The regular season is over and playoff hockey is here. I had a strong finish to move past Mark in the final week, but the playoffs are a whole new game. All series are best-of-three. Friday and Saturday’s games start at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s start times vary.
Nate
Last week: 9-1-2
Overall: 135-65-26
Mark
Last week: 7-3-2
Overall: 133-67-26
No. 12 St. Lawrence at No. 5 Harvard
Nate: The Saints beat Harvard 6-3 on Feb. 22, a loss that helped ensure the Crimson would play in the first round of the league playoffs for the first time since 2015. Regardless, Harvard has a dangerous top line and its top-ranked power play should be able to take advantage of a Saints penalty kill that has struggled this season.
Harvard 4-3, Harvard 5-2
Mark: The lowly Saints smacked the Crimson, 6-3, just two weekends ago. That result notwithstanding, Harvard has many more weapons and plenty to prove after going 3-4-2 in February and letting a first-round bye slip away.
Harvard 4-1, Harvard 5-2
No. 11 Princeton at No. 6 Dartmouth
Nate: Dartmouth has several game changers in its lineup, most notably sophomore forward Drew O’Connor. The Tigers simply don’t have that kind of presence in their lineup.
Dartmouth 3-1, Dartmouth 4-2
Mark: The Tigers are 1-8-1 in their last 10 and they lost both games to the Big Green season. Dartmouth was mediocre in February but should have enough to get by.
Dartmouth 5-1, 4-2
No. 10 Union at No. 7 Yale
Nate: Yale has played better following a rough start and hasn’t allowed a goal in two games against Union this season.
Yale 2-1, Yale 4-2
Mark: The Dutchmen are on a 1-10-3 slide. They were shut out by the Bulldogs, 2-0 and 5-0, in the regular season. Advantage Yale.
Yale 5-2, Yale 4-1
No. 9 Brown at No. 8 Colgate
Nate: Bears goalie Gavin Nieto had a sneaky good year and Brown has been solid defensively in the second half. It will be a close series, but I think the Bears advance in a low-scoring affair.
Colgate 2-1, Brown 2-0, Brown 3-1
Mark: Goals could be few and far between in this one. Both teams score on only 7.1 percent of their shots. The Bears scored only 50 goals this season, the fewest in the country, but they beat the Raiders in both of their regular-season games.
Brown 3-2, Colgate 3-2, Brown 2-1
