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 to think that home ice is enough to sway this game, but having seen Minnesota play on tape I think they are simply the better team
UM 4, BC 2
Dave’s pick: I have to agree. BC isn’t yet the juggernaut we come to expect each year.
UM 4, BC 2
Clarkson at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: I’ll admit to not knowing much about Clarkson this season. What I do know is that Merrimack has been a beast at home.
MC 3, CU 1
Dave’s pick: I’m giving the Warriors the opener. A 5-1-0 home record is nothing to trifle with.
MC 3, CU 2
Vermont at Maine (non-conference)
Jim’s pick: The way that the Catamounts dismantled UMass in the last two games gives me even more faith this team can win at Maine.
UVM 4, UM 2
Dave’s pick: Much has been made of Maine’s inability to win on the road, but the Black Bears are only .500 at home. That’s not good enough to topple a team playing as well as Vermont.
UVM 3, UM 2
Massachusetts at Quinnipiac
Jim’s pick: I would like to think UMass could respond to tough losses to UVM with a great non-conference opponent. Quinnipiac on the road, though, isn’t the right matchup.
QU 4, UMass 1
Dave’s pick: Since Quinnipiac comes into this one at 8-3-1, I don’t think this is the right matchup regardless of the venue.
QU 4, UMass 2
Union at Notre Dame (Shillelagh Tournament, South Bend, Ind.)
Jim’s pick: This might be the most difficult game to pick. If Notre Dame can score some goals, they can win. That is a bit of an ‘if’, though. So home ice is my deciding factor.
UND 3, Union 2 (OT)
Dave’s pick: Notre Dame is surprisingly only at .500, and Union is even more surprisingly just a game over that mark. As Jim says, home ice decides this one.
UND 3, Union 2
Saturday, November 29
Boston College at Providence
Jim’s pick: Between Nick Ellis and Jon Gillies, Providence is riding back-to-back shutouts and a streak of 161:22 without allowing a goal. Against strong opponents BC’s offense hasn’t clicked. Thus, I’m going with the Friars.
PC 3, BC 2
Dave’s pick: I never expected these two teams to be cumulatively only three games over .500. So I’m going with home ice.
PC 3, BC 2 (OT)
Connecticut at Brown
Jim’s pick: UConn has played well against the top teams and no-so-well against teams they should beat. That’s what makes me nervous here. But the Hockey East homer in me will pick the Huskies.
UC 2, BU 1
Dave’s pick: There are only two teams in the country without a single point at home. Wisconsin is one; Brown is the other. It’s a small sample size, but UConn has just been playing better.
UC 3, BU 2
Colgate at Boston University
Jim’s pick: A loss to Harvard should give BU a shot in the arm.
BU 5, CU 2
Dave’s pick: The Terriers ain’t ranked number one for nothin’.
BU 4, CU 2
Clarkson at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: The Warriors continue to love home cooking.
MC 3, CU 2
Dave’s pick: Clarkson is better than its .500 record so I think the Raiders salvage the split despite Merrimack’s prowess at home.
CU 3, MC 2
Vermont at Maine (non-conference)
Jim’s pick: I should be picking a split given Maine’s success on home ice. But my gut says that UVM keeps on winning.
UVM 3, UM 2
Dave’s pick: As I noted before, Maine hasn’t been that successful at home. The Catamounts sweep.
UVM 4, UM 2
Minnesota at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: If I can’t pick BC to beat the Gophers, I certainly can’t pick Northeastern.
UM 6, NU 2
Dave’s pick: This one could get ugly.
UM 5, NU 1
Quinnipiac at Massachusetts
Jim’s pick: The Bobcats win the back end of the home-and-home for the two-game sweep.
QU 3, UMass 2
Dave’s pick: Agreed. Quinnipiac sweeps.
QU 4, UMass 2
Harvard at Massachusetts-Lowell
Jim’s pick: These are two of the nation’s hottest teams right now. And home ice proves the razor thin difference.
UML 3, HU 2
Dave’s pick: Despite Harvard’s impressive win over BU, I’m sticking with the River Hawks until proven wrong.
UML 4, HU 2
Ohio State/Western Michigan at Notre Dame (at Shillelagh Tournament, South Bend, Ind.)
Jim’s pick: Regardless of the opponent, I believe that the Irish should come out on top.
ND 4, OSU 1; ND 4, WMU 2
Dave’s pick: Agreed. Neither Ohio State nor Western Michigan have impressed this year.
ND 4, OSU 2; ND 5, WMU 1
Boston University at Dartmouth
Jim’s pick: A busy week ends on a winning note for BU.
BU 5, DC 2
Dave’s pick: That loss to the Crimson was just an aberration.
BU 4, DC 1
Wednesday, December 3
Providence at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: Things just don’t get any simpler for the Huskies.
PC 3, NU 2
Dave’s pick: The Huskies have won two of their last three, but they’ve also won only two for the entire season.
PC 4, NU 2
Connecticut at Massachusetts-Lowell
Jim’s pick: UConn has played the top of Hockey East tough. But that is a reason that Lowell should be ready.
UML 4, UC 2
Dave’s pick: Yup, I’m a River Hawk believer.
UML 4, UC 2
