Well, I had a pretty good week last week, going 10-2-1 (.807). I think we learned last week that Wisconsin may be even better than we thought, and Bemidji deserves mention as one of the top teams in the WCHA. The only really surprising result last week was St. Cloud pulling a tie with Minnesota-Duluth. Overall on the year, I am now 64-27-12 (.679). Let’s take a crack at this week’s action.
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 10-11
Wisconsin at St. Cloud: Despite St. Cloud pulling a draw last week, by sweeping a tough North Dakota team in convincing fashion, the Badgers showed they are the top dog in the country right now. Look for Wisconsin to roll in this series. Wisconsin 5-1, 6-1
Ohio State at Minnesota: The first of two huge WCHA series this weekend. Both teams have been up and down this year. To me, that translates into a split. Minnesota 4-2, Ohio State 3-2
Bemidji State at Minnesota State: This is a really tough series to call. Bemidji has some huge wins this season, including knocking off No. 7 Minnesota last weekend. Minnesota State played both Wisconsin and Minnesota tough and swept Ohio State, but since then has gone 0-5-1. I would not be surprised by a split, but I’m going with a Bemidji sweep in two tough games. Bemidji 2-1, 3-1
North Dakota at Minnesota-Duluth: Another marquee series, and a tough one to call. The results largely depend on which version of each team shows up. On paper, the Bulldogs have too much depth, but the Lamoureux twins are exceedingly dangerous and if the Sioux get good goaltending, they can pull an upset. Of course, I thought that would happen last week against Wisconsin too. Still, I’m calling split. Minnesota-Duluth 4-1, North Dakota 3-2
Mercyhurst at St. Lawrence: The Lakers have had the occasional blip, most notably losing to Niagara a few weeks ago, but they seem to be back on track. The Saints are a good team, but not deep enough. Mercyhurst 3-2, 3-1
Friday, Dec. 10
Boston University at Harvard: How these teams fortunes have changed. A few years ago, the Terriers were a club team. Now, they fight Boston College for the top spot in Hockey East. Harvard used to be the class of the East, the best chance of breaking down the Western hegemony. Now, they are struggling to maintain a spot for home ice in ECAC. Look for the Terriers to take this one. Boston University 4-1
Saturday, Dec. 11
Dartmouth at New Hampshire: The battle of New Hampshire features two longtime powerhouses who have slipped a bit from the upper echelons in the recent years. This game is, to me, a coin toss, but I’m going to pick the Big Green in a tightly-contested battle. Dartmouth 2-1
