One year ago, WCHA correspondent Todd D. Milewski claimed victory in USCHO.com’s first-ever NCAA picks competition.
This year, the rest of USCHO’s Division I conference correspondents are out for revenge.
The rules are simple: pick a winner for every game in each NCAA regional, straight up. One point per game picked correctly, with total goals scored by all teams in both regionals as the tiebreaker. (For second-round contests, to earn a point you only have to have the winner of the game right, not both teams.)
The top two scorers among the five competitors move on to the Frozen Four, where they will pick all three of those games with the same rules. The victor there is the 2002 champion.
Without further ado, the picks:
Jayson Moy/Becky Blaeser (ECAC)
Michigan State 3, Colorado College 1: The Spartans are the choice here as Miller leads them.
Michigan 4, St. Cloud 2: The Huskies are still looking for a win in the tourney as a Division I team, and won’t get it with the Yost crowd around.
Minnesota 3, Michigan State 2: The Gophers solve Miller long enough to move on.
Denver 5, Michigan 2: The Pioneers are able to turn the Yost crowd back and put up some goals on the Wolverines.
Maine 4, Harvard 2: The Crimson are on a roll, but the Black Bears put a stop to that.
Cornell 5, Quinnipiac 1: The stifling Cornell defense doesn’t allow Quinnipiac many scoring opportunities, and the Big Red capitalize on special teams.
Boston University 4, Maine 3: The Terriers turn the tide and get one back on the Black Bears.
Cornell 3, New Hampshire 1: The Big Red shut down the talented UNH offense and move on.
Todd D. Milewski (WCHA)
Michigan State 4, Colorado College 2: It’s a battle of two great goaltenders, but the Spartans look to be the stronger overall.
Michigan 5, St. Cloud State 3: The Huskies shouldn’t get caught watching this year, but a late-season slump doesn’t help their chances in the NCAAs.
Michigan State 4, Minnesota 3: Ron Mason’s last game in the state of Michigan should be emblematic of his time at Michigan State — it’ll end up with his team on top.
Denver 4, Michigan 1: Denver appears to be the better team here, and with everything clicking, the Pioneers should make it to the Frozen Four.
Maine 6, Harvard 2: Congrats to Green Bay, Wis., native Mark Mazzoleni for getting his team to the NCAAs, but this is where it ends.
Cornell 4, Quinnipiac 1: The Big Red got an at-large bid for a reason.
Maine 4, Boston University 3: Just a hunch … no other reason.
New Hampshire 5, Cornell 2: The Wildcats are an impressive bunch, and they’ll get to St. Paul.
Paula C. Weston (CCHA)
Michigan State 3, Colorado College 2
Michigan 4, St. Cloud 2
Minnesota 3, Michigan State 2
Michigan 5, Denver 3
Maine 4, Harvard 2
Cornell 4, Quinnipiac 1
Boston University 2, Maine 1
New Hampshire 5, Cornell 2
Dave Hendrickson (Hockey East)
Colorado College 2, Michigan State 1: Not the going-away party for Ron Mason that everyone envisioned.
Michigan 4, St. Cloud 1: Two teams going in different directions plus home ice for the Wolverines spells a mismatch.
Minnesota 4, Colorado College 2: Talent + bye = Frozen Four for the Golden Gophers.
Denver 5, Michigan 3: Hail to the Pioneers, who set up an all-WCHA and Hockey East Frozen Four.
Maine 4, Harvard 1: The Black Bears dominate the Enigmas in all phases.
Cornell 4, Quinnipiac 0: There’ll be no reprise of Mercyhurst’s performance last year against Michigan.
Maine 4, Boston University 3: The Black Bears prove that, bye or no bye, they are the more talented team.
New Hampshire 4, Cornell 2: The Wildcats make the most of being in the “easy” bracket.
Jim Connelly (MAAC)
Colorado College 3, Michigan State 2: First game provides the biggest upset.
Michigan 4, St. Cloud 1: Wolverines run amuck on home ice..
Minnesota 4, Colorado College 2: Gophers end CC’s dancing days.
Michigan 4, Denver 3: West’s top seed continues to have trouble.
Maine 5, Harvard 2: Harvard’s days of Cinderella come to an end.
Cornell 4, Quinnipiac 3: Quinnipiac may have a better shot than anyone thought, but still too difficult to pick.
Maine 5, Boston University 4: Bears and Terriers face off for the fourth time in four weeks. The result stays the same.
New Hampshire 5, Cornell 2: UNH proves Hockey’s East dominance.
