It wasn’t a banner week for prognostications, but a fourth-place tie after the total-goals tiebreaker meant that the only casualty of the first round of picks was MAAC correspondent Jim Connelly.<\/p>\n
The standings last week:<\/p>\n
Paula C. Weston: 5-0
\nTodd D. Milewski: 3-2
\nDave Hendrickson: 2-3
\nJayson Moy\/Becky Blaeser: 2-3
\nNatasha J. Parker: 2-3
\nJim Connelly: 2-3 (lost tiebreaker)<\/p>\n
The remaining five candidates advance to the semifinals, where the object is the same — pick the winners, straight up. The games under consideration this week are the four first-round NCAA matchups: Colorado College-St. Lawrence, Minnesota-Maine, Michigan-Mercyhurst, and Wisconsin-Providence.<\/p>\n
Without further ado, the picks…<\/p>\n
Colorado College 4, St. Lawrence 2:<\/b> The WCHA gets the first win of the regionals at the expense of the ECAC’s lone representative.<\/p>\n
Maine 4, Minnesota 2:<\/b> The first of the five WCHA teams falls, setting up a Hockey East showdown on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Providence 3, Wisconsin 2:<\/b> Hockey East’s least-known representative wins to set up a David vs. Goliath matchup against Michigan State.<\/p>\n
Michigan 6, Mercyhurst 1:<\/b> Critics of the MAAC autobid will gain some ammo from this lopsided contest.<\/p>\nTodd D. Milewski (WCHA)<\/h4>\n
Minnesota 3, Maine 2:<\/b> Despite a recent slump, the Gophers squeak by.<\/p>\n
Michigan 6, Mercyhurst 2:<\/b> Nice to see you, Mercyhurst, but the Wolverines should make it a short stay.<\/p>\n
Colorado College 4, St. Lawrence 1:<\/b> CC got a favorable draw, and it’ll show against the Saints.<\/p>\n
Wisconsin 5, Providence 3:<\/b> I just can’t pick against these WCHA teams. With new life, the Badgers make the most of it.<\/p>\nPaula C. Weston (CCHA)<\/h4>\n
Minnesota 4, Maine 3:<\/b> I’m going against the conventional wisdom that says an Eastern team playing East should win. This could come back to bite me, as Maine is the more playoff-tested team.<\/p>\n
Colorado College 5, St. Lawrence 3:<\/b> The Saints are my sentimental favorite, and it’s clear that they can score some goals, but I can’t pick them.<\/p>\n
Michigan 6, Mercyhurst 1:<\/b>This one is hard for me. I have very strong ties to Erie, and Rick Gotkin is one of the nicest coaches I’ve ever met. Having said that, go CCHA!<\/p>\n
Wisconsin 4, Providence 2:<\/b> The Badgers are 4-1-0 against Hockey East teams this season.<\/p>\nBecky Blaeser\/Jayson Moy (ECAC)<\/h4>\n
St. Lawrence 3, Colorado College 2:<\/b> You just have to go with the experience factor here. The Saints have been there; the Tigers are back after a hiatus.<\/p>\n
Minnesota 4, Maine 2:<\/b> Yeats will have to stand tall for the Black Bears, while the Gophers have to get their consistency together.<\/p>\n
Providence 3, Wisconsin 2:<\/b> Dany Heatley needs a supporting cast to help him out. The Friars get it done with determination.<\/p>\n
Michigan 6, Mercyhurst 2:<\/b> It seems like a mismatch on paper. The game will be played respectfully, but the bigger talent wins out.<\/p>\nNatasha J. Parker (CHA)<\/h4>\n
Maine 4, Minnesota 2<\/b><\/p>\n
Michigan 5, Mercyhurst 1<\/b><\/p>\n
Colorado College 3, St. Lawrence 2<\/b><\/p>\n
Wisconsin 3, Providence 1<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After a so-so week of picks, USCHO.com’s crack writing staff looks to turn it on for the NCAAs. Check out the second round of our picks competition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"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":[4],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n