Hockey East picks: Nov. 15-20

Well, that was more like it! I out-picked Jimmy by two games and now we’re deadlocked again.

Here are this week’s picks:

Friday, Nov. 15

Massachusetts at Boston College
Dave’s pick: The carnage won’t be as bad for UMass as last week’s against New Hampshire, but it won’t be pretty.
BC 5, UMass 2
Jim’s pick: The Eagles are clicking right now like many a BC team to come before – championship teams, that is.
BC 4, UMass 1

Boston University at Maine
Dave’s pick: The competition has been tough, but BU has lost four of its last five and looked particularly bad against archrival BC.  The Terriers have also lost all three of their road games.
Maine 4, BU 2
Jim’s pick: I’m not sold on either BU or Maine, but I’m more sold on the Terriers than the Black Bears.
BU 3, Maine 2

New Hampshire at Northeastern
Dave’s pick: It looks like UNH has crawled almost all the way out of the early-season hole it dug for itself, but I’m not going to continue to underestimate the Huskies all year. I’m going with them to hold home ice.
NU 4, UNH 3
Jim’s pick: This is a tough one for me. I like the way both of these teams are playing and feel like UNH has regained its confidence overnight.
UNH 3, NU 2

Providence at Vermont
Dave’s pick: Catamount fans may be unhappy with me picking against their team all the time, but that isn’t going to change with the Friars involved.
PC 3, UVM 2
Jim’s pick: Agreed. I’m a big Vermont fan this season but I think Providence is a top two or three team in Hockey East.
PC 3, UVM 1

Merrimack at Notre Dame
Dave’s pick: The Warriors will play with great grit and intensity and will block a bajillion shots, but it still won’t quite be enough against Hockey East’s newest superpower.
UND 3, MC 2
Jim’s pick: I don’t think this game will be as close as Dave does. But I do believe the Irish will get the ‘W.’
UND 4, MC 2

Massachusetts-Lowell at Penn State
Dave’s pick: While the River Hawks home-away split (home: 2-3-0, away: 4-1-0) looks like a fluke, I still like them on the road. The only question is whether four games in seven days takes its toll.
UML 3, PSU 2
Jim’s pick:
UML 3, PSU 2

Saturday, Nov. 16

Northeastern at New Hampshire
Dave’s pick: This surprisingly even home-and-home series ends with each team holding home ice serve if UNH can stay out of the box. The Northeastern power play (23.1 percent) is a bad match-up for a struggling Wildcat penalty kill (75.7 percent).
UNH 3, NU 2
Jim’s pick: Though I feel like picking a split is the way to go here, doing so in recent weeks has earned me to losses as I continuously pick the splits backwards.
UNH 4, NU 2

Merrimack at Notre Dame
Dave’s pick: It’s a long way to travel for no points, and this leaves the Warriors winless in Hockey East, but I still think they’ll make their mark in the league this year.
UND 4, MC 2
Jim’s pick: If Merrimack is going to win one, it will be the opener. I think Saturday goes to Notre Dame regardless.
UND 5, MC 2

Providence at Vermont
Dave’s pick: I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Catamounts salvage a split. They did it to Notre Dame and they can do it to Providence. But I’m tossing my lot with the Friars (knowing that Jimmy is going to disagree with me on this series).
PC 3, UVM 2 (OT)
Jim’s pick: And Dave is wrong. I’m not picking against Providence right now. This team is playing excellent hockey.
PC 2, UVM 1

Sunday, Nov. 17

Connecticut at Boston University
Dave’s pick: The Terriers had better halt their skid here, because two games with North Dakota loom on the horizon.
BU 4, UConn 2
Jim’s pick: This won’t be as bad as last Sunday’s Hockey East/Atlantic Hockey matchup, but still believe this could be a bit lop-sided.
BU 5, UConn 1

Wednesday, Nov. 20

Boston College at Harvard
Dave’s pick: I think this will be a lot closer than the way it looks on paper, but the Eagles will emerge on top anyway.
BC 3, HU 2
Jim’s pick: I agree, this game could be close but I am still going with the high-flying Eagles.
BC 4, HU 2