Tournaments, conference games and some non-con matchups were on the bill for a busy Holiday week.
Air Force was the only team to pick up four league points over the break, sweeping Bentley in a pair of close contests. The Falcons from Colorado defeated the Falcons from Massachusetts 3-2 in overtime last Thursday and then hung on for another 3-2 win on Friday. The wins moved Air Force into a tie for third place in the Atlantic Hockey standings.
Another team to pick up two conference points was Connecticut, which bested Holy Cross in the first round of the UConn Holiday classic. The game also counted in the AHA standings. The Huskies would go on to lose in the title game to Princeton, 4-1, while Holy Cross dropped the consolation game 3-2 to Bowling Green.
Rochester Institute of Technology got a late goal from Tyler Brenner to defeat Robert Morris 3-2 at Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center. The game was part of the NHL’s Winter Classic festivities. RIT solidified its claim on first place and now leads second-place Robert Morris by three points in the standings.
Army and Mercyhurst also participated in tournaments last week, with the Lakers finishing second in the Ledyard Bank Classic. Mercyhurst tied host Dartmouth 4-4 and then won a shootout 2-0 to advance. The Lakers fell 4-1 to No. 5 Boston College in the title game.
Army dropped three games last week, a tough 2-1 overtime loss to No. 17 Merrimack and then a pair of defeats in the Vermont Catamount Cup. The Black Knights fell to Harvard 4-2 and then 5-3 to Ohio State
In straight up nonconference games, the AHA went 0-4, including Army’s loss to Merrimack, who also beat RIT 5-3. Holy Cross and Cansius were blown out on the road, with the Griffs falling to Notre Dame 10-2 and Holy Cross losing at No. 1 Yale 10-3.
How’d I do?
I picked solo this week – guest analysts will return next week. I went 8-3-1 going into tonight’s game between Saint Lawrence and Sacred Heart.
