A 5-1-0 (.833) weekend makes it three strong pick weeks in a row. I might just be getting my game in high gear for the playoffs, which is exactly what all of the conference teams are trying to get going. The overall season numbers are now 49-16-7 (.729).  Percentage is solid, and with just two weeks remaining, I need to stay focused if the numbers are going to stay north of the 70 percent threshold.

There are only two weekends remaining. Here are this weekend’s selections.

Friday, Feb. 8

Skidmore at St. Michael’s
The Thoroughbreds split a pair of tough games last weekend and come off a solid 3-0 win over Babson last Saturday. The Purple Knights upset St. Anselm last week, so Skidmore best be ready for a full 60 minutes — they are ready for this road challenge.  Skidmore 4-2

Castleton at Norwich
The first match-up was decided in the last minute of the third period in a 2-1 game. The Spartans still have a shot at the two seed, but Norwich can ensure all roads to the conference championship go through Northfield. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they are playing in Northfield this weekend. Norwich 3-2

Massachusetts-Boston at Southern Maine
The Beacons have been on fire against all comers in the second half of the season, and keeping some space between themselves and the other contenders for the number two seed is coach Peter Belisle’s main focus on Friday night. Massachusetts-Boston 5-2

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Castleton at St. Michael’s
Alonzo, Bell, and Harris can provide all the offense the Spartans need for a much-needed two points and a split of the weekend’s games. Josh Geary can counter for the Purple Knights, but this in-state rivalry goes to the visitors. Castleton 4-2

Babson at Southern Maine
The Beavers could really use a four-point weekend, and this game with the Huskies is the way to close the deal. Look for a fast start from the visitors to get Babson on the way to an important victory. Babson 4-1

Skidmore at Norwich
The Cadets have just too much firepower for the Thoroughbreds, but goalie Ben Freiburg keeps it close and gives Skidmore a chance for points; close but not enough.  Norwich 4-2

There are only four games left in the regular season, so if you haven’t figured it out, it is time to leave it all on the ice or it might be too late. The points are so important now — drop the puck.

Due to winter storm conditions the games between Massachusetts-Boston, Babson, Southern Maine, and University of New England have been rescheduled from Friday and Saturday to Sunday and Monday.

Nothing has come easy for Johnson and Wales this season, and that doesn’t figure to change in the stretch run, where points are precious and every period means something.

Which is exactly why Saturday’s date vs. Becker is must-win territory for the Wildcats. Johnson and Wales took a four-game winless streak into the week, and two of those games went into overtime, so you know that a game vs. the last-place Hawks will not be taken lightly.

There’s still a chance for the Wildcats, averaging 3.70 goals per game in ECAC Northeast play, to end with a flurry, and since they already outlasted Becker, 6-4, back on Nov. 17, we’ll go back to them here and see if they can build a little weekend momentum. Johnson and Wales 5-2

Saturday, Feb. 09

Suffolk at Wentworth
A lot has changed for the first-place Leopards since they defeated the Rams, 4-1, back on Nov. 17. With only one loss in their last six games headed into this week’s action, WIT had clearly shed a slow start and appeared back in gear to win another league title. Part of doing that, of course, is beating teams you’re supposed to beat. The Leopards, the preseason pick to win the ECAC Northeast, should be able to do that vs. Suffolk again. Wentworth, 3-1.

Sunday, Feb. 10

Western New England at Salve Regina
The Seahawks allowed 16 goals in their previous six games headed into this week, and that’s precisely the kind of team that the Golden Bears would like to see these days. Western New England is tuning up for a postseason run, and an offense that closed last week dead last in ECAC Northeast total offense (2.70 goals per game) might get a little pick-me-up here. Western New England 6-3

Last week: 2-1; Overall: 24-17-1.

What’s a little snow in the forecast? The threat of a foot or four hasn’t put a damper on what should be white hot action in the SUNYAC this weekend. Jammed at the top, in the middle, all over. This penultimate weekend could be what determiness the post-season fates of each of the nine squads in the league. Every game on the slate could have an impact on who captures the SUNYAC regular season crown, or for that matter, who sees their playoff chances snowed under, weather permitting, that is.

Friday, Feb. 8

No. 14 Geneseo at No. 9 Plattsburgh
This could be the game of the week. A first-round bye could be hanging on this, and certainly a shot at the SUNYAC crown is. Sitting two points behind second place Geneseo and three behind Oswego, Plattsburgh all but has to win to avoid having to play a first-round quarterfinal, the consequence of last Saturday’s upset loss at Fredonia. The Cardinals do respond well to adversity, and the time for a bounce-back couldn’t be better for them. Still, that’s easier said than done against the Ice Knights, who are clicking on all tappets right now. Plattsburgh 3-2

Brockport at Potsdam
With a tenuous one-point hold on the sixth and final playoff spot, the Golden Eagles must avoid breaking one of hockey’s Golden Rules: Thou shalt not lose to a team below you in the standings (see Plattsburgh and Fredonia). Potsdam, currently in last but three points behind Brockport, has no wiggle room. The Bears have to win or prepare for hibernation. Potsdam 2- 1

Saturday, Feb. 9

Cortland at Buffalo State
The Bengals can still host a home playoff game, but they can still find themselves out of the playoffs, which is to say that they are in control of their fates. Such is not true for Cortland. The Red Dragons can be maddeningly inconsistent, while Buffalo State can get scoring from several different sources. Buffalo State 4-2

Ouch! That is the only thing to say about a 2-3-1 (.417) record last weekend that leaves me with a 41-16-7 (.695) overall record and a big overall percentage drop heading into the final two weekends of the regular season. Just like the games being played, there are no guaranteed picks, no matter where the teams are in the standings. I need to rally back this week and finish strong, and with so much riding on the outcomes, picking winners is not getting any easier.

Here are this week’s selections.

Friday, Feb. 8

Bowdoin at Wesleyan
The top seed is in reach with a couple of more wins for Bowdoin, but the Cardinals will be tough at home and have a lot to play for themselves with nothing decided in the standings. The game will be tight, and may be decided in an overtime session. Bowdoin 3-2

Amherst at Tufts
The Lord Jeffs are sitting in that dreaded five seed spot right now, so even a three-point weekend might not be good enough to move up the standings. It’s all about wins right now, and Amherst isn’t going to go easy on Tufts on the road. Amherst 4-2

Colby at Trinity
Colby may have snuck up on Amherst last weekend on Saturday to steal a point, but don’t expect the Bantams to take the Mules lightly at home. Score is closer than one may think, but it is playoff season, so why wouldn’t it be close? Trinity 2-1

Saturday, Feb. 9

Middlebury at Williams
For both teams, the drive down Route 7 following Friday night’s game won’t be a factor in this one, but timely scoring and strong goaltending will be deciding factors as both teams look to firm up a top-four position in the conference standings. The score and game are very close, and the last one is an empty-net goal. Middlebury 3-1

Bowdoin at Trinity
The battle at the top is just as intriguing as the fight to get in the conference tournament. The Polar Bears can control their destiny and top seed with a win, but it won’t come easy against the Bantams, who want to keep a home ice berth of their own. Bowdoin 3-2

Hamilton at Tufts
The Jumbos suffered a huge setback last weekend against Connecticut College, so desperation will bring out the best in their game. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough for against the Continentals, who want to make sure they are in the postseason. Hamilton 3-2

There are so few games left, which makes the points all that more valuable. Two teams are going to be finished for the season after next week, so this week can go a long way in helping to get in the conference tournament or sealing the deal on the offseason. It is about focusing on the game at hand and scoreboard watching later — drop the puck!

(At time of writing, winter storm warnings have changed and may still alter actual dates and times of games of select NESCAC conference games.) 

The regular season winds down this weekend with a few teams still jockeying for playoff positioning in the NCHA. Here’s what we do know: Wisconsin-Eau Claire and St. Norbert are already set for the start of the conference playoffs, earning the No. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively.

Last weekend, St. Scholastica pulled itself out of the NCHA cellar with upsets over St. Norbert and Wisconsin-Stevens Point. That means the Saints won’t have to face the Green Knights in the opening round of the Peters Cup tournament, which begins Feb. 15.
With the postseason fate of some teams still undetermined, it should be a fun weekend in the NCHA.

Friday, Feb. 8

St. Scholastica at Wis.-Eau Claire
The Saints have been a team reborn in the past few weeks, while the Blugolds are preparing for a long playoff run. While Wis.-Eau Claire holds a 2-0 edge over St. Scholastica this season, the Blugolds could be looking past the Saints. St. Scholastica earned its biggest win of the season last Friday, knocking off St. Norbert on the road. The Blugolds, meanwhile, survived two one-goal battles with Wisconsin-Stout and Wisconsin-River Falls. I could be crazy, but I see St. Scholastica pulling off another upset this weekend. St. Scholastica 4-3

Saturday, Feb. 9

St. Norbert at Wis.-Stevens Point
The Pointers, 7-8-1 in the NCHA, won’t catch St. Norbert in the standings, but an upset over the Green Knights, combined with a victory at Wis.-Stout on Thursday, could give them a winning record in the conference. Also, the Green Knights have lost some of their shine lately, dropping three games in the past three weekends. Similar to Wis.-Eau Claire, St. Norbert’s spot in the Peters Cup playoffs is secure, so Saturday’s game isn’t a must-win. However, if the Green Knights want to get back on track and build momentum heading into the playoffs, winning at Stevens Point is crucial. Despite the recent hiccups, I believe another long postseason run is in the stars for St. Norbert. I think they begin to rebuild their confidence by outlasting the scrappy Pointers. St. Norbert 5-4 (OT)

Had my worst week of the season so far, going just 1-4 a week ago, bringing my overall record to 40-12-4 (.750) for the 2012-13 campaign. Let’s see how I fare with six league games on tap this weekend.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Hobart (17-3-2 overall, 9-2-1 ECAC West) at Manhattanville (12-7-2, 5-4-2)
The No. 5 Statesmen are looking to lock up first place in the league, are 8-1-1 on the road overall so far, and should be able to outlast the No. 13 Valiants. Hobart 4-2

Elmira (10-12, 5-7) at Neumann (12-6-3, 4-6-1)
The host Knights suffered a loss and a tie against Manhattanville last week, while the Soaring Eagles swept Nazareth. Home ice could help Neumann, which has won seven of its last nine outings, and trails Elmira by just one point in the standings. Neumann 3-2

Nazareth (6-14-1, 1-10) at Utica (17-4, 8-3)
The No. 8 Pioneers are averaging more than four goals per game and just have too much firepower for the nascent Golden Flyers. Utica 7-3

Saturday, Feb. 9

Elmira at Manhattanville
Look for the Valiants, who are just ahead of the Soaring Eagles in the standings, to bounce back. Manhattanville 4-3

Utica at Nazareth
The Golden Flyers should put on a better show at home, but the Pioneers should be able to just get by the host team. Utica 3-2

Hobart at Neumann
The Statesmen will be seeking a weekend sweep to stay ahead of second-place Utica, although the host Knights will make them work for it. Hobart 5-4

Just about to hit the home stretch now in the MASCAC conference, which only means that each game becomes that more important.

What can you say about the Westfield State Owls? Heading into this year, projections, including my own, had the Owls no better than middle of the pack, to even one of the bottom three. Instead, coach Bob Miele has his squad three points out of first after defeating Plymouth State and Worcester State last week.

Salem State seems to be stalling a bit, as the Vikings are now tied with Fitchburg State for fourth place with 15 points. Five of the seven teams right now are all within striking distance of one another, and all have an opportunity to leap the team in front of them.

This should be a good week, with six conference games on the docket.

Let’s take a look at the picks.

Thursday, Feb. 7

Mass.-Dartmouth Corsairs (7-7-5) at Salem State Vikings (10-9-1)
Salem State seems to be losing a bit of steam of late, dropping four of its last six. The Vikings schedule doesn’t get any easier, as they then take on the top three teams in the MASCAC, starting with tonight’s game against Mass.-Dartmouth. The Corsairs have tied three times in their last six, and are 1-2 in the others. Salem State is welcoming in a strong road team. I like the Corsairs in a close one. Mass.-Dartmouth 4-3

Framingham State Rams (2-17-1) at Westfield State Owls (13-6-1)
Westfield State just keeps on winning. The Owls got past Plymouth State, again, and handled Worcester State the next night. Framingham State, on the other hand, played a tough one against Plymouth State, but the Owls are too much in this one. Westfield State 6-1

Fitchburg State Falcons (8-10-2) at Worcester State Lancers (6-12-2)
Those are the Falcons that we have been missing! Fitchburg State exploded for 15 goals last week in a pair of wins, with a 10-goal performance against the Rams. The Falcons’ offense looked like they woke up at the right time. The Lancers tied and lost last week, and look to play a bit of the spoiler roll down the stretch. Falcons though in this one. Fitchburg State 5-3

Picks to date: 23-9-5 (51 points)

It’s time for another week of picks as we head into crunch time of the regular season.

I had a lot of success last week, going 6-2, which pushes my overall record to 55-47.

A lot is still on the line in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, including the conference championship. Five teams have five losses or less and things are going to be tight down the stretch. At this point, it comes down to which team wants it more and which team is going to make the big plays on both ends of the ice.

So without further delay, here are my picks for the week.

Thursday/Saturday, Feb. 7/Feb. 9

St. Olaf vs. St. John’s
The Oles come in as the top team in the league, sporting a 9-3 record, and they need to come out of this series with at least a split to maintain a share of first place. The home-and-home series begins on the road for the Oles. St. Olaf has played well, winning five of its last six, and there is no question that Jeff Harris (15 goals, eight assists) is going to need another big weekend for the Oles to succeed. If the Oles can capitalize on opportunities as they have lately, goalie Henrik Wood (353 saves) will take care of the rest. For St. John’s, it’s all about being competitive. They have lost just once in their last six outings, and have scored five or more goals twice during the stretch. The Johnnies have been very solid defensively, allowing only 46 goals on the year, and goalie Saxton Soley deserves a lot of credit for the success. Soley has racked up 348 saves on the season. St. John’s is too good defensively not to earn at least one win this weekend. St. John’s 5-3, St. Olaf 4-2.

Friday-Saturday, Feb. 8-9

Augsburg vs. Bethel
Both teams are desperate for wins coming into the weekend, as their hopes of a playoff berth ride on success from here on out. The Auggies have won three of four, including one over St. Olaf, and they should have confidence going into this series. They open it on the road, and need to be at their best defensively to succeed against the Royals. Bethel has given up 61 goals this year, but in its last three wins, it has limited the opponents to a combined four goals. Bethel has struggled to be consistent, and has lost five of its last six. The Royals have given up four or more goals in each of those losses, and they need to be on top of their game defensively to get a win. What would help is if the offense can score first and give the defense a boost of momentum. This is a series where Mitch Hughes (12 goals) needs to rise to the occasion. Bethel 3-1, Augsburg 5-2

Hamline at Concordia
Hamline plays two games on the road against Concordia this weekend, and is just looking to take a few more strides in order to have something to build on going into the offseason. The Pipers have dropped three straight and have struggled to stop opponents on the defensive end of the ice, giving up 16 total goals during the streak. What they need is a quick start offensively to give the defense something to work with. If that doesn’t happen, it will be tough to knock off Concordia on the road. The Cobbers are feeling a little better about themselves after snapping a three-game slide with a win over Gustavus Adolphus, and playing two straight at home should benefit them. If Chris Neamontis is on top of his game between the pipes, the Cobbers, who have racked up 62 goals on the year, including nine by Jordie Bancroft, should have enough in the tank offensively to take care of business. Concordia 5-1, 4-2

Gustavus vs. St. Mary’s
St Mary’s and Gustavus are fourth and fifth, respectively, in the conference standings, and they are both fighting for those last two spots in the conference tournament. The Cardinals ended a five-game winless streak with a 2-1 overtime victory against St. John’s last weekend, and perhaps that is the confidence boost they need going forward. Offensively, St. Mary’s has one of the top scoring threats in the league in Mike Hill, and if he can come up with a big weekend, the Cardinals are going to have a chance at winning at least one game. Hill has tallied 11 goals and 10 assists this season. St. Mary’s has to be consistent on offense. It was blanked three times during the slide, and that can’t happen on any night in this league if a team hopes to win. Gustavus will host the first game of the series, and comes in having won its last two games. The Gusties should be able to capitalize on playing at home, and on the fact that they have scored 11 goals in their last two outings. If they can continue that offensive success, they are going to be in good shape because they know they have a solid goalie in Tyler Venne (337 saves) to help take care of things on the defensive end of the ice. Gustavus 5-3, St. Mary’s 4-3

Neumann has had an up-and-down season, but certainly has the talent to make a run in ECAC West, climb the rankings, and get in position for a postseason charge.

All that said, this weekend wasn’t much of a launching pad.

The Knights didn’t get much accomplished in a weekend set vs. Manhattanville. Neumann lost, 5-2, on Friday on the road, and managed a 2-2 tie on Saturday at home.

Coach Dominick Dawes has some work on his hands now, as the Knights (12-6-3, 4-6-1 in conference) have just nine points in the league and trail Elmira, Manhattanville, Utica, and first-place Hobart, the latter by 10 points as time ticks away.

Before Dawes looks toward the postseason, first things first. The Knights need to bounce back with a weekend homestand this week — vs. Elmira and Hobart. For that to happen, the offense needs to pick it up a notch. Headed into this week, Neumann has just one player in the league’s Top 20 in scoring. Even that player, senior forward Jordan Zalba. has just one goal to go with eight assists.

Louie’s leading the way for Utica
Surely, Nichols of the ECAC Northeast has missed the goal-scoring presence that Louie Educate is, but one program’s loss is another’s gain, and Utica has reaped the rewards of his decision to transfer this summer.

The sophomore forward, in ECAC West games alone, has eight goals and 17 points — tops in the conference — and he is likely to surpass last year’s power-play total for Nichols (five), because he already has four with the man advantage, to go with three game-winners.

Educate has points in his last four games — including a three-assist night vs. Manhattanville on Jan. 26 — and has been a key cog for the Pioneers (17-4-0, 8-3-0) as they charge down the homestretch.

Scoring surge for Gustavus Adolphus
Gustavus Adolphus (11-7-3, 5-5-2) has been one of the middling teams in the MIAC this season, but this past weekend might give the Golden Gusties the spark they needed. Gustavus Adolphus orchestrated two offensive masterpieces, outlasting Hamline, 7-4, on Friday, and defeating those same Pipers, 4-2, on Saturday. That’s four big points and 11 big goals in a 24-hour span.

Gustavus Adolphus is now fourth in the league in team offense (2.83 goals per game), and junior right wing Adam Smyth is tied for 10th in conference scoring, with five goals and 10 points.

Anyone’s league in the Northeast-10
You can look at the race in the Northeast-10 two different ways: Everyone is good, and that balance has led to a logjam; or everyone is not-so-good, and the mediocrity has muddied the waters. Either way, you have a tight race, and it’s getting more interesting with each new week.

Stonehill has lost two of its last three games, but is still hanging around as the first-place team. However, the Skyhawks (10-12, 4-3) are just a point ahead of the pack, and Franklin Pierce, Southern New Hampshire, and Assumption are not going away.

Stonehill has eight points, but everyone in the league has at least six, and things appear to be headed down to the wire. It could — and likely will — come down to who is the hottest and the healthiest at the end of the season.

Wentworth workin’ it in the ECAC Northeast
Wentworth has proven its value as the league’s preseason pick to win the ECAC Northeast. Though things are still tight, and Nichols, with 13 points, is just two behind the first-place Leopards, coach R.J. Tolan’s crew has found its goal-scoring touch, and the results show it.

WIT (11-8-2, 7-2-1) is 4-1-1 in its last six games, and on Sunday, the Leopards cruised past Johnson and Wales, 8-3, on the road. They will play host to Becker on Wednesday.

Still perfect in the MCHA
It wasn’t all that easy this weekend, but Adrian kept alive a perfect season in the MCHA. On Friday, the Bulldogs (17-1-3, 13-0-3) defeated Lake Forest, 6-1, but on Saturday, those same Foresters battled to a 3-3 tied with Adrian.

The Bulldogs now have points in their last 11 games and are eight points ahead of the rest of the league.

So, I backed up last week’s 5-1-0 record with a 4-1-1 (.750) push that certainly shows some level of consistency and ability to see some end-of-year trending among the teams making a push at the right time of the year. The overall season numbers are 44-15-7 (.720), which is better than respectable when predicting games in this conference.

February is here, and some teams, like Castleton, have been taking advantage of the schedule gaining points and position. Who else is making their move this week? Here are this weekend’s selections.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Massachusetts-Boston at Skidmore
The Beacons took three of four points from travel partner Babson last weekend, but Skidmore has always provided them with a serious challenge. Second place and number two seed is a strong motivation and enough to squeak this one out on the road.  Massachusetts-Boston 4-3

New England College at Norwich
The Pilgrims need points if they want to get out of the bottom half of the draw. Problem with this game is the Cadets don’t take anyone lightly, especially not at home in front of a packed house at Kreitzburg Arena. Norwich 5-2

Babson at Castleton
The Spartans are just checking the box. Next opponent in the ECAC East — win. They are 7-0-1 in their last eight, and have won four in a row in the conference. These are the last two home games on the regular season schedule, and they should be two great ones, starting with Babson. Castleton 4-3

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Massachusetts-Boston at Castleton
The Friday night match-ups were probably harder on the home team, and while they didn’t have to travel, the visitors might just have that little something in their tank to eke out a win that may come with some bonus hockey and five minutes of overtime. Massachusetts-Boston 3-2

University of New England at Southern Maine
The Nor’easters really could use a “W,” and so could the Huskies. This one is likely to come down to goaltending, and the visitors may be just good enough in this one to take the two points and potentially move them out of the number eight spot in the playoff seedings. University of New England 4-3

St. Anselm at Norwich
This is the last shot for a talented group of seniors at St. Anselm to beat the Cadets, so expect them to come out with a lot of energy and determined play. There is a reason the Cadets are number one in the country, and the depth shows here in a close contest. Norwich 3-2

There is a lot of drama in the 2-7 slots in the standings, and every weekend sees a major swing for someone moving up or down.  Home ice is on the line — drop the puck.