Where have all the underdogs gone?
Last weekend, nonconference plays created a bunch of heavy underdogs (Maine was +290 and was in a one-goal game into the closing minutes) but not a single one hit. The only dog to win from last weekend’s column was Arizona State (+130) and that was nearly a pick ’em.
So we shouldn’t be surprised that one of the USCHO staff pickers was perfect (congrats Matt Semisch!) and three were 4-1. If Matt had pulled up his sportsbook account and dropped $100 on a five-team parlay last week, he would’ve earned a somewhat paltry $927.53.
On to this week, are we’re back to conference play for just about every team and we have five absolutely heavyweight battles. Because of that, the sportsbooks haven’t given us any heavy favorites. All five of this week’s games are available on DraftKings, so we’re dealing with actual odds and right now Minnesota (+165) at Michigan is the heaviest dog.
That doesn’t mean that there isn’t value out there. If all five favorites hit, you can parlay $100 into $1236.98. Pick a couple of upsets in there and there could be a nice payment awaiting.
You can make your selections on the five games listed below as well as five others in USCHO Pick ‘Em. Go to social.uscho.com to join the fun!
As usual, a disclaimer:
Understand, this is for entertainment purposes only. USCHO.com is not a licensed gambling platform and no money may be wagered through this site or any subsidiary of USCHO.
All games are the first games when they occur in a two-game series, unless noted. Saturday game as marked appropriately.
Enjoy and, if you bet, may you be successful.
* Games marked with asterisks indicates odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
No. 11 Minnesota (+165) at No. 3 Michigan (-200) *
The Gophers impressed a weekend ago routing North Dakota, 5-1, on Friday before falling short in a comeback on Saturday, dropping a 3-2 decision. Michigan completed a sweep of Niagara on home ice.
But Yost Ice Arena hasn’t been too generous for the Wolverines this season. Despite being 5-0-0 on the road, Michigan has lost four times at home, including three in Big Ten play.
This series could be critical come season’s end. This pair was picked 1-2 in the preseason poll and Michigan leads Minnesota by just a single point in the current Big Ten standings.
Minnesota holds a significant advantage in the series overall, but in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines have 13 more wins with a 67-54-10 mark.
No. 9 Cornell (+120) at No. 18 Clarkson (-140) * Saturday
This weekend’s North Country trip will close out 2021 for Cornell. After an impressive 6-4 victory over Boston University at Madison Square Garden last weekend, the Big Red make the always-difficult trip to face St. Lawrence and Clarkson (Sat.).
The last time these two teams played, it was the final game in February of 2020 before the college hockey season was abruptly canceled due to COVID. Cornell won that game at home, 5-1, to seemingly enter the postseason on a nine-game winning streak.
Clarkson enters the weekend on a six-game unbeaten streak (4-0-2) but hasn’t won a regular-season game against Cornell since November 2017. Clarkson did, though, win the biggest game these teams played of late, a 3-2 overtime win to capture the 2019 ECAC Championship in Lake Placid.
No. 16 Northeastern (+120) at No. 13 Providence (-140) *
Northeastern might be the nation’s least talked about team. Though ranked 16th in the USCHO.com poll, the Huskies have been red hot of late with just a single loss in their last 10 games (8-1-1). Goaltender Devon Levi was just named Hockey East rookie of the month for his performance between the pipes.
Providence is hardly a slouch themselves, having won six straight games and they’ll be at home on Friday where the Friars hold a 7-1-0 mark this season.
If there is something to watch in this game, it is how Northeastern responds to some significant injuries. It is anticipated they’ll be without at least four top forwards on Friday, which will ultimately test the team’s depth.
No. 14 Massachusetts (+120) at No. 15 UMass Lowell (-140) *
This pair of sister schools in Massachusetts has become a solid rivalry over recent years. Two seasons ago was the first time each team was nationally ranked coming into a series, something that is the case again this weekend.
The duo met in last season’s Hockey East Championship game, won 1-0 by UMass. It was the closest game they played in the postseason until needing overtime to beat Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA semifinal on the way to the national championship.
Similar to Northeastern, UMass will be without a significant number of players and likely four of their top six forwards.
Ultimately, though, this could come down to goaltending. Lowell’s Owen Savory sports the second-best goals against average and three shutouts in seven wins. UMass goaltender Matt Murray ranks 12th in goals against and has twice shutout his opponents.
No. 7 North Dakota (+110) at No. 5 St. Cloud State (-130) *
It’s pretty rare for North Dakota to be considered an underdog but that’s the case as the Fighting Hawks travel to St. Cloud State.
Neither team is red hot entering this series. North Dakota split last weekend with Minnesota, including a 5-1 loss, which St. Cloud State was swept in its most recent series by Western Michigan two weekends ago.
This game is another conference championship rematch as North Dakota topped St. Cloud State, 5-3, in the NCHC title game a season ago. Despite that outcome, these two teams have been pretty evenly matched, the series tied 2-2-1 over the last five.
Pick records to date (last week):
Jim Connelly – 28-12 (3-2)
Dan Rubin – 25-15 (2-3)
Chris Lerch – 25-15 (4-1)
Ed Trefzger – 25-15 (4-1)
Paula Weston – 24-16 (3-2)
Drew Claussen – 24-16 (4-1)
Matthew Semisch – 24-16 (5-0)
John Doyle – 21-19 (3-2)
Jack Hittinger – 20-20 (2-3)
Nate Owen – 19-21 (3-2)
