Hockey East picks: Oct. 24-25

Jim beat me by a game in week one and then by another in week two.  Apparently by the start of the playoffs, he’ll be ahead of me by 21 games.

Here are this week’s picks:

Friday, Oct. 24

Colorado College at Boston College 
Dave’s pick: Not all .500 clubs are created equal. Give me the Eagles.
BC 4, CC2
Jim’s pick: Colorado College is in a true rebuilding year. And the Eagles are licking their collective chops.
BC 5, CC 1

Alaska-Anchorage at Maine
Dave’s pick: It’s revenge time for the Maine-iacs. At home they’ll fare much better than on their trip to the frozen tundra.
UM 4 UAA 2
Jim’s pick: The Alaska teams enter this weekend a combined 7-0-1. I know the road can cause havoc, but after picking Maine to open last weekend, I think I’ll go with the Seawolves here.
UAA 3, UM 2

Merrimack at Mercyhurst
Dave’s pick: I may be a Hockey East snob and Merrimack is undefeated, but I think the Warriors are in for a tough time on Mercyhurst ice.
MU 3 MC 2
Jim’s pick: I may be as big of a Mercyhurst and Rick Gotkin fan as there is outside of Atlantic Hockey, but I think Merrimack has enough fire power to win these road games.
MC 3, MU 2

Michigan at Massachusetts-Lowell
Dave’s pick: When it comes to the River Hawks, cue up The Monkees and “I’m A Believer.”  (Young ‘uns can Google that reference.)
UML 3 UM 2 (OT)
Jim’s pick: I am a believer, too. And though I think Friday is a tough matchup, if Lowell gets good goaltending, they win on home ice.
UML 4, UM 2

Michigan State at Boston University 
Dave’s pick: In his only league game, phenom freshman Jack Eichel scored twice and assisted on two others. In two exhibitions, he’s averaged four points. I’m picking Eichel himself to outscore Michigan State.
BU 4 (and Eichel 2), MSU 1
Jim’s pick: I like BU here but think this game may be a lot closer than Dave believes.
BU 4, MSU 3

Niagara at Notre Dame 
Dave’s pick: This is game five in Notre Dame’s opening slate of eight, count ’em, eight home games. But regardless of the venue, I’d take the Irish over winless Niagara, which has been outscored 22-6.
UND 6, NU 2
Jim’s pick: Agree with Dave. On paper this is an easy weekend for Notre Dame. Let’s hope it translates to the ice.
UND 5, NU 2

Providence at North Dakota
Dave’s pick: This battle of heavyweights — the fifth-ranked Friars against third-ranked North Dakota — comes down to home cooking.
UND 3, PC 2 (OT)
Jim’s pick: What a tough game to pick early in the season. I, too, go with home ice in this one.
UND 4, PC 3

Massachusetts at Northeastern 
Dave’s pick: The Huskies get off the schneid and prove they’re a better team than what they’ve shown so far.
NU 3, UMass 2
Jim’s pick: I’m with Dave on this one.
NU 3, UMass 2 

Saturday, Oct. 25

Connecticut at Vermont 
Dave’s pick: Considering UConn’s upset of Quinnipiac, this will be a closer game than expected, but the Catamounts will maintain their unsullied record.
UVM 4, UConn 2
Jim’s pick: Vermont is a better team than most still give them credit for being.
UVM 5, UConn 2

Massachusetts at Boston College
Dave’s pick: This one ain’t gonna be pretty.
BC 5, UMass 1
Jim’s pick: I actually bet on this one being close. But BC will still win.
BC 3, UMass 1

Michigan at Boston University
Dave’s pick: On neutral ice, I’d definitely go with the Wolverines. And I’m this close to picking them at Agganis as well. But I’m going with the home ice advantage.
BU 4, UM 3 (OT)
Jim’s pick: Sorry, Dave. It’s hard to believe that Michigan will leave this trip without a win.
UM 3, BU 2

Alaska-Anchorage at Maine
Dave’s pick: The Black Bears avoid early-season panic in the streets with an Alfond sweep.
UM 3 UAA 2
Jim’s pick: This weekend should be a split. But Maine needs to prove something to me before I pick them again, even at home.
UAA 3, UM 2

Merrimack at Mercyhurst 
Dave’s pick: The percentage play is to pick a split, and I suspect Jim will and, just like last week, he’ll call it the right way. But I think the venue proves decisive.
MU 3 MC 2 (OT)
Jim’s pick: Dave is incorrect. I’m going with a Merrimack sweep. 5-0 for the Warriors, even if the opposition isn’t PairWise boosting.
MC 4, MU 2

Niagara at Notre Dame 
Dave’s pick: Niagara won’t get off the schneid this weekend.
UND 4, NU 1
Jim’s pick: Again, this should be the easiest series of the weekend to pick. Let’s hope I’m right.
UND 5, NU 2

Michigan State at Massachusetts-Lowell
Dave’s pick: The River Hawks remain undefeated.
UML 5, MSU 2
Jim’s pick: Lowell’s offense keeps chugging along and the record at the end of the weekend will warrant significant attention.
UML 4, MSU 2

Colorado College at New Hampshire
Dave’s pick: In their first home game, the Wildcats get back to .500.
UNH 4, CC2
Jim’s pick: Tough weekend out east for the Tigers. UNH cruises at home.
UNH 6, CC 2

Providence at North Dakota
Dave’s pick: Call me a Hockey East traitor, but I just think home ice prevails. On neutral ice, it would be a different story.
UND 3, PC 2 (OT)
Jim’s pick: I don’t like picking against Hockey East this much, but I just have some concerns about facing North Dakota this early in the year.
UND 2, PC 1