Last Week:
Dan: 5-3-0
Chris: 7-1-0
On The Season:
Dan: 147-58-23 (.695)
Chris: 140-65-23 (.664)
This Week’s Picks:
Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 15
Atlantic Hockey Tournament – Quarterfinals
Best of Three Series
Robert Morris at Sacred Heart
Chris: This series starts on Thursday, with Game Two on Friday and a possible Game Three on Sunday. Robert Morris, which was a goal away from elimination last Saturday, rallied to take its first round series with Holy Cross in three games. I see this one also going three, but with the higher seed coming out on top. Sacred Heart in three.
Dan: I don’t love that RMU has to play the first game on Thursday, just four days after it defeated Holy Cross in the first round, but at the same time, this is the postseason, so I’m not sure how that will impact them. I think the day off after Thursday will be a big help, and this series will go three. I want to pick SHU here, but RMU in the playoffs is a really bad matchup for anybody. The series will hinge on Saturday. Sacred Heart in three.
Bentley at American International
Chris: Bentley has played some of its best hockey of the season recently and dispatched Canisius to advance out of the first round, but this will be a much higher mountain to climb. Still, I think this series will go the distance. AIC in three.
Dan: When AIC left Bentley after its sweep, I felt really good about the Falcons’ future. The second game really rediscovered their mojo and created an atmosphere for a late-season run. This is going to be the series of the weekend, I think, and it’s going to feature some of the best hockey on the planet. I’ll call this a proverbial passing of the torch because Bentley will give the Yellow Jackets all they can handle. Next year is 100 percent Bentley’s year. AIC in three.
Air Force at Rochester Institute of Technology
Chris: These teams played two weeks again, splitting their final regular season series. RIT took three of four games this season, but I like the Falcons to find a way. Air Force in three.
Dan: Playing a team that many times in a row is never an advantage for the team with the perceived upper hand, but Air Force hasn’t been great on the road this year. I’m going with the Tigers to return to the final four. RIT sweeps.
Niagara at Army West Point
Chris: Both teams earned a bye, so this may come down to which benefited the most from a week off. This one is a tossup in my opinion, but I’ll go with the higher seed. Army West Point in three.
Dan: Niagara has all kinds of momentum after winning its way into a first round bye (with some help from the league’s new math system). That’s bad news for Army West POint, which struggled down the stretch and slipped into fourth. I don’t like this matchup; Niagara was my preseason pick in Atlantic Hockey, so I guess I have to ride that train here. Niagara in three.
