school history.
We’re about a third of the way through the league slate for most of the teams in Hockey East and it appears that there is a trio of teams to beat a top the Hockey East standings. That leads my three things I learned this weekend: 1. UML, BU and UVM: The alphabet soup trio … Read more
Last week was good, but not great. My lead stays at three games. Dave last week: 8-4-1 Jim last week: 8-4-1 Dave’s record-to-date: 58-25-8 Jim’s record-to-date: 55-28-8 Here are this week’s picks: Friday, Nov. 21 Vermont at Connecticut Dave’s pick: Both teams have been very pleasant surprises, but the Catamounts should emerge victorious. UVM 2, UConn 1 Jim’s pick: … Read more