Last Week:
Dan: 8-5-1
Chris: 6-7-1
On the season:
Dan: 64-29-6 (.677)
Chris: 65-28-6 (.687)
This Week’s Picks
Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30:
Bentley at Air Force
Dan: There’s one-sided rivalries, and then there’s this. Air Force leads the all-time series 22-7-5, but Bentley took three points two years ago when they last visited. If Bentley wants to make the jump to the top of the league, they’ll have to take at least one game in Colorado. Their compete level has been pretty high against good teams this year. Bentley wins on Friday. Air Force wins on Saturday.
Chris: Ah, the annual battle of the Falcons. Both teams are playing pretty good hockey right now, so the faithful in Colorado Springs should see a pair of great games. Each team took three points in the others’ buildings over the past two seasons, but I like the blue and grey Falcons to sweep over the blue and gold variety. Air Force sweeps.
Mercyhurst at American International
Dan: AIC got massacred by UConn, then struggled with Army. After buying low, it might be time to sell high on Yellow Jacket stock. They’re getting a brutal matchup this week with Mercyhurst, but at least it’s at home. If they steal a point, I wouldn’t write them off quite yet. That said, the Lakers just split with RPI and beat Air Force and Niagara as part of their recent run. Mercyhurst sweeps.
Chris: I hope I wasn’t think kiss of death for the Yellow Jackets. Since my column on AIC, which was written after the ‘Jackets started conference play 3-0 for the first time ever, they’ve lost two in a row. I don’t think it gets any easier against the Lakers. Mercyhurst sweeps.
Rochester Institute of Technology at Sacred Heart
Dan: Sacred Heart showed a lot of guts in their sweep of Army, but Army in last place is very different from RIT in last place. RIT is too good to be in 12th place; they know it, and I have a feeling they’re going to want to prove it. RIT sweeps.
Chris: The Tigers are 5-2-1 in Milford/Bridgeport since joining Atlantic Hockey, including outscoring the Pioneers 13-0 in their last appearances in Southern Connecticut. I think these games will be much closer, but RIT should pull them out. RIT sweeps.
Connecticut at Canisius
Dan: Canisius is just good enough for this to be a series where people can start taking UConn seriously with a quality win. UConn wins on Friday; Canisius wins on Saturday.
Chris: If I wasn’t going to be covering the RIT/SHU series, these are the games I’d most like to see. I think the teams will split a pair of evenly played games. Canisius wins on Friday; Connecticut wins Saturday.
Friday, Nov. 29:
Holy Cross at Boston College
Dan: BC outscored competition 33-10 in going 7-0-1 between defeats prior to losing to Maine last Saturday. That’s bad news for Holy Cross. Boston College wins.
Chris: The Crusaders are 0-3 against Hockey East competition so far, and are playing a BC team that’s coming off a stinging loss at Maine last Saturday. I think the Eagles will put things back in order with a convincing win. Boston College wins.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
American International at Massachusetts- Lowell
Dan: UMass-Lowell already found out the hard way that championships aren’t won by preseason rankings. AIC draws them at a tough time; maybe if this were a different time of year, AIC would have a good shot at winning. But right now? UMass-Lowell wins.
Chris: The River Hawks have been surprised by an AHA already this season: Sacred Heart took them down in their season opener. But this is a different UML team, coming in on a five-game winning streak including a sweep of Notre Dame last weekend. I don’t see them slipping here. Mass-Lowell wins.
