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Road warriors, reshufflng, and rookie coaches

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Here are three things I think I learned from this weekend’s games.

 3. When it comes to the Boston College – Boston University rivalry, home ice doesn’t matter for much.

And you can toss in shot totals, too.

This past weekend, the two archrivals completed their regular-season series and in all three games the visitors triumphed. Three weeks ago, BU left Kelley Rink with an impressive 5-0 win.  On Friday, the Terriers took the series with a 5-3 road win only to have the Eagles roar back with a 6-1 win at Agganis Arena.

Adding to that statistical oddity is that on Friday, BC outshot BU by a 23-1 margin, but was outscored, 1-0.  Then on Saturday, the roles were reversed. BU outshot the Eagles, 22-8, but was outscored, 4-0.

“It’s as bizarre a three games I’ve seen us play in 20 days,” BU coach Jack Parker said.

To which BC coach Jerry York added, “I wish I could figure it out. It’s not the number of first downs; it’s getting across the goal line. Sometimes a goaltender just plays so very, very well.”

Kieran Millan was that goaltender on Friday night; BC rookie Brian Billett filled the role on Saturday while making just his second start.

2. There’s going to be some reshuffling amongst the two-and-a-half Hockey East teams that had been one-two-three in national rankings.

Number one Merrimack fell off its perch as the only undefeated team in the country and fell hard, getting swept by Providence, 2-1 in overtime on the road and a surprising 6-1 back at home. The Warriors will almost certainly lose their top billing.

Second-ranked Boston College, as already noted, split its series with BU.

Number three Notre Dame (a Hockey East team in waiting) fell hard as well, getting swept at home by Northeastern, 9-2 and 2-1.

Since the number four and five teams, Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota, both swept, you can expect changes at the top.

1. The three first-year Hockey East coaches all had themselves an amazing weekend. Especially when you factor in the preseason expectations for them. The three schools were projected to finish eighth, ninth, and tenth in the standings.

As just noted above, Northeastern stunned third-ranked Notre Dame in its own barn with a sweep to bring the Huskies’ overall record to 6-7-2.

Massachusetts-Lowell took both ends of its home-and-home with New Hampshire. The River Hawks now enjoy a 6-3-0 league record.

And Providence knocked Merrimack off from its number one ranking, delivering not just the first but also the second loss of the season for the Warriors. As a result, the Friars are now tied with Lowell for fourth place in Hockey East.

Congratulations to new head coaches Jim Madigan (NU), Norm Bazin (UML), and Nate Leaman (PC).

 

Turnabout is goaltender’s play: BC rookie Billett shines in first Hockey East game

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BOSTON — When Boston College rookie goaltender Brian Billett arrived on campus, he did so hungry to get the chance to play.

Little did he know that his first-ever Hockey East start would come in the hostile environment of archrival Boston University’s Agganis Arena. But a week after earning his first start and was named Hockey East  rookie of the week, BC head coach Jerry York gave Billett the nod, hoping to shake things up after BC’s ugly 5-3 loss at home.

“It was unimaginable,” said Billett of the start. “It’s great to start your [Hockey East] career against your biggest rival.”

Billett made his first start exactly a week ago, heading to New Haven, Conn., to take on nationally-ranked Yale. In that game, Billett made 31 saves and kept the Eagles in the game when they trailed 2-0. BC rallied and scoring the tying and game-winning goals in the final three minutes for the rookie’s first career victory.

Saturday he one-upped that performance. Billett stopped 40 of 41 BU shots and took control of a game that finished 6-1 in favor of the Eagles but was hardly that lopsided. Billett stopped all 22 shots he faced in the middle period, something that turned out to be a turning point in the game. BC was outshot 22-8 in the second but scored four times to turn a 1-1 tie through 20 into a 5-1 lead heading to the third.

“He looked pretty solid,” said BU head coach Jack Parker of Billett, who also added his first-career point, an assist on Bill Arnold’s goal that made it 5-1. “Not only was he stopping the puck but he was very poised. He looked very relaxed.”

The rookie netminder agreed, saying that once he began seeing shots, he settled in.

“The more I got a feel of the puck, the more comfortable I felt,” said Billett. “It’s just as important to be mentally strong as you are physically.”

Things haven’t been completely smooth for the rookie since arriving on campus this past fall. York said he was concerned about Billett when he arrived at training camp.

“He started very slow with us,” said York, citing poor conditioning on arrival for the freshman. “We had some major concerns that first few weeks of practice.”

York still has goaltending concerns but now it is one a coach wants to have: the choice between two solid tenders.

Asked if Parker Milner, who started the first 13 games for the Eagles, was still his number one, York paused.

“We don’t want to get into [talking about which goalie is number one],” said York. “The hot goalie will play.”

Still, it has to be refreshing for York to know that he has two very solid options if needed in the season’s second half.

Gallery: Denver vs. Colorado College

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Gallery: Lake Superior State at Ohio State

By Rachel Lewis
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Gallery: RPI at Princeton (m)

By Shelley Szwast
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For BU, Millan saves the day

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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — The rabid fans of Boston College make Kelley Rink one of the most intimidating venues in Hockey East. Boston University netminder Kieran Millan, however, has been unfazed by the Eagles’ barn. In fact, Millan has shone brighter than the gold “Super Fan” shirts adoring the mass of Boston College enthusiasts.

“We’ve seen [Millan] play some very good games over the four years,” Eagles coach Jerry York said. “But tonight, at least from my perspective, might have been his best game against us.”

Millan’s performance in the Terriers’ second cross-town win this season did not disappoint. The Edmonton, Alberta, native stopped a season-high 42 shots — just two saves shy of his career high of 44 — as he backstopped BU to a 5-3 victory.

“The only reason why that game wasn’t … a lot closer is that [Millan] played unbelievable,” Terriers coach Jack Parker said. “He was fabulous tonight.”

After turning away 11 shots in the opening frame, Millan rode an 80-minute scoreless streak over the Eagles — dating to his 5-0 shutout on Nov. 13 — into a second-period shooting gallery. BC pelted Millan 23 times in the second stanza, which was one more shot than Millan faced in the remaining two periods combined.

“They tried to put a lot of traffic in front of me,” Millan said. “My defensemen were able to box them out a little bit and gave me the opportunity to find the puck in traffic.”

Blame for the offensive onslaught is at least partially assigned to an overly aggressive Terriers squad. BU suffered six penalties in the middle frame alone, giving the Eagles 14 minutes of extra-man play. The Terriers’ fifth penalty of the night — a boarding call against winger Matt Nieto at 16:43 — brought Millan’s scoreless streak to a close after being perfect against BC for nearly 97 minutes this season. Center Bill Arnold redirected blueliner Tommy Cross’s shot from the right point past Millan to put the Eagles on the board, 2-1 at 16:59 in the second period.

“We generated an awful lot of chances during the power plays, but Millan played outstanding,” York said. “You gotta give him credit in that respect. I thought we certainly could have scored more goals if we didn’t run across that outstanding goaltender tonight. He was really hot and on his game.”

Millan’s 67th career victory — which has him at the top of BU’s win list — brought him a few steps closer to another milestone: the Terriers’ all-time saves record. Millan’s 2,984 stops trails only Sean Fields’ 3,055 saves. Millan likely will pad his saves stats again Saturday when the cross-town rivals clash a third time at Agannis Arena.

Providence to host Dartmouth in outdoor women’s game at Fenway

USCHO Staff Report
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Providence will host Dartmouth in a women’s game at Fenway Park on Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. as part of Sun Life Frozen Fenway 2012.

The game was originally scheduled for Dec. 31 at Providence.

“The team is very excited about getting to play at Fenway,” Dartmouth head coach Mark Hudak said in a news release. “It should be a great experience for the team and for Providence and for everyone else that is going to be there. It is going to be a great event all around.

“There are going to be a lot of differences, but both teams have to deal with that. It’s not that its going to be an uneven playing field. Hopefully, there will be some ice on Occom Pond by then, so we can get outside and practice a little bit.”

Harvard and Union added to Frozen Fenway lineup along with D-III game

USCHO Staff Report
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The game between Harvard and Union on January 13 at 7 p.m. will now be played outdoors at Fenway Park as part of Sun Life Frozen Fenway 2012.

The game, originally scheduled for the Bright Hockey Center, will now be played as part of a doubleheader, following a Division III game between Babson and Norwich at 3:30 p.m.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to play at Fenway Park with all its history and tradition,” said Harvard head coach Ted Donato in a statement. “We’re looking forward to an incredible environment and the experience of a lifetime for our players.”

“It is an honor for our team to be involved in the first outdoor ECAC Hockey game at an historic venue such as Fenway Park,” Union head coach Rick Bennett added. “This will be an unforgettable experience for our student-athletes, staff and fans.”

The game will be the fourth NCAA Division I men’s game ever played at Fenway Park and the tenth D-I men’s game overall.

It will not be the first outdoor game for Harvard as the Crimson hosted games at Harvard Stadium from 1905-1910 and played outdoors before the completion of Watson Rink in 1954.

Union played outdoors from 1919-1949.

ECAC East/NESCAC picks: Dec. 2

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Last week was solid at 4-1-1 (.667) slate of picks to build off the opening .500 picks. This week has some big marquee match-ups, and I am not going to shy away from taking a shot at picking the winners.
It’s awesome to have a first semester match-up between two undefeated contenders that will surely spice up the second half of the season in looking at potential the conference champion from the ECAC East. We didn’t have to take long seeing Castleton and Norwich hook up this Friday night, and it should be a great one for sure. It’s not the only interesting match-up, but definitely the game of the week.
Friday, December 2, 2011
New England College at Norwich
It would be easy to bring up all of the “300” movie clichés for the Spartans facing the Cadets at Kreitzberg Arena, but if you look at the statistics, both of these teams have a lot in common. Offensively, both are averaging over five goals per game, while defensively they surrender two or less. They have been strong in all facets of the game, so I don’t expect any major offensive fireworks on Friday night. This one will be close, and an empty-net goal provides the final difference. Norwich 4-2.
Bowdoin at Colby
All bets are off when these two teams get together for an early December home-and-home match-up. In the past, only the first game counted in the league standings, not that either squad needed any more incentive for taking a “W.” Both teams played well last week against the U-18 USA squad as part of the annual Maine Invitational Tournament, but Colby fell to Salve Regina to close out the weekend. I look for the Polar Bear’s offense to take charge in this one in Waterville. Bowdoin 5-2.
Skidmore at St. Michael’s
It’s a battle between the two teams searching for some consistency to their game heading into the semester break. Senior Brady Earle is the scoring leader for the goal-challenged Purple Knights with just three goals. Tony Giacin and David Limoges have been major contributors to a balanced offensive attack for Skidmore. In this one, offense is the difference, as the thoroughbreds will come out flying. Skidmore 6-2.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Massachusetts-Boston at Uuniversity of New England
This was the PAL Cup Championship game last weekend, where the two teams completed an overtime tie that saw the game and tournament decided by a shootout. There’s no opportunity for settling any ties with extra breakaways this week. Look for Brad Holt’s team to build on their positive momentum at home and squeak one out in regulation. UNE 4-3.
Middlebury at Tufts
The regular season match-up between these two teams in recent years has been very tight, or “tie-t,” as the case may be. After blowing out Bowdoin at home by a score of 7-1, the Panthers struggled to score just two goals in the Primelink Tournament, including a 0-0 draw with Plattsburgh. Scott Barchard is the key for Tufts, as his .933 save percentage and 2.19 goals against average are keeping the Jumbos in games, and stealing a couple to boot. Barchard will see lots of rubber and stop most, just not enough. Middlebury 3-2.
Williams at Conn College
The Ephs aren’t scoring a lot, but they certainly aren’t giving much up either. The latter is a big part of their 2-0-2 start, including last week’s nonconference tie on the road against Manhattanville. The Camels need to tighten up the defensive end, and will be challenged by the speed of Williams to keep pucks from the front of the net. This unbeaten streak stays intact, but it will be closer than you think. Williams 3-1.
Enjoy all of the great match-ups and championship caliber slate of games — drop the puck!

Paula's picks: Dec. 2, 2011

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I don’t know what the weather’s like where you are, but we have a fresh coating of snow on the ground this morning in Flint, Mich. It’s beautiful, obviously wintry, and the hockey fan in me is thinking about the stretch of I-69 between here and East Lansing, because that’s where I’m headed tonight.
Yes, it’s all about hockey. I wish it were all about clairvoyance — or at least a little about clairvoyance. That would certainly help my picks percentage. Wow.

Paula’s picks

With a nod to the late, great Warren Zevon, it ain’t that pretty at all.
Last week: 4-5-1 (.450)
Season to date: 57-39-14 (.582)
I knew this sub-.500 week was coming.

This week

Everyone’s in action this week with solid, comforting, two-game sets. All series are Friday-Saturday. All games begin at 7:05 p.m. local time except when noted.
Given my accuracy this season, I feel as though these picks should come with a disclaimer — and an apology to those for whom I’ve predicted victory.
BGSU at MSU. The Falcons were shut out twice at home last weekend, the first time that BG has been blanked in two games in the same weekend by a CCHA opponent. Andrew Hammond made 61 saves in the two games, the second of which saw him defending against the Alaska power play for 44 minutes. Meanwhile, the Spartans were busy defending the realm last weekend, winning and tying at home against Minnesota. That series earned Drew Palmisano Goaltender of the Week honors. The Falcons are the only opponent the Spartans swept last season, 2-1 and 2-0 wins in East Lansing, Feb. 25-26. Please don’t hate me come Sunday, Spartan fans. Saturday’s game begins at 6:05 p.m. Picks: MSU 3-2, 3-2
LSSU at OSU. The Lakers split at home with Notre Dame last weekend, losing 4-1 before winning 5-2. They were 3-for-4 on the power play against the Irish in the win, including Kellan Lain’s game winner at 2:08 in the second. The Buckeyes were off last weekend, last playing Nov. 18-19, when they swept Michigan in Ann Arbor. The last time these teams met was in the second weekend of the 2010-11 CCHA playoffs, when LSSU swept OSU in Sault Ste. Marie, 4-0 and 3-2. Three points separate the second-place Buckeyes and third-place Lakers. This series will probably split, but as OSU is unbeaten (8-0-1) in their last nine, I’m not calling against their streak. Sorry Buckeyes. It isn’t personal. Saturday’s game has an 8:05 p.m. start. Picks: OSU 3-2, 4-2
Miami at NMU. The RedHawks were also defending the realm last weekend, capturing the Denver Cup by beating Providence 6-2 and host Denver 4-2. Another team on an unbeaten streak (6-0-2), Miami saw a near-perfect November and lifted its record to above .500 with the win against Providence — an indication of just how far from perfect October was. The Wildcats last played Nov. 18-19, a home split with Michigan State (4-2 loss, 2-1 win). The Saturday win was the only one NMU tallied in November, a month in which the Wildcats went 1-3-2. The teams met early last season, an October weekend in which the RedHawks outscored the Wildcats 13-1, but NMU has a 16-7-1 record against Miami at home. Still, there’s that streak. I fully expect even more outraged email than usual from RedHawks fans, come Monday morning. Games begin at 7:35 p.m. both nights. Picks: Miami 3-2, 4-2
WMU vs. FSU. The Broncos are ready to win, because it’s been a little while. WMU has dropped four of its last five games, dating back to Nov. 5. The Broncos’ current streak is five winless (0-4-1), their last win a 3-2 victory against Michigan Nov. 4. They last played a Tuesday game against Notre Dame, the only tie, Nov. 22. The Bulldogs last played Nov. 18-19, a split in Fairbanks during which they mustered three goals. When these two teams met during the regular season in 2010-11, FSU earned four points with a 3-1 win and 2-2 tie in Big Rapids. The shootout following the tie went 14 rounds and gave the Broncos the extra point. They met again in Kalamazoo in the second round of the CCHA playoffs, with WMU capturing the series in three games. This home-and-home series has FSU hosting Friday, WMU Saturday. Picks: FSU 3-2, WMU 3-2
UM at UAF. Whither the Wolverines? Michigan extended its winless streak to six games with two nonconference home losses last weekend, 4-1 to Northeastern Friday and 6-3 to Union Sunday. I’ve been saying that the Wolverines seem to have lost their teeth, their passion, and junior Chris Brown’s remarks from last weekend echo that. “We can’t do anything different. It’s not the systems, it’s not our goalie, it’s not our defense, it’s not our forwards, it’s not coaching, it’s nothing — it’s just the will to want to win a game. And right now, we don’t have it.” That will make Michigan’s task in Alaska that much harder, because the Nanooks have had all the will in the world to win. Their season has been marked by plenty of one-goal games played with every bit of heart a team can muster. They were rewarded last weekend against Bowling Green with two shut outs, the second back-to-back shutouts of Scott Greenham’s career. UM was 3-1-0 against UAF last season, but the teams split in Fairbanks. Picks: UAF 3-2, UM 3-1
Northeastern at ND. Northeastern’s only game of last weekend was its 4-1 road win over Michigan, a game that extended its win streak to three. The Huskies are tied for fifth in Hockey East play with Massachusetts-Lowell and Providence, averaging 2.69 goals per game and allowing 2.77. Senior Steve Quailer (4-7–11) leads the team in points, but freshman Ludwig Karlsson (6-4–10) leads the Huskies in goals; junior Chris Rawlings (2.46 GAA, .930 SV%) has played most of Northeastern’s games. Last weekend, the Fighting Irish split with Lake Superior State on the road. Saturday’s 5-2 loss saw junior goaltender Mike Johnson’s personal-best 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) come to an end. It’s been over a decade since these teams met; they split a series Oct. 20-21, 2000. Sorry, Irish. Picks: ND 3-2, 4-2

MCHA/MIAC/NCHA picks: Dec. 2-3

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The Thanksgiving tournaments are now memories, and conference battles are back on tap for this weekend. In the MIAC and NCHA, there are some head-to-head match-ups that could tip the balance of power in this season’s standings.
MCHA
Marian at Northland, 3:05 p.m. Saturday
Northland’s Colin McIntosh was a one-man wrecking crew last week against Bethel. He had a natural hat trick, giving him 10 goals on the year. Kraig Wright leads the team in scoring with 17 points. Brian Berger leads Marian with seven goals, and Dakota Dubetz leads all scoring for Marian with 14 points. Marian and Northland have similar success when killing off penalties this season.  Marian’s power play has been successful 28.9 percent of the time, while Northland has only scored on 11.5 percent of its power-play chances. Special teams will be the deciding factor in this game. Pick: Marian 5-3
MIAC
St. Thomas at Concordia (Minn.), 7:00 p.m. Friday
St. Thomas picked up a big road win over Adrian last weekend, and is undefeated in the MIAC. Robby Philipp leads St. Thomas in scoring with 10 points so far this season. Concordia, currently in third place of the MIAC, could jump ahead of St. Thomas in the conference standings with a weekend sweep. Concordia’s strength is its goaltending. Chris Neamonitis and Kelly Andrew have a combined goals against average of 1.61. There should not be a lot of scoring this weekend, which favors Concordia. Pick:  Concordia 2-1
Hamline at Bethel, 7:00 p.m. Saturday
Hamline could be the biggest winner of a tight St. Thomas at Concordia series. If Hamline takes care of business against Bethel and St. Thomas battles to a series draw with Concordia, Hamline could take the MIAC lead. Jordan VanGilder and Cory Belisle lead Hamline in scoring with nine points each. Beau Christian has played a majority of the season in goal with a 3.58 goals against average. Jake Kogler and Jack Paul lead Bethel in scoring goals, each with four this year. Dan Harper and Robby Brown have split the goalie duties for Bethel this year. Pick: Hamline 4-2
NCHA
Wis.-River Falls at Wis.-Superior, 7:00 p.m. Friday
Wis.-Superior currently leads the NCHA conference standings with a 3-1-2 conference record, good for eight points. Wis.-River Falls sits third with six points with a 2-0-2 record, and has not lost this season. The trip to the south shore of Lake Superior will be Wis.-River Falls’ toughest test this season. Pat Dalbec leads Wis.-Superior offensively with seven goals and 13 points on the year. Drew Strandberg sports a 1.97 goals against average and a .918 saves percentage. Justin Brossman and Jason Yeul lead a potent offense for Wis.-River Falls with 12 points apiece. Goalie Scott Lewan will likely start for Wis.-River Falls this weekend. He has a 2.08 goals against average and a saves percentage of .917. Expect both goalies’ goals against average to suffer during this series. Look for Wis.-Superior takes the first game of the series and improve its position from No. 10 in the USCHO.com poll next week. Pick: Wis.-Superior 6-4

SUNYAC picks: Dec. 2

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Game of the Week
I hate the schedule maker.
The last few years, the consistently most enjoyable SUNYAC rivalry games have been Plattsburgh-Oswego (well, that’s been consistently exciting for decades) and Fredonia-Buffalo State. So what do they do? Both times these rivalry games take place, it happens on the exact same day.
You see why I want to throw an elbow at the schedule maker when I go stalking by?
Since I will be attending the Fredonia at Buffalo State game, I will pick that one as the game of the week. (Hey, it’s my blog, and I’ll do what I want with it…)
I’ve written many times how this series in recent years has almost always been one-goal contests, especially if you ignore empty-net goals, one year involved all ties, and has plenty of overtime hockey. They sure do like meeting in the playoffs as well.
Last year was no exception. Both teams won at home in their three meetings. First, Buffalo State took a 2-1 win in overtime (of course). Then, Fredonia won 6-4 before winning again in the playoffs, 3-2, with all the goals coming in the second period, and only one player on each team scored all those goals.
To say these teams play each other close and tight, to say these coaches intimately know each other’s style, and to say this rivalry has grown to exceptional status this century, is an understatement.
Topping it all off is the fact this meeting is extremely important in the standings. Currently, Buffalo State is two points behind Plattsburgh and three points behind Oswego. Considering those teams play each other the same night, a Bengals victory is guaranteed to put them in the race for a bye.
Meanwhile, Fredonia is two points behind Buffalo State, and in a deadlock with two other teams, Potsdam and Geneseo. The Blue Devils desperately need this game to maintain pace with the leaders.
This scenario is exactly the set up fans love to see. They will be in for a real treat of old fashioned, hard-nosed hockey.
I really like the way Buffalo State has been playing this year. Their only “bad” loss was to Potsdam. They beat Plattsburgh and St. Thomas, and have blown out Brockport, Morrisville, and Cortland. They played Geneseo (a game they really should have won), Oswego, and Wis.-Eau Claire very well in those losses.
For those reasons, I’m going with Buffalo State to reverse the trend of last season, and win at home.
Other Picks
Okay, now we can talk about the Oswego at Plattsburgh game. Always a thriller, this year promises the same.
The high-powered offense of Oswego going up against the struggling offense of Plattsburgh, scoreless in the last 160 minutes. The tough, disciplined style of Plattsburgh going up against the freewheeling, penalty-prone Oswego.
Oswego has won the last five meetings, a rare streak for the Lakers against their biggest rivals. Even though the game is at Plattsburgh, I’m going to go with Oswego extending that streak to six.
Oswego then travels to Potsdam in a perfect set up for an upset. However, I’ll go with Oswego, but they better be careful of the Bears. Plattsburgh will bounce back and dispatch Cortland.
Potsdam will start the weekend beating Cortland, in a game between two teams playing better than expected.
The other Friday game will see Geneseo overcome their horrendous performance two weekends ago and beat Morrisville. Morrisville will then run into a psyched up Brockport and lose again.
The remainder of the games are all nonconference contests. Elmira will beat Fredonia, Geneseo will beat Hobart, and in the upset of the week, Buffalo State will beat Utica. Buffalo State will also win on Wednesday against Hobart.

ECAC Northeast/MASCAC picks: Dec. 2

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Last weekend’s ECAC Northeast/MASCAC slate included a slew of nonconference games, including a handful of Thanksgiving tournaments in which teams got to showcase their wares against out-of-state competition. I went 3-2-1 this week (earning a half point for Framingham’s 1-1 tie Tuesday with Fitchburg), moving to 14-9-5.
Here are this week’s picks.
ECAC Northeast
Curry at Suffolk, 4 p.m. Saturday, Walter Brown Arena
After a season-opening loss nearly a month ago to No. 13 Neumann, the Colonels have picked up steam and have won four straight entering this week. Furthermore, they’ve scored 27 goals in their first five games. Prior to Thursday, Suffolk hadn’t won a game since November 5, a stretch in which they’ve been outscored 35-11 and have used three goalies — none with a GAA lower than 4.06. Pick: Curry 6-2
Salve Regina at Johnson and Wales, 6 p.m. Saturday
The offense and defense are already in a rhythm for Johnson and Wales, which scored 32 goals in its first six games, including seven from Danny Kaufmann, while allowing an average of two goals a game. Salve Regina meanwhile, looks to build upon Sunday’s win at Colby — the Seahawks’ first win over the Mules. Pick: Johnson and Wales 4-1
Wentworth at Nichols, 7:40 p.m. Sunday
After a pair of nonconference games against Trinity and Wesleyan (a 4-1 loss), Wentworth plays two more ECAC Northeast games this week before resuming a stretch of six games — including five nonconference games. Nicholes is struggling to capitalize on its scoring changes; in a 4-0 loss last week (Nov. 19) to Becker, the Bison were shut out despite putting 44 shots on goal. At the Skidmore Invitational, the Bison scored four goals on 46 shots, and an 8-2 loss to Skidmore on Saturday, two goals on 23 shots. Pick: Wentworth 3-1
MASCAC
Plymouth State at Worcester State, 4 p.m. Saturday
The Panthers entered the week with a pair of the MASCAC’s statistical leaders, Kyle Greco, the MASCAC’s leading scorer with two goals and seven assists, and goalie Jack Astedt, who is second in the league in goals against average (2.20). Worcester State broke a five-game winless streak with Saturday’s 6-1 win at Southern New Hampshire. Pick: Plymouth State 5-2
Salem State at Westfield State, 5:35 p.m. Saturday
In Salem State’s 5-1 loss Saturday, Amherst held Salem State to one goal and a season-low 19 shots, but the Vikings rebounded the next afternoon with a 5-3 win over Babson, despite being outshot 42-27. Prior to Saturday’s game, Westfield State had a nine-day layoff before returning to action Thursday at Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Pick: Salem State 4-2
Stonehill at Framingham State, 7:20 p.m. Tuesday
Stonehill has faced five MASCAC and ECAC Northeast opponents this season and is 1-4 this season against those teams. Framingham State earned its first win of the season Thursday, defeating Worcester State 5-3, but was outscored 22-5 in its first four games. Pick: Framingham State 2-1

Women’s picks: Dec. 2

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Well, I had a bad week last week, in part because I got the days of a split wrong, and also because I bet on the underdog a couple of times. I went 9-5 (.642), to move to 76-26-9 (.725) on the year. Arlan got the splits correct, and also picked the favorites, so he went 12-2 (.857), to improve to 74-28-9 (.707). We’ve decided to spotlight some other teams this week, in addition to some of the big dogs, so let’s see how we do.

Friday-Saturday, Dec. 2-3

Minnesota at North Dakota
Candace: The marquee series of the weekend. I know this will be a split, but I’m not sure who wins which. I’ll go back to picking North Dakota to win on Saturday, like they normally do. Minnesota 4-2, North Dakota 3-1
Arlan: Can UND parlay TV timeouts into a sweep? North Dakota 3-2, Minnesota 4-3

Cornell at Mercyhurst
Candace: The Lakers couldn’t beat Cornell with Agosta and Bendus. I don’t see them doing it now. Cornell 3-2, 4-2
Arlan: I doubt that the Lakers’ schedule to date has them prepared for this series. Cornell 5-2, 4-3

Niagara-Ohio State
Candace: I’ve realized the folly in picking underdogs, and picking against Ohio State. Ohio State 4-2, 5-2
Arlan: With OSU positioned to contend like never before there’s no room for a slip versus Niagara. Ohio State 5-3, 3-2

Friday, Dec. 2

Quinnipiac at Brown
Candace: I can’t see the Bobcats losing this, even though I’d love to see Brown get back to its older, badder self. Quinnipiac 3-1
Arlan: Brown has been tough at home, but it’s a small sample size. Quinnipiac 2-1

Rensselaer at Clarkson
Candace: Can the Engineers parlay that excellent two periods against Wisconsin into something more? Maybe, but not in this game. Clarkson 2-1
Arlan: The Golden Knights’ offense is apparently buried in the deep freeze, but they did “explode” for two goals at RPI. Clarkson 2-0

Union at St. Lawrence
Candace: Union has shown signs of life, but I expect that even losing to Mercyhurst helps the Saints. St. Lawrence 3-1
Arlan: Both Union and SLU score less than twice a game in conference action; first one to two wins. St. Lawrence 2-1

Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 3-4

Boston College at Maine
Candace: Maine shocked BC back in October. Now they are at home. Can they pull it off again? My gut says BC goes for revenge. Boston College 3-2, 4-1
Arlan: Any game involving Maine is a trick question; the Bears go to OT a third of the time. BC 4-2, 3-3 tie

Providence vs. Boston University
Candace: While I can understand BU losing to Cornell, the loss to Northeastern was a shocker. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Terriers regain momentum, but I’ll call split, and probably get the days wrong again. Boston University 3-2, Providence 2-1
Arlan: Until the cavalry arrives, the Terriers will be hard-pressed to sweep anyone. Providence 3-2, BU 4-1

New Hampshire vs. Northeastern
Candace: The win against Boston University shows me the Huskies really want to make the playoffs. Northeastern 3-1, 2-1
Arlan: I want to pick the Wildcats, but they’ve been awful in conference and NU has largely handled the favorite’s role. Northeastern 2-1, 4-2

Saturday, Dec. 3

Quinnipiac at Yale
Candace: Yale is worse than Brown. Expect the Bobcats to win the battle of Connecticut. Quinnipiac 5-0
Arlan: Other than the OT win over Union, Yale has struggled pretty much everywhere. Quinnipiac 4-0

Rensselaer at St. Lawrence
Candace: I really want to pick the Engineers. I just can’t in this series. St. Lawrence 3-1
Arlan: The Saints are yielding over a goal more per game in ECAC play than the Engineers. Renssalaer 2-1

Union at Clarkson
Candace: Clarkson has quietly been doing very well in conference. Clarkson 2-1
Arlan: I’d imagine that the Knights remember their first meeting this season with the Dutchwomen. Clarkson 3-0

WCHA Picks: Dec. 2-3

By Tyler Buckentine and Brian Halverson
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Minnesota-Duluth's Kenny Reiter stops Bemidji State's Jamie MacQueen on a penalty shot. (Tim Brule)
After a week off, Minnesota-Duluth and Bemidji State both return to action this weekend (Photo: Tim Brule).

No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth (9-3-2, 7-2-1 WCHA) at No. 20 Michigan Tech (8-5-1, 5-4-1 WCHA)

Tyler: Michigan Tech has been on the run the last couple weeks and Minnesota-Duluth spent last weekend resting. Kenny Reiter has been as hot of goaltender as anyone the last month and he’s out to prove the week off won’t affect his hot streak. I don’t expect to  UMD to slow down but this could be a bump in the road for the Bulldogs, with how well the Huskies have played defensively this season. Split

Brian: The Huskies play at home for the first time since Nov. 5 while the Bulldogs have jumped four spots in the rankings (No. 8 to No. 4) since they last played two weeks ago against Minnesota State. The teams have allowed an identical 2.36 goals per game overall and their starting goalies each boast .926 saves percentages in conference games. Although UMD’s road scoring average is half a goal below its season average, the Bulldogs are giving up roughly the same amount less away from home than they are overall. Unbeaten in 10 games (8-0-2) and chomping at the bit after a week off, I don’t see a bumpy road quite yet for UMD and they sweep.

Nebraska-Omaha (7-6-3, 6-3-3 WCHA) at Alabama-Huntsville (0-14-1)

Tyler: UNO put up 59 shots on the Chargers last season, and lost 2-1 in overtime. That loss left an awful taste in the Mavericks collective mouth and they won’t let that happen again. UNO sweeps the neutral-site series.

Brian: As much as I hate to kick a team when it’s down, this could get ugly for UAH. The Mavericks sweep this series handily. Is there anyone who can tell me why anyone in Nashville would care about this series in the least? It should be quite an atmosphere at Bridgestone Arena.

Minnesota State (3-10-1, 2-7-1 WCHA) at No. 5 Minnesota (11-4-1, 8-2-0 WCHA)

Tyler:  The Mavericks haven’t lost at Mariucci Arena since Nov. 2007 but these programs have gone in completely different directions since then. Minnesota’s offense will overpower Minnesota State’s crumbed wall in front of the net this weekend. No surprises here. Minnesota sweep.

Brian: Although the Mavericks rank just behind Minnesota in scoring average, no one gives up more goals per game than Minnesota State (4.50) while the Gophers’ defense is the WCHA’s stingiest (1.90). The teams are virtually even in penalty minutes per game but it’s what happens next that is the key. Minnesota’s PP and PK are tops in the league while MSU’s are near the bottom. Gophers sweep.

No. 10 Denver (6-4-3, 4-2-3 WCHA) at No. 8 Colorado College (7-4-0, 5-4-0 WCHA)

Tyler:  Saturday’s 4-3 loss to UND was the second time CC has scored less than four goals in a game this season, going back to the season opener against Bemidji State. Rylan Schwartz recorded two hat tricks last weekend, and although he can be a streaky scorer, the Tigers have plenty of back-up, offensively. Whether Denver starts Adam Murray or Juho Olkinuora, I like CC in this one.

Brian: The Tigers will be looking to put last weekend’s sweep at North Dakota behind them and, after falling to DU 5-4 in Denver on Nov. 12, will not want to fall two games behind in the battle for the coveted Gold Pan trophy over which the two schools battle. Neither team has received what could be considered consistent goaltending but I think CC finds a way to win this one at home as Denver sees its first action on an Olympic-sized sheet.

Bemidji State (5-8-1, 3-6-1 WCHA) at St. Cloud State (6-7-3, 4-4-2 WCHA)

Tyler:  Radoslav Illo’s return to the lineup could give the BSU offense a boost. The Beavers have scored just four goals in the three games he’s missed. The Anaheim draft pick has underachieved in his time with the Beavers and this would be a good time for him, and the Beavers alike, to bust out of the slump. Still, the Huskies are still unbeaten at home and I expect them to stay that way after the weekend. BSU’s inability to score will be more exposed than Ryan Faragher’s youth. SCSU sweep

Brian: After a week off, the Beavers should be eager to return to game action following their shutout of North Dakota two weeks ago. The Beavers have the special teams edge, especially when BSU heads to the box. Bemidji State’s penalty kill ranks second only to Minnesota’s while SCSU’s power play ranks dead last at just 11.76 percent. Although the Huskies are tough at home I’m expecting the Beavers scratch out a couple of points and leave with a split.

North Dakota (6-7-1, 4-6-0 WCHA) at Alaska Anchorage (5-7-2, 2-7-1 WCHA)

Tyler: Dave Hakstol said before the season that his team wasn’t the second-best team in the WCHA, contrary to the preseason WCHA rankings. He said is team had a long way to go before it reaches that point. After a home sweep of Colorado College, the Sioux made a case that they have arrived. UND’s power play has struggled all season but it went 4-for-11 last weekend and the Sioux faces UAA’s lackluster penalty kill (76.7 percent). UND will win one game this weekend with a good power-play performance but Anchorage is always a tough place to leave with a sweep. Split

Brian: Although sweeping CC last weekend was impressive, I haven’t completely bought into the team I can refer to as the Sioux for just 29 more days. Call it a guess, a gut feeling, or simply a hunch but, while I believe the annual Sioux second-half surge is inevitable, we’re not quite there yet. It looks like a split to me.

ECAC Picks: Dec.2-3

By
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My first ECAC weekend picks come just as Yale wrapped up a win over Brown in some Thursday night college hockey action.

Brown actually led 2-0 early, but the Bulldogs ripped off three goals in the third period to go ahead for good. Brian O’Neill led the way with two scores while Andrew Miller had a goal and an assist.

Yale and Brown first played in the 1897-98 season, and the Bulldogs now lead the all-time series 88-70-8.

The teams wrap up the weekend series Saturday night in Providence. Weekend sweeps are tough to come by in college hockey, but I think Yale will pull this one off, 4-3.

Here’s a look at what else is on deck in a somewhat abbreviated weekend.

Harvard at Massachusetts

The Crimson are the lone ECAC team to call the Bay State home, yet the Minutemen are one of six Hockey East teams residing in the state. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing at all.

With three losses in a row, including a 4-2 setback to Quinnipiac  Saturday, UMass has been scuffling a bit. Meanwhile, Harvard went 3-1-1 to close out November. Look for them to drive back on the Mass. Pike a game over .500 as they hand UMass its first home loss.

Harvard 4, UMass 2

Clarkson at Colgate

The Golden Knights longest road trip in 71 years continues with a stop at Colgate. Clarkson is 2-3-3 on the road this season. It’s a battle of the conference’s two overall leading  scorers in Colgate’s Austin Smith (15-6) and Clarkson’s  Louke Oakley (7-10).

Clarkson’s Paul Karpowich is second in the nation in shutouts (4), fourth in save percentage (.942) and  sixth in goals-against-average (1.80). Colgate’s duo of Alex Evin and Eric Mihalik haven’t been too shabby this year either.

If you’re in New York, be sure to tune into Time Warner Sports to for live coverage Friday at 7 p.m.

I’ll take the Raiders consistency over the Golden Knights’ streaky play this year.

Colgate 3, Clarkson 2

St. Lawrence at Cornell

After splitting time in net last year, it’s been all Andy Iles so far for the Big Red, as the sophomore has played every minute, posting a sparkling 2.00 goals-against-average. They’ve been lauded as a defense-first team, but Cornell has been scoring at a solid clip this year as well.

St. Lawrence is coming off a weekend split with Michigan Tech, and faces the Big Red prior to facing Colgate on Saturday. Look for Iles to keep up his stellar play.

Cornell 3, St. Lawrence 1

Rensselaer at Princeton

A last place finish entering December wasn’t the way RPI was looking to start after making the NCAA tournament last year.   Princeton hasn’t been much better, but I’ll take the home team here. The Tigers are led by a junior class that has accounted for 14 of their 22 goals.

Princeton 3, RPI 2

Union at Quinnipiac

After losing their head coach and several key players in the offseason, the Dutchmen haven’t suffered a letdown this year, as they’re currently No. 9 in the USCHO Poll. Union has been one of the toughest road teams in college hockey, as they’re 24-11-4 over the past two-plus years, and are on a 13-1-1 run extending back to last year.

They also boast the best scoring defense (1.85) and second-best scoring offense (3.38) in the ECAC.

The Bobcats’ Jeremy Langlois has 10 goals in 16 games and  is one of 13 players in men’s Division 1 to have tallied double-digit goals.

I like Union to make themselves at home in Hamden.

Union 4, Quinnipiac 2

St. Lawrence at Colgate

The Saints wrap up a tough weekend with a road game at Colgate. A win would help the Raiders gain valuable points in a very tight race at the top of the ECAC. Look for them to do just that, although narrowly.

Colgate 3, St. Lawrence 2 (OT)

Clarkson at Cornell

Both the Golden Knights and Big Red have given up 11 goals in ECAC  play this year. The difference? Cornell has scored 25 times in conference play, while Clarkson has just 12.  Goals might be hard to come in this one, with two top netminders facing off in Iles and Karpowich.

Clarkson 2, Cornell 2

Union at Princeton

Union marks the sixth ranked opponent the Tigers have faced this year, with three of them coming on the road. Princeton is 0-4-1 against ranked opponents, and Union is as tough as any they’ve faced so far.

Union 5, Princeton 2

Rensselaer at Quinnipiac

I’ll be stringing this game for the Albany Times Union.  So in the spirit of Monday Night Football, should I abstain from making a pick? Nah, I’ll go for it. This is definitely an important  game for two teams that I’m sure have no desire to remain near the bottom of the conference. The big difference? Quinnipiac is 8-6-2 overall, while the Engineers are just 3-10.

I’m going to give a slight edge to the host Bobcats, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go either way.

Quinnipiac 3, RPI 1

Atlantic Hockey Picks Dec. 2-3

By
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Last Week: 10-1-2 (Best week in a long time)
On the Season:63-28-11 (.672)

This Week’s Picks:

Rochester Institute of Technology at Connecticut – This weekend sees all six west pod teams traveling east. While the Tigers and Huskies have been playing each other since the Division III days, they really haven’t had much of a rivalry until the past two seasons, when RIT has ended UConn’s season each year. The Tigers are 17-6-1 all-time against the Huskies, and I think they’ll improve on that this weekend. RIT 3, UConn 2; RIT 4, UConn 3.

Niagara at Bentley – This will be Niagara’s first trip to Bentley. The teams have played just twice before with Niagara taking both games at home last season. I think they’ll sweep again. Niagara 4, Bentley 2; Niagara 3, Bentley 2.

Canisius at Holy Cross – This has the potential to be the most entertaining series of the weekend, and it’s a tough call. Holy Cross is 6-2-1 against Canisius since 2008 but the Griffins are the hotter (and stingier) team right now. I’m picking a split. Canisius 3, Holy Cross 1; Holy Cross 3, Canisius 2.

Air Force at American International  - Air Force leads the series 20-1-1, with the only loss coming last season in Colorado Springs. I’m picking the first-place Falcons to sweep here. Air Force 4, AIC 2; Air Force 4, AIC 3.

Mercyhurst at Army – Both teams are having trouble scoring goals lately. the Lakers swept the series last season and I think they’ll do it again. Mercyhurst 4, Army 1; Mercyhurst 2 Army 1.

Robert Morris at Sacred Heart – Friday’s game is in Milford; Saturday’s in Bridgeport, where the Pioneers are a much better team. RMU  5, SHU 2; SHU 3, RMU 2.

Take Me On
To quote a song that should be the league’s theme song (A Ha, get it?) Take On Me by posting your picks in the comments.

Hockey East picks – December 2-8

By
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Dave and I only differed on Vermont’s two games last week and the Cats’ split led to Dave and I posting identical records.

Jim last week: 7-4-0
Dave last week: 7-4-0
Jim’s record-to-date: 49-28-8
Dave’s record-to-date: 50-27-8

Here are this week’s picks:

Friday, December 2

Boston University at Boston College
Jim’s pick: I have to go the obvious route and pick home teams in the renewal of college hockey’s best rivalry
BC 4, BU 2
Dave’s pick: Earlier in the season I would have gone with a BC sweep. However, the Terriers are playing the more consistent hockey between the two teams right now so I’m this close to going with a sweep the other way. But not quite. Home ice rules.
BC 3, BU 2 (OT)

Merrimack at Providence 
Jim’s pick: This could be the upset of the week as I think Providence at home is an excellent team. Still, I’m not picking against Merrimack.
MC 3, PC 2
Dave’s pick: As I was reading Jimmy’s words (this week he wrote his picks first), I began salivating at the thought of him picking against the Warriors. Alas, he didn’t pull the trigger.
MC 4, PC2

New Hampshire at Massachusetts-Lowell
Jim’s pick: UNH is Lowell’s only ugly loss of the year. I think they’ll get revenge at home.
UML 4, UNH 2
Dave’s pick: I’m going to have to differ with Jimmy on this one. I covered that ugly loss for the River Hawks at UNH, so it’s hard to get the men vs. boys quality out of my mind.  The Wildcats have been maddeninly inconsistent so far this year, but I’m going with them even on the road.
UNH 4, UML 2

Maine at Vermont 
Jim’s pick: Convinced this will be a split, so I’ll play the odds as Vermont has been a better team on Saturdays this season.
Maine 5, UVM 3
Dave’s pick: I’ll agree with Jim on this half of the weekend series.
Maine 4, UVM 2

Northeastern at Notre Dame
Jim’s pick: The Huskies are playing well, but I don’t see them getting a win in South Bend.
ND 3, NU 1
Dave’s pick: Agreed. The Irish are just too tough.
ND 4, NU1

Harvard at Massachusetts
Jim’s pick: Even on the road, I think Harvard is the better team between these two.
HU 4, UMass 2
Dave’s pick: I hate going against another Hockey East team in a nonconference game, but I think the UMass winless streak goes to five.
HU 4, UMass 2

Saturday, December 3

Boston College at Boston University
Jim’s pick: Home teams sweep this series.
BU 5, BC 3
Dave’s pick: I’ll go with BU as well, but wouldn’t be surprised if either team sweeps or if both road teams win.
BU 4, BC 2

Providence at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: Friday was a difficult pick. Saturday, with Merrimack at home, not so difficult.
MC 6, PC 3
Dave’s pick: A no-brainer but not just because of Merrimack’s strength at home.
MC 5, PC 2

Massachusetts-Lowell at New Hampshire
Jim’s pick: UNH gets back to the win column at home.
UNH 4, UML 1
Dave’s pick: The Wildcats complete the sweep.
UNH 5, UML 2

Maine at Vermont
Jim’s pick: Saturday night special once again for the Catamounts at home.
UVM 4, Maine 3
Dave’s pick: Nope.  Maine completes the sweep on the road.
Maine 4, UVM 3

Northeastern at Notre Dame 
Jim’s pick: NU needs the wins but Notre Dame isn’t the right place to get them.
ND 5, NU 2
Dave’s pick: Another no-brainer.  Can’t see this game being close.
ND 4, NU 1

Tuesday, December 6

Providence at Boston College 
Jim’s pick: The battle of Hockey East’s original Catholics goes, once again, to BC.
BC 5, PC 2
Dave’s pick: The Friars have made important strides this year but not enough to topple BC.
BC 4, PC2

Wednesday, December 7

Vermont at Merrimack 
Jim’s pick: Merrimack at home. This result feels a little redundant (and my pick obvious).
MC 6, UVM 2
Dave’s pick: The Warriors remain the lone undefeated club in the country and would do so at any venue.
MC 5, UVM 2

Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation adds Alliance Holdings as new sponsor

USCHO Staff Report
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The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation announced Thursday that it has added Pennsylvania-based Alliance Holdings, Inc., as a corporate sponsor.

A fast growing and successful company since its inception in 1994, Alliance Holdings is a 100 percent employee-owned company that uses the vehicle of Employee Stock Ownership Plans to invest in market-leading manufacturers of industrial, commercial and construction products.

“Alliance is proud to be part of this extraordinary awards program,” said Alliance Holdings CEO David Fenkell in a news release. “The Hockey Humanitarian Award values high standards in sports, academics, charity and volunteerism. Those are the sort of qualities that help produce worthy role models. We are honored to be involved.”

Alliance’s three-year financial commitment will be primarily used to support the charitable undertakings of HHA finalists and recipients, as well as the collegiate hockey programs those finalists and recipients represent.

“Alliance Holdings is about bringing good people together to reach a common goal,” added Fenkell. “By lending our support to the Hockey Humanitarian Foundation, Alliance Holdings can continue its ongoing mission of recognizing and supporting those outstanding citizens that live their lives both in and out of sports, with the common goal of making their community better.

“There are too many good athletes doing so many good things that aren’t being recognized for their achievements. By lending our support to the Hockey Humanitarian Award, we think we can help the many outstanding athletes in our community get the recognition they deserve.”

Last year, Cleveland-based law firm Ulmer & Berne LLP joined the Hockey Humanitarian Award family and helped establish its charitable giving initiatives.

The award’s primary sponsor is BNY Mellon Wealth Management.

Nominations for the Hockey Humanitarian Award are currently being solicited from schools, with finalists being announced in January and the winner being unveiled at the Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla., on April 6.

ECAC West Weekly Picks, Dec. 2-7

By
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Neumann threw me a curve before Thanksgiving.  I had picked the Knights to beat Manhattanville and then lose to Utica but the opposite happened.  Go figure.
Other than that, my picks were pretty close to dead on, particularly the tournament games of Hobart and Elmira.
This week, there is one last round of league games Friday night before the teams head back out for nonconference play.  My upset special this week is Neumann over Elmira Friday night.  The Knights need to reign in Elmira if anyone hopes to catch the Soaring Eagles for the title later in the season.
Last Week:  7-3      
Overall:  15-5 (.750)
{predicted winners bolded}
Friday, December 2
Utica at Manhattanville – Which Manhattanville team will show up?  The one that beat Neumann on the road 7-4, or the one that lost to WNE and tied Williams?  Utica seems like a more consistent pick.
Elmira at Neumann – “It was a tough, hard-fought game up at our place three weeks ago,” said Elmira coach Aaron Saul.  “They always seem to do very well in their rink.”
Saturday, December 3
Fredonia at Elmira – Elmira will need to break through the usually staunch Fredonia trap.
Geneseo at Hobart – Hobart is idle on Friday, while Geneseo has a tough league game against Morrisville.  A more rested Statesmen team should have the advantage.
Buffalo State at Utica – Buffalo State has big wins against Plattsburgh and St. Thomas, so Utica has to be careful after coming off the game against Manhattanville.
Tuesday, December 6
Manhattanville at Conn. College – The Valiants need to become more consistent, particularly when playing the schools from New England.
Wednesday, December 7
Hobart at Buffalo State – Hobart gets a midweek road game at Buffalo State to warm up for Oswego next weekend.

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