Welcome to the USCHO.com staff’s annual picks competition, in which we display our knowledge — or lack thereof — of the NCAA tournament for the entertainment of the Internet-browsing public.<\/p>\n
This year’s competition is open to all USCHO.com staffers, 10 of whom have elected to participate. The rules are simple: pick all 12 games this weekend at the four regionals.<\/p>\n
A correct pick is worth one point; for quarterfinal games, only the winner, not both participants, must be correct.<\/p>\n
Total goals scored for all 12 games will be the tiebreaker, and the top three finishers advance to pick the Frozen Four under the same rules.<\/p>\n
Scott Brown<\/b>, Editor-in-Chief<\/i><\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 4, St. Cloud State 3: Check the schedule — the Huskies are better than you think. But they’re not that<\/i> good.<\/p>\n
Boston University 3, Harvard 0: Three-peat!<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 1, Boston University 0: That score looks kinda familiar.<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Minnesota 6, Mercyhurst 2: Talent advantage: check. Playoff experience: check. Home ice: check. The defending national champion hitting its stride for the postseason: check …<\/p>\n
North Dakota 4, Ferris State 3: It’s Mike Brown vs. the UND forwards. The week off helps, and Zach Parise and Brandon Bochenski come alive.<\/p>\n
Minnesota 4, North Dakota 2: The Sioux are familiar with the Gophers, but those weren’t these<\/i> Gophers.<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell 2, Minnesota State 0: The Big Red take out their big frustrations on the Mavericks. Dave LeNeveu gets the record-breaker.<\/p>\n
Boston College 3, Ohio State 2: Neither team has the momentum coming in, but BC looks like the safer pick.<\/p>\n
Cornell 2, Boston College 1: Low-scoring games go the way of Cornell.<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Colorado College 7, Wayne State 3: Defense isn’t necessarily the Tigers’ specialty — though they’re solid in back — but scoring sure is.<\/p>\n
Michigan 4, Maine 3: Home ice wins out again for the Wolverines, who defend it as well as anyone.<\/p>\n
Colorado College 5, Michigan 4: CC overcomes a frantic crowd at Yost. Peter Sejna gets the game winner.<\/p>\n
Todd D. Milewski<\/b>, WCHA Correspondent<\/i><\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 2, St. Cloud State 0: Even with their full lineup, the Huskies have had a season of disarray, and I don’t see them getting their first NCAA win.<\/p>\n
Boston University 3, Harvard 1: No reason to go against the 2-0 record the Terriers have gained against the Crimson so far this season.<\/p>\n
Boston University 2, New Hampshire 1: With the way the Hockey East final turned out, this game could go either way, but I’ll take the Terriers to get revenge.<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Ferris State 4, North Dakota 3: The Sioux have been hanging on for the second half of the season while not looking great, but just hanging on won’t be enough against a 30-game winner.<\/p>\n
Minnesota 5, Mercyhurst 2: No one’s forgetting the Lakers’ first NCAA appearance two years ago, but at Mariucci, it would be foolish to pick against the Gophers.<\/p>\n
Minnesota 4, Ferris State 2: See above about it being foolish to pick against the Gophers at Mariucci.<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell 4, Minnesota State-Mankato 2: Realistically, the Mavericks will have to be at their best to get two goals against Dave LeNeveu, and Cornell should get by.<\/p>\n
Boston College 5, Ohio State 2: No one’s sure what the week off is going to do to the Hockey East teams, but the Eagles are a consistently strong NCAA squad.<\/p>\n
Boston College 4, Cornell 3: Will the Big Red come this<\/i> close to the Frozen Four and not make it again? It may be another late goal that sinks Cornell.<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Colorado College 6, Wayne State 2: The Tigers appear too strong to be challenged significantly by the Warriors.<\/p>\n
Michigan 2, Maine 1: The nightcap should be considerably closer than the first game, and I’ll take the hosts because they’re the hosts.<\/p>\n
Colorado College 3, Michigan 2: It could be North Dakota circa 1998 all over again, but I’ll say the Tigers break the cycle of WCHA regular-season champions falling at Yost.<\/p>\n
Jim Connelly<\/b>, MAAC Correspondent<\/i><\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
BU vs. Harvard — BU, 3-2
\nNew Hampshire vs. St. Cloud State — New Hampshire, 5-3<\/p>\n
BU vs. UNH — BU, 4-3<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Ferris State vs. North Dakota — North Dakota, 4-3
\nMinnesota vs. Mercyhurst — Minnesota, 4-2<\/p>\n
North Dakota vs. Minnesota — Minnesota, 5-2<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell vs. MSU-Mankato — Cornell, 3-1
\nBC vs. Ohio State — BC, 6-3<\/p>\n
BC vs. Cornell — BC, 3-2<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Maine vs. Michigan — Michigan, 5-4
\nColorado College vs. Wayne State — Colorado College, 5-2<\/p>\n
Colorado College vs. Michigan — Michigan, 4-3 (OT)<\/p>\n
Paula C. Weston<\/b>, CCHA Correspondent<\/i><\/p>\n
Hey, I’ll be the first to admit that my dream Frozen Four this year is Ferris State, Michigan, Ohio State … and somebody else.<\/p>\n
That having been said … <\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
Boston University vs. Harvard: It’s hard for me to put my finger on this BU team, and as much as I’d like to give the nod to my old friend Mark Mazzoleni, I’ll go with the Terriers’ experience. BU 5-3.<\/p>\n
St. Cloud vs. New Hampshire: I like New Hampshire, very much. UNH 4-2.<\/p>\n
BU vs. UNH: I like New Hampshire, very much. UNH 5-4.<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Ferris State vs. North Dakota: This is the Bulldogs’ first-ever NCAA appearance, and while they may have jitters, I think they’ll get by the Sioux. FSU 4-3.<\/p>\n
Mercyhurst vs. Minnesota: Wouldn’t this just be the way? The only teams from the CHA and the MAAC for whom I have soft spots have made it to the big dance, and I see each losing in the first game. Minnesota 5-2.<\/p>\n
FSU vs. Minnesota: The Bulldogs are accustomed to playing on a regular sheet, a rink size that allows them to be physical. In spite of their speed, I don’t think they’ll be able to play their game. Minnesota 5-3.<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell vs. MSU-Mankato: Cornell is big and physical, and with Dave LeNeveu in net, I don’t think Mankato stands a chance. Cornell 3-1.<\/p>\n
Ohio State vs. Boston College: I’ve picked OSU to beat BC before. I won’t be fooled again. BC 4-2.<\/p>\n
BC vs. Cornell: Again, I think LeNeveu is too big a riddle to solve for most teams. Cornell 4-2.<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Wayne State vs. Colorado College: Don’t expect the Warriors to simply lie down for the Tigers, but do expect CC to win. CC 4-1.<\/p>\n
Michigan vs. Maine: I don’t care that the Wolverines have never beaten the Black Bears in NCAA tournament play. Michigan 4-2.<\/p>\n
Michigan vs. CC: I think it’s business as usual for the Wolverines, in Yost, en route to yet another Frozen Four. Michigan 4-2.<\/p>\n
Jayson Moy<\/b> and Becky Blaeser<\/b>, ECAC Correspondents<\/i><\/p>\n
The Iron Columnists proved our worth last weekend by picking all four games of the ECAC tournament correctly. And, oh yes, by picking all four scores exactly<\/i>. That’s right, right on the nose. We’re just back from Vegas with a bunch of our loyal readers and now everyone should fear us, because we’re on a roll. So here goes.<\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 5, St. Cloud State 3 — The Wildcats roll on.<\/p>\n
Boston University 2, Harvard 1 — The Crimson still can’t solve the out-of-conference woes<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 4, Boston University 3 — Twice in three weeks for the Wildcats.<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Minnesota 5, Mercyhurst 1 — The Lakers try, but the Gophers at home?<\/p>\n
North Dakota 3, Ferris State 2 — The Sioux advance in a familiar rink.<\/p>\n
Minnesota 4, North Dakota 2 — The Gophers have been there and are playing their best.<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell 4, Minnesota State 1 — The Big Red take it to the Mavericks. Boston College 3, Ohio State 2 — The Eagles advance<\/p>\n
Cornell 4, Boston College 2 — The Big Red get past this round this year and to the Frozen Four<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Colorado College 6, Wayne State 1 — The Tigers are too much for the Warriors<\/p>\n
Michigan 4, Maine 2 — The Wolverines gain too much of an advantage at home and the Black Bears are still not too confident in themselves<\/p>\n
Colorado College 4, Michigan 2 — The Tigers won’t fall to the Yost curse.<\/p>\n
Dave Hendrickson<\/b>, Hockey East Correspondent<\/i><\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 4, St. Cloud State 1
\nBoston University 3, Harvard 2<\/p>\n
UNH 4, BU 3<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Minnesota 6, Mercyhurst 1
\nFerris State 5, North Dakota 4<\/p>\n
Minnesota 4, Ferris State 3<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell 2, MSU-Mankato 1
\nBoston College 4, Ohio State 2<\/p>\n
BC 3, Cornell 2<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Colorado College 7, Wayne State 0
\nMichigan 4, Maine 3<\/p>\n
CC 5, Michigan 3<\/p>\n
Mike Volonnino<\/b>, Staff Writer<\/i><\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 6, St. Cloud State 2
\nHarvard 5, Boston University 3<\/p>\n
New Hampshire 5, Harvard 3<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Minnesota 8, Mercyhurst 2
\nNorth Dakota 4, Ferris State 3<\/p>\n
Minnesota 4, North Dakota 2<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell 2, Minnesota State 1
\nBoston College 4, Ohio State 2<\/p>\n
Cornell 3, Boston College 2<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Colorado College 7, Wayne State 1
\nMichigan 4, Maine 2<\/p>\n
Colorado College 5, Michigan 4<\/p>\n
Geof F. Morris<\/b>, CHA Correspondent<\/i><\/p>\n
NORTHEAST<\/p>\n
UNH 4-1 over St. Cloud State
\nBU 3-2 over Harvard<\/p>\n
UNH 2-0 over BU<\/p>\n
WEST<\/p>\n
Minnesota 5-0 over Mercyhurst. And that may not be a big enough margin.
\nNorth Dakota 4-2 over Ferris State<\/p>\n
Minnesota 5-3 over UND<\/p>\n
EAST<\/p>\n
Cornell 4-1 over MSU-Mankato
\nBC 4-2 over OSU<\/p>\n
Cornell 3-1 over BC<\/p>\n
MIDWEST<\/p>\n
Wayne State 4-3 over CC. Yes, I have lost my mind.
\nMichigan 3-1 over Maine<\/p>\n
Michigan 4-1 over WSU<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Welcome to the USCHO.com staff’s annual picks competition, in which we display our knowledge — or lack thereof — of the NCAA tournament for the entertainment of the Internet-browsing public. This year’s competition is open to all USCHO.com staffers, 10 of whom have elected to participate. The rules are simple: pick all 12 games this […]<\/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