There was just a single game on tap on Hockey East when we last picked and a tie helped neither of us.<\/p>\n
Jim last week: 0-0-1
\nJim to date: 72-48-12
\nDave last week: 0-0-1
\nDave to date: 72-48-12<\/p>\n
Catamount Cup (at Burlington, Vt.)<\/strong> St. Lawrence at Vermont<\/strong> Ledyard Bank Classic (at Hanover, N.H.)<\/strong> Three Rivers Classic (at Pittsburgh, Pa.)<\/strong> Merrimack at Denver<\/strong> Maine at Rensselaer<\/strong> Saturday, December 30<\/strong><\/p>\n Connecticut at Boston College<\/strong> Catamount Cup (Burlington, Vt.)<\/strong> Harvard at Vermont<\/strong> Ledyard Bank Classic (Hanover, N.H.)<\/strong> Three Rivers Classic (Pittsburgh, Pa.)<\/strong> Merrimack at Colorado College<\/strong> American International at Northeastern<\/strong> Maine at Rensselaer<\/strong> Tuesday, January 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Quinnipiac at Connecticut<\/strong> Wednesday, January 3<\/strong><\/p>\n Brown at Providence<\/strong> There was just a single game on tap on Hockey East when we last picked and a tie helped neither of us. Jim last week: 0-0-1 Jim to date: 72-48-12 Dave last week: 0-0-1 Dave to date: 72-48-12 Catamount Cup (at Burlington, Vt.) UMass Lowell vs. Harvard Jim’s pick: Neither team lived up to expectations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":140328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1425,934],"tags":[1236,1490],"coauthors":[800],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nUMass Lowell vs. Harvard<\/strong>
\nJim’s pick: Neither team lived up to expectations in the first half, but Lowell probably showed more potential. Add that Harvard is without defenseman Adam Fox (World Juniors), and I have to pick the River Hawks.
\nUML 4, HU 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: Agreed. I never would have expected these two teams to be a game under .500 (Harvard) and only one game over (Lowell). Give me the River Hawks with hopes they perform like the Hawks we’ve grown to expect.
\nUML 3, HU 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: Again, we have two teams with disappointing first halves. So I guess I’ll use home ice to make my pick.
\nUVM 3, SLU 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: “Disappointing first halves” is putting it mildly. Both teams are in the cellar of their leagues. Since Vermont at least has four wins overall, compared to SLU’s 1-14-1 record, I’ve got to go with the Catamounts.
\nUVM 3, SLU 1<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nNew Hampshire at Dartmouth<\/strong>
\nJim’s pick: The hosts should be motivated to reach the championship game, but I still think UNH is the better team here.
\nUNH 3, DC 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: The Wildcats experienced some ups and downs in the first half, but Dartmouth had mostly downs.
\nUNH 4, DC 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nArizona State vs. Providence<\/strong>
\nJim’s pick: Arizona State has surprised a number of teams this season, but I still have to pick the Friars to show up and take care of business.
\nPC 5, ASU 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: Arizona State is making progress, but that’s still miles from being in Providence’s class.
\nPC 5, ASU 1<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: Merrimack has some strong performances to end the first half, but Denver is just too strong.
\nDU 5, MC 3<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: Denver isn’t number two in the country for nothing.
\nDU 5, MC 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: I’m impressed by Maine. A lot. But I’m also concerned about how they will perform without goaltender Jeremy Swayman (World Juniors).
\nRPI 3, Maine 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: I’m still sticking with Maine, but with a\u00a0lot<\/em> less confidence since Swayman will be missing.
\nMaine 4, RPI 3<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: I think there is a concern that Joe Woll (World Juniors) won’t be between the pipes for the Eagles, but backup Ryan Edquist has strong numbers in his five appearances. If the Eagles score, they win.
\nBC 4, UConn 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: Woll’s absence is a concern, but I think the Eagles will pull out the win.
\nBC 3, UConn 2 (OT)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nUMass Lowell vs. St. Lawrence<\/strong>
\nJim’s pick: The River Hawks beat the Saints on the road, 5-0, earlier this year. Can’t see that changing.
\nUML 5, SLU 1<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: The River Hawks have been disappointing, but the Saints have been, to be brutally honest, awful.
\nUML 5, SLU 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: This is a battle of Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon vs. his alma mater. And I think alma mater wins.
\nHU 4, UVM 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: I don’t think the Catamounts will finish the season in the Hockey East cellar, but I don’t think they’re ready for the Crimson.
\nHU 4, UVM 1<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nNew Hampshire vs. Yale<\/strong>
\nJim’s pick: I liked a lot of what I saw about Yale in the first half. I can say the same about UNH, except how they closed.
\nYale 3, UNH 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: I don’t expect the Wildcats to shut out Yale like they did, 4-0, a month ago, but I still see a win.
\nUNH 4, Yale 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nProvidence vs. Lake Superior\/Robert Morris<\/strong>
\nJim’s pick: I think Providence should win this tournament, regardless of their opponent in the finals.
\nPC 4, LSSU 1; PC 4, RMU 3<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: The Friars are clearly the class of this tournament.
\nPC 5, LSSU 1; PC 4, RMU 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: This feels like a toss-up, but having seen CC beat New Hampshire earlier this season, I’m confident if they play their game, they win.
\nCC 3, MC 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: Earlier this month, Colorado College pulled out two ties against then-number one Denver. It is also a game over .500 overall.
\nCC 4, MC 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: This one shouldn’t be close. It probably will. But It shouldn’t be.
\nNU 6, AIC 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: Absolutely a one-sided affair.
\nNU 6, AIC 1<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: Even without Swayman, I don’t see Maine getting swept.
\nMaine 4, RPI 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: I’m going with a Maine sweep, but it’s a nervous prediction. Swayman’s 95 saves to lead the Black Bears to a sweep over Quinnipiac just before the break tell me I shouldn’t be picking anything more than a split, if that.
\nMaine 4, RPI 3 (OT)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: Tough one to pick in this old rivalry game. I’ll go with UConn at home.
\nUConn 3, QU 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: I keep expecting the old Quinnipiac to raise its ugly head, but its sweeps at the hands of UMass and Maine have forced me to conclude UConn is the better team. Especially at home.
\nUConn 3, QU 2<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJim’s pick: Another rivalry game, but this one should easily be Providence’s.
\nPC 5, Brown 2<\/strong>
\nDave’s pick: I think it’ll be closer than Jim does, but it still should be a Friars win.
\nPC 3, Brown 2<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"