ECAC teams went 0-3 on the ice last weekend and Nate Owen and Mark Divver whiffed on all three picks. There’s nowhere to go but up. All games are 7 p.m. ET unless otherwise noted.
Last week: 0-3
Thursday, Oct. 10
Colgate at Ferris State 7:07 p.m. ET
Nate: Both these teams struggled to score last season, but Colgate has goalie Mitch Benson, who should be the difference as the Raiders head on the road for the first time this season. Colgate 2-1
Mark: Look for a rock fight between two offense-starved teams. Home ice gets Bulldogs over the hump.
Ferris State 3-2
Friday, October 11
American International at Quinnipiac
Nate: The Bobcats own a commanding 22-4-1 series record against the Yellow Jackets, but this is an American International team that is coming off a NCAA Tournament appearance in the program’s most successful season to date. Quinnipiac returns a lot from last year’s ECAC Hockey co-regular season championship team, but will also be working in some new players throughout the lineup. I think this weekend will end as a split, with the home team winning each night.
Friday: Quinnipiac 4-3; Saturday, American International 5-4
Mark: This is a good matchup. Quinnipiac will be one of the top teams in the ECAC when all is said and done. AIC has most of their team back after the best year in program history. I agree with Nate, this looks like a split, with the home teams prevailing each night.
Friday: Quinnipiac 5-2; Saturday, American International 5-3
Northeastern at Union
Friday, 7 p.m. ET; Saturday 4 p.m. ET
Nate: The Dutchmen are coming off a rough opening weekend, as Union took a combined 15 penalties in losses to Boston University and Army West Point. Friday is the season opener for the Huskies who lost several important players from last season. Even so, Union’s shaky performance last week makes it hard to pick them against the Huskies.
Friday: Northeastern 5-1; Saturday: Northeastern 4-3
Mark: Union lost the puck-possession game in both of last weekend’s losses. It’s hard to see a better outcome this time around.
Friday: Northeastern 4-1; Saturday: Northeastern 5-3
Rensselaer at Massachusetts
Nate: RPI should be better in its third year under coach Dave Smith, but the Engineers open with a tough test against Massachusetts, last year’s national runner up. RPI goalie Owen Savory might be able to keep this game close, but I think the Minutemen’s depth is too much for the Engineers to match. Massachusetts 4-2
Mark: The Engineers will be in tough on the road against a good UMass squad that will be out to prove that Cale Makar and Mario Ferraro weren’t the whole show.
Massachusetts 6-2
St. Lawrence at Mercyhurst
Nate: First-year St. Lawrence coach Brent Brekke has a long road ahead of him to bring the program back to competitive hockey and it starts this weekend at Mercyhurst. There are a lot of unknowns with the Saints, while the Lakers opened the year with a series split at Arizona State and will be playing at home for the first time this season.
Friday: Mercyhurst, 5-2; Saturday, Mercyhurst 3-1
Mark: Coming off a split at Arizona State, Mercyhurst gets a sweep at home
Friday: Mercyhurst 4-2,; Saturday, Mercyhurst 3-2
Clarkson at Michigan 7:30 p.m. ET
Nate: The departure of goalie Jake Kielly last spring left a big hole in the Clarkson net. The Golden Knights have several options to replace him in net. Even if that takes some time to sort out, Clarkson returns a deep and talented lineup that should cover up any early-season goaltending issues.
Friday: Clarkson 4-3; Saturday: Clarkson 5-3
Mark: Clarkson will be the better team over the long haul, but the Wolverines will manage a split at home.
Friday: Clarkson 3-2; Saturday: Michigan 4-3
Saturday, October 12:
Rensselaer at Connecticut 3:35 p.m. ET
Nate: Neither team scored a lot of goals last season, although RPI did roll over the Huskies in a 5-2 win in Hartford last January. I think the Engineers will be ready after a tough test with Massachusetts the previous night. Rensselaer 3-2
Mark: RPI should be better. UConn should be, too. Home ice tilts it toward the Huskies. UConn 4-2
Sunday, October 13:
Boston College at Colgate 4 p.m. ET
Nate: The Eagles are coming off their worst season since 1997, but were picked first in the Hockey East preseason poll. Colgate struggled to generate offense last year, and that continued in a season-opening 3-1 loss to RIT last weekend. It won’t get much easier against Boston College goalie Spencer Knight, who
was drafted 13th overall by Florida in the NHL draft in June. Boston College 4-1
Mark: A dozen NHL draft picks will get off BC’s bus in Hamilton. Colgate doesn’t have any. Boston College 5-1
