RANK		LAST WEEK’S RESULTS	RECORD	THIS WEEK’S GAMES
1	Boston University	Tuesday: lost to No. 18 Harvard 3-2 (OT) Saturday: beat No. 9 Colgate 5-2 Sunday: lost at Dartmouth 2-0	9-3-1	Friday: vs. Merrimack Saturday: at Merrimack
2	North Dakota	Friday: tied No. 11 Omaha 2-2 (SOL) Saturday: beat No. 11 Omaha 3-2	10-3-2	Friday-Saturday: vs. Lake Superior State
3	Minnesota	Friday: won at No. 12 Boston College 6-2 Saturday: lost at Northeastern 3-2	8-4	Friday-Saturday: at Michigan State
4	Massachusetts-Lowell	Saturday: lost to No. 18 Harvard 4-2	8-3-3	Wednesday: vs. Connecticut Saturday: vs. Maine
5	Miami	Off	10-4	Friday-Saturday: vs. Omaha
6	Michigan Tech	Friday: won at Alabama-Huntsville 4-2 Saturday: won at Alabama-Huntsville 5-2	12-2	Off
7	Minnesota State	Friday: won at Lake Superior State 7-0 Saturday: won at Lake Superior State 3-0	11-3	Friday-Saturday: vs. Alaska
8	Minnesota-Duluth	Off	9-5	Friday-Saturday: vs. Colorado College
9	Colgate	Saturday: lost at No. 1 Boston University 5-2	9-5-1	Tuesday: at Providence
10	Denver	Off	8-3	Friday-Saturday: at Cornell
11	Omaha	Friday: tied at No. 2 North Dakota 2-2 (SOW) Saturday: lost at No. 2 North Dakota 3-2	7-3-2	Friday-Saturday: at Miami
12	Boston College	Friday: lost to No. 3 Minnesota 6-2 Saturday: lost at No. 20 Providence 1-0	7-7	Friday: at New Hampshire Saturday: vs. New Hampshire
13	Vermont	Friday: won at Maine 6-3 Saturday: won at Maine 4-1	11-3-1	Off
14	Quinnipiac	Friday: lost to Massachusetts 3-2 Saturday: won at Massachusetts 3-1	9-4-1	Friday: vs. Dartmouth Saturday: vs. Harvard
15	Bowling Green	Off	10-3-1	Friday-Saturday: at Northern Michigan
16	St. Cloud State	Friday: won at Bemidji State 6-3 Saturday: lost at Bemidji State 4-1	6-7-1	Off
17	Union	Friday: won at Notre Dame 3-2 (OT) Saturday: lost to Western Michigan 8-2	7-6-1	Friday: at Brown Saturday: at Yale
18	Harvard	Tuesday: won at No. 1 Boston University 3-2 (OT) Saturday: won at No. 4 Massachusetts-Lowell 4-2	7-1-2	Friday: at Princeton Saturday: at Quinnipiac
19	Northern Michigan	Friday: lost at Alaska 3-0 Saturday: won at Alaska 4-1	8-3-1	Friday-Saturday: vs. Bowling Green
20	Providence	Tuesday: beat Army 3-0 Saturday: beat No. 12 Boston College 1-0	7-5-1	Wednesday: at Northeastern Saturday: vs. Northeastern

Difficulty wearing the target, surprising Warriors and a turning point for NU?

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November 30, 2014

If you were a Hockey East team ranked in the top 10 in the nation’s polls, this wasn’t a great week. That leads off the three things I learned this week:

1. It ain’t easy wearing a target on your back

Everyone knows it’s lonely at the top, and for many of the Hockey East teams ranked in this week’s USCHO.com poll, results weren’t pleasant. Newly-minted number one Boston University shouldn’t even to pay rent on the top spot as they will be quickly evicted come Monday. The Terriers dropped an OT decision to No. 18 Harvard on Tuesday and lost to Dartmouth, 2-0, on Sunday (a come-from-behind win over No. 9 Colgate was sandwiched in between). Harvard also knocked off No. 4 Massachusetts-Lowell, while No. 12 Boston College fell twice to No. 3 Minnesota and No. 20 Providence. No. 13 Vermont swept a two-game non-conference series at Maine. Coupled with the aforementioned win for Providence those were the lone highlights for the nationally-ranked Hockey East teams on the weekend.

2. So how good is Merrimack?

This has become the most daunting question I ponder in Hockey East these days. At 10-4-1, the Warriors are among the few teams in the nation with double-digit wins. They swept Clarkson at home this weekend to improve their record at Lawler Arena to 7-1-0 and have won five of their last seven. A part of me is duly impressed by the fast start for a Merrimack team most figured would finish among the bottom three in Hockey East. And another part of me keeps going back to the question: “Who have they played?” The only nationally-ranked opponent on Merrimack’s schedule to date was Providence. That series was a split. Taking the Friars out of the equation, Merrimack has only played one other team with a record over .500 (Mercyhurst at 5-4-2) and the cumulative record of the remaining six opponents is 24-45-16. So while I want to jump on the Merrimack bandwagon, I may wait a few weeks. The Warriors will have their first true test this weekend when they face Boston University in a home-and-home before traveling out to the Mariucci Classic after the New Year to face Minnesota and either Massachusetts-Lowell or RIT.

3. Have the Huskies turned things around?

With a 3-9-1 record, no one should be talking about any sort of a turnaround for Northeastern. But considering the fact that the Huskies are 3-1-0 in their last four game and that Saturday’s victory came over a highly-potent Minnesota team that one night earlier dismantled Boston College and you can’t blame yourself for at least taking notice. Northeastern certainly hasn’t flicked the offensive switch in the last four games, scoring just 10 goals in the stretch. But defensively, Northeastern has improved. In the three wins, NU has allowed just a single goal twice and two goals once. All three of the victories also came with Clay Witt between the pipes. Witt missed six games earlier in the season with injury and Northeastern went 0-5-1 over that stretch.

Women’s D-I wrap: Nov. 30

By Arlan Marttila

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November 30, 2014

Quinnipiac wins Nutmeg Classic
No. 4 Quinnipiac took home its second consecutive Nutmeg Classic Championship and the program’s sixth overall by dropping a couple of ECAC foes. In the title game, the Bobcats defeated No. 5 Clarkson, 3-1. After Taylar Cianfarano opened the scoring 8:32 into the contest, they held the lead the rest of the way. Emma Woods and Morgan Fritz-Ward had a goal and an assist, while Amanda Titus had the lone tally for the Golden Knights. Woods garnered MVP honors while Chelsea Laden was named Most Valuable Goaltender.

In the opener of the event hosted by Connecticut, the Bobcats handled Yale, 5-2, building a 3-0 lead through two periods on goals by Meghan Turner, Woods, and Fritz-Ward, and coasting home. Nicole Kosta and Erica Udén Johansson had multi-point games with a goal and an assist. The Bulldogs’ silver lining was being the first team this season to score more than once against Quinnipiac, as Stephanie Mock and Phoebe Staenz found the net.

Clarkson reached the final in more dramatic fashion, coming from behind to squeak by Connecticut in overtime, 2-1. Junior Shannon MacAulay produced both goals, giving her a new career high with 14. Those tallies overcame a determined effort by junior Elaine Chuli, who recorded 51 saves for the Huskies. Kayla Campero had opened the scoring just beyond the midpoint of regulation, before MacAulay finally got a puck by Chuli a period later.

Connecticut took third-place honors with a 3-1 triumph over Yale. Kelly Harris and Madison Badeau put the Huskies ahead after Staenz had scored on an early power play, and Emily Snodgrass added the exclamation point with a short-handed tally into an empty net. Chuli made another 32 stops to earn the win.

Eagles humble Harvard
No. 7 Harvard was able to match No. 1 Boston College goal for goal — for the game’s first 25 minutes. At that point, the Eagles cranked their offense to a higher gear, and the Crimson could only stand and watch. Alex Carpenter and Haley Skarupa turned in identical two-goal, four-assist gems to highlight the 10-2 trouncing. Kenzie Kent and Dana Trivigno also scored twice, and three-point games came off the sticks of Kate Leary, Tori Sullivan, and Kate Leary.

BC opened its week with a 4-0 shutout of Yale, thanks to 18 saves by Katie Burt. The Eagles unleashed a 56-shot barrage, and Emily Pfalzer, Emily Field, Meghan Grieves, and Skarupa scored.

A split, but only Brown gets a cup
Brown and Providence played a home-and-home series, with the hosts winning in comeback fashion each day, but the Bears earn greater bragging rights by taking the battle for the Mayor’s Cup. Blair Parent’s first collegiate goal gave the Friars a third-period lead, but Sam Donovan responded for Brown minutes later. Kaitlyn Keon netted the winning goal with just under three minutes left. Monica Elvin turned away 32 shots to backstop the 2-1 victory.

On Saturday, Maddie Woo opened the scoring for Brown, and then netted her second of the game while short-handed at 11:48 of the final period to level the game at 2-2. Cassidy Carels struck for Providence with 4:31 left, and Beth Hanrahan’s second goal of the day sealed the 4-2 win for the Friars into an empty net. Liv Halvorson had a goal and an assist.

Others doing the splits
No. 9 Minnesota-Duluth dropped the opener at No. 10 Bemidji State, 4-1, but salvaged the second game, 2-0. Brittni Mowat rejected 31 shots to aid the Beavers to the win; Kristine Grenier and Ivana Bilic answered with first-period goals after Brigette Lacquette gave UMD an early lead. Kayla Black made 19 of her 32 saves in a busy second period to enable Zoe Hickel’s goal just after the conclusion of an early power play to stand up. Meghan Huertas added an empty-net goal.

RIT visited Rensselaer, and the two teams traded wins by three-goal margins. RPI took the opener, 4-1, for just its second victory of the year. Ali Svoboda had a goal and an assist; Laura Horwood, Kathryn Schilter, and Whitney Renn each had a pair of helpers. Kelly O’Brien turned in 26 saves. The Tigers bounced back with a 3-0 win and a 20-save shutout for Jetta Rackleff. Celeste Brown sandwiched a pair of goals around one from Marissa Maugeri, with Lindsay Grigg contributing two primary assists.

Syracuse and Lindenwood remain deadlocked for second place in the CHA after splitting a series in St. Charles, Mo. Jessica Sibley scored with three minutes gone and Jenn Gilligan made 19 saves to give the Orange a 1-0 win in the first match. The Lions got goals from Shara Jasper and Brooke Peden and 32 saves by Nicole Hensley in a 2-1 response on Saturday.

How the rest of the top 10 fared
Quinnipiac started its week with a 2-0 blanking of Princeton, Laden’s national-best eighth shutout of the year. Shiann Darkangelo and Cydney Roesler provided the offense.

Ann-Renée Desbiens turned in a pair of 5-0 shutouts for No. 3 Wisconsin at New Hampshire, boosting her total to six for the season. She assisted on her team’s first goal of the weekend, one of a dozen Badgers to get into the scoring column in the opener. Sydney McKibbon and Annie Pankowski each netted a pair of goals to complete the sweep.

Amanda Makela kept herself in the middle of the shutouts race, helping No. 8 Mercyhurst whitewash Colgate twice, 3-0 and 1-0. In the first game, Emily Janiga furnished a goal and two assists, while her linemates Sarah Robello and Jenna Dingeldein both scored and assisted. Janiga scored the lone goal, her 13th of the season, with less than two minutes remaining in the second game.

No. 2 Minnesota recorded three wins on the week, defeating St. Cloud State on Monday, 5-0, and getting a road sweep at Princeton by 2-1 and 5-2 scores. Kelly Pannek had her first hat trick in the win over the Huskies. Maryanne Menefee and Hannah Brandt scored in both wins over the Tigers. Kelsey Koelzer earned points in all three tallies by Princeton.

No. 6 Boston University posted a road 4-2 decision over Dartmouth. Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice and added an assist. Sarah Lefort and Lillian Ribeirinha-Braga had a goal and an assist; Laura Stacey equaled that for the Big Green.

Harvard regrouped on Saturday with a 4-3 win at Northeastern. Hayley Scamurra capitalized twice on power plays to get the Huskies out of the blocks first, but Miye D’Oench and Lexie Laing had the Crimson even by the first intermission. After Denisa Krížová put Northeastern up once more to open the third period, Sydney Daniels and Hillary Crowe found the net to give Harvard the only lead that lasted.

Other action
Maine kept itself in the thick of the Hockey East race by sweeping Vermont, 3-0 and 2-1. On home ice, the Catamounts were able to restore some order defensively, only to discover that their offense had vanished. Meghann Treacy was a big reason why, stopping 69 of 70 shots on the weekend, including a 38-save shutout. Audra Richards had a goal and a helper in each win.

Ohio State defeated Robert Morris, 5-1, in a single game in Moon Township, Pa. The Buckeyes took a five-goal lead before Leah Carlson and goalie Jessica Dodds combined to deny Stacy Danczak a shutout. Kayla Sullivan had two goals and an assist; Melani Moylan and Sara Schmitt added goals in two-point efforts.

North Dakota celebrated its first sweep since the second week of the season, 6-1 and 3-1 over St. Cloud State. Josefine Jakobsen and Gracen Hirschy scored twice in game one. Becca Kohler’s five-point weekend included goals in both games.

Three things: Nov. 30

By Candace Horgan

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November 30, 2014

It was a light weekend for the NCHC, with only half of the league’s eight teams in action. Let’s recap the action.

Western’s feast-or-famine offense feasts
For coach Andy Murray and his Western Michigan Broncos, this season has been one of maddening feast or famine in terms of offensive production. The Broncos have been shutout in three games, and have scored less than two goals in four more games. Twice they have gone through three-game stretches with anemic goal scoring, then responded with stretches where goals have come in bunches.

Perhaps it was only appropriate that on Thanksgiving weekend, the Broncos offense feasted in impressive fashion. Western Michigan won the Shillelagh Tournament at Notre Dame by defeating Ohio State, 6-2, and following that with a beatdown of No. 17 Union, 8-2.

Against Ohio State Friday, Frederik Tiffels notched a hat trick, including an empty-netter to seal the win at 14:23 of the third. All the goals were even-strength.

Tiffels was held to one assist in Saturday’s win over Union, but Nolan LaPorte scored a hat trick, Justin Kovacs had four assists, Sheldon Dries notched two goals and two assists, and Kenney Morrison had two assists. Five of the goals were scored on a power-play, including Dries scoring on a five-on-three. At the other end, Lukas Hafner was strong in net, making 40 saves.

Western Michigan is off this coming weekend, then closes its first half at home Dec. 12-13 against Colorado College, a team that has struggled defensively, so Western’s offense has a good chance to stay hot.

Nebraska-Omaha continues to impress
Entering the season, not much was expected of Nebraska-Omaha, which was tabbed sixth in the preseason NCHC poll. The players and coach Dean Blais apparently didn’t get the message, as the Mavericks are currently 7-3-2 overall to start the year.

This weekend, the Mavericks traveled to North Dakota to face Blais’ old team. On Friday, Nebraska-Omaha took a 2-1 lead into the third period, thanks to goals from Tyler Vesel and Justin Parizek. However, North Dakota answered early, and the game remained tied after OT. Goaltender Ryan Massa came up big in the shootout, stopping all three North Dakota shooters, while Dominic Zombo scored on Nebraska-Omaha’s third attempt to notch the shootout win and extra point in the standings.

The Mavericks couldn’t muster a point Saturday, as North Dakota grabbed an early two-goal lead in the first period. UNO looked to have a chance to get back in it after Jake Randolph cut the deficit to one, but Stephane Pattyn scored a short-handed goal at 18:07 of the second that proved to be the game-winner, though Grant Gallo scored at 13:48 of the third to make the last six minutes interesting. North Dakota’s Zane McIntyre made 32 saves.

Massa is currently eighth nationally among goaltenders with a 1.67 goals-against average and has a sixth-best .943 save percentage.

Nebraska-Omaha faces Miami in Oxford, Ohio, this coming weekend.

St. Cloud’s struggles continue
St. Cloud State faced off against yet another Minnesota team in Bemidji State, and emerged with a split. Last year’s NCHC regular season champ is currently 6-7-1 overall and in sixth place in the NCHC with a 2-3-1 mark. The Huskies have also struggled against Minnesota teams, going 2-4 combined against Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, and now Bemidji State. Two of the losses were in OT.

On Friday, the Huskies’ offense exploded for six goals in an impressive come-from-behind 6-3 win that wasn’t sealed until the last minute. Entering the third period, the teams were tied 2-2. St. Cloud took an early lead in the third on Joey Benik’s goal at 2:54, but Bemidji’s Gerry Fitzgerald answered with a power-play goal at 6:17.

Tim Daly scored the game-winner at 8:44 and Jonny Brodzinski scored an empty-net power-play goal at 19:31 to give the Huskies some breathing room. Brooks Bertsch capped the scoring at 19:52.

On Saturday, the offense never got untracked, as Bemdji earned a 4-1 win. Bemidji goaltender Andrew Walsh kept St. Cloud in check by making 34 saves. Benik gave the Huskies a lead at 17:16 of the first, but the Beavers answered at 3:11 of the second on a goal by Ruslan Pedan.

The game turned in a manner of seconds in the third, as Fitzgerald scored at 8:13 to put Bemidji up 2-1, then Charlie O’Connor scored at 8:50. Phil Brewer added an empty-net tally at 19:38.

St. Cloud is off this weekend, then ends its first half with a critical league series in Omaha on Dec. 12-13.

Cornell goalies Gillam, Stewart no longer unknown commodities

By Will LeBlond

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November 30, 2014

NEW YORK — Saturday night’s Frozen Apple matchup between Cornell and Penn State was the second time the two programs had ever met.

The last time they met, Franklin Roosevelt was the President of the United States and all of Cornell’s home games were played outdoors at Beebe Lake. The Big Red came away with a 7-1 victory in that matchup in February of 1944. Cornell took a 3-1 win Saturday night.

Needless to say, a lot of things have changed since that cold afternoon on the Ithaca pond. Penn State has revived their varsity program in the past three years, while the Big Red has seen two national title banners rise to the rafters of Lynah Rink.

One thing that required some serious change for the Big Red this season was their goaltending, something they did not need to address for the past three seasons. Andy Iles was the man for Cornell during most of his time with Cornell. He holds the all-time record for career saves at the school, and his absence left a glaring hole at the position, as the twosome slated to replace him only had one collegiate start to their names.

The departure of two of Cornell’s top-six defensemen from last season, and an injury to defensive leader Joakim Ryan, just added to the uncertainty at the beginning of the new campaign, but the inexperienced goaltending duo of sophomore Mitch Gillam and freshman Hayden Stewart has answered the bell for the Big Red.

“I’m shocked,” said Cornell head coach Mike Schafer when asked about the play of his team’s young goalies. “Not having Joakim Ryan on the blue line and having all of those new defensemen to go along with two new goaltenders, then looking at our defensive performance leaves me shocked.”

Gillam’s standout play has landed him a place amongst the national leaders in goaltending. Following Saturday’s action, Gillam finds himself in the eighth spot in the nation in terms of goals against average, while his .949 save percentage puts him in a tie for third with Nebraska-Omaha’s Ryan Massa.

“I’m just keeping it simple right now and trusting my defensemen,” said Gillam. “Our defensemen are doing a great job getting the puck up to our forwards so they can get to work on the other end.”

While the sophomore ‘tender has been racking up the big numbers early on for Cornell, the Big Red has an ace in the hole, who has made quite the impact in his two starts so far this season.

Just last weekend, Stewart became the first Big Red freshman goalie to earn a shutout since current Edmonton Oiler Ben Scrivens did it back in 2006. The strong outing did not come as a surprise to those who know Stewart’s hockey background, as his strong play in net lifted his Indiana Ice to a Clark Cup title last season in the USHL.

Having such a strong presence in the backup role has created a strong competition between the two goaltenders.

“Mitch is looking over his shoulder at Hayden during practice, and Hayden is a really nice goaltender,” said Schafer.

Competition in net was something that the Big Red had lacked, as the past two seasons saw no real threat to Iles’ playing time. With two young goalies between the pipes now, a heated competition for the important minutes has sparked Cornell’s defensive performance.

Gallery: Minnesota visits Northeastern

By Jim Rosvold

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November 29, 2014

Here are some images from Northeastern’s Saturday night 3-2 victory over Minnesota at Matthews Arena in Boston, MA.

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Women’s D-I picks: Nov. 29

By Candace Horgan

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November 29, 2014

Arlan and I waited for the first round to be complete before picking the next round of the Nutmeg, though we could have picked it right away, since our picks for the first round were (barely) accurate.

Saturday, Nov. 29

Yale at Connecticut
Candace: Connecticut looked good in the first round against Clarkson, but I like the Bulldogs in this one. Yale 3-2
Arlan: Connecticut likely threw its best punch versus Clarkson. Yale 3-1

Clarkson versus Quinnipiac
Candace: Quinnipiac won this game last week, and the Bobcats looked better in the first round. Quinnipiac 3-2
Arlan: Likely a stupid pick with how the semis went, but I have a hunch that this game plays out differently that when these two met the first time. Clarkson 3-2

NCHC pick: Nov. 29

By Candace Horgan

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November 28, 2014

Matthew and I wanted to wait to see the results of the first round of the Shillelagh Tournament before picking the second game.

Sat., Nov. 29

Union vs. Western Michigan
Candace: I may follow Matthew’s lead on all Western Michigan games from now on, though this one didn’t really engender as much uncertainty. Union 3-2
Matthew: The Broncos surpassed the expectations I had on them for their game against Ohio State on Friday, but I’m having a bit of difficulty picturing Western pulling an upset against Union. Prove me wrong, guys. Union 4-2

Women’s D-III picks: Nov. 29

By Matt Mackinder

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November 28, 2014

The turkey has been digested and for some, the shopping has begun..

For now, USCHO Women’s Editor Candace Horgan and Division III writer Matt Mackinder give their thoughts on the big games this weekend.

Saturday, Nov. 29/Sunday, Nov. 30 - Cardinal/Panther Classic
Matt: Wow — four ranked teams all under one roof, and of those four, all are in the USCHO.com top five. The home team and No. 1-ranked team, Plattsburgh, may have home-ice advantage and will beat No. 4 Gustavus Adolphus in the first game, but falls in the tournament final Sunday to No. 2 Elmira, who should top No. 5 Middlebury in its first game. I like the tournament final to be a one-goal game, with possible overtime.
Candace: I think Plattsburgh takes the whole shebang, but it might be in OT. Friday: Plattsburgh 4-2 over Gustavus; Elmira 3-2 over Middlebury. Saturday: Plattsburgh 3-2 over Elmira; Middleburg 3-2 over Gustavus.

Saturday, Nov. 29 – Holy Cross at Bowdoin
Matt: The two teams have just one loss between the two of them (Holy Cross at 6-1-0, Bowdoin 2-0-1) and though neither team is ranked, this game has an aura about it that makes it a viable contest on the schedule. I like Holy Cross 4-2, with an empty-netter to seal it late in the third.
Candace: I’d like to pick my alma mater, but I think that Bowdoin is a little stronger. Plus, Bowdoin is at home. Bowdoin 3-1

Tuesday, Dec. 2 – No. 7 Wisconsin-River Falls at St. Benedict
Matt: These weeknight games can play tricks on a team’s routine, but not for seventh-ranked UWRF, which takes down St. Benedict on the road by a 6-2 count. Give Chloe Kinsel two goals and two assists for the Falcons.
Candace: I think it might be closer than Matthew thinks, but I agree with the result. Wis.-River Falls 4-2

ECAC Hockey picks: Nov. 28 – 30

By Nate Owen

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November 28, 2014

Last time: 7-5-2

Overall: 16-21-5

With Thanksgiving over, ECAC Hockey gets back into action with plenty of non-conference games this weekend. Here’s a look at what’s scheduled for the next few days.

Friday, Nov. 28

Clarkson at Merrimack, 4 p.m.

The Golden Knights are on a modest three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1), and have only given up two goals per game this season. Merrimack has been steady most of the year, and is 5-1 at home. This is only the second-ever meeting at Lawler Arena between the teams. Merrimack wins

Michigan State at Princeton, 7 p.m.

The Spartans and Tigers met last year on Thanksgiving weekend in Lansing, with Michigan State sweeping Princeton to push the all-time series record to 5-0. Princeton is on a five-game losing streak after winning its home opener against Cornell on Nov. 7. The Spartans haven’t been particularly impressive this season, but they should be able to push the all-time series record to 6-0. Michigan State wins

Massachusetts at Quinnipiac, 7 p.m.

Quinnipiac had its six-game unbeaten streak ended last Friday by Clarkson, but rebounded with a 3-2 overtime win at St. Lawrence. UMass has struggled this season and I’m not sure if they’ll be able to keep pace with the Bobcats. Quinnipiac wins

Rensselaer at Michigan, 7:35

RPI has been dealing with plenty of injuries lately, forcing the Engineers to skate a defenseman at forward each of the last two games, going 1-0-1, including a 2-1 win Tuesday at New Hampshire. This is a matchup of contrasting strengths; RPI scores 1.63 goals per game while allowing 2.41 and the Wolverines score 3.64 goals per game while allowing 3.27. I’ll take the stronger defense in the series opener. Rensselaer wins

Union at Notre Dame, 7:35 p.m. (Shillelagh Tournament)

The Dutchmen resume play following a break for exams, taking part in the Shillelagh Tournament for the first time since 2009, when Union lost 3-1 to No.1 Notre Dame. Neither the Irish (6-6-2) nor the Dutchmen (6-5-1) have been consistent this season, although Union did end a six-game winless streak with a convincing 6-1 win over Princeton on Nov. 15. A win here could set the Dutchmen up nicely for the remainder of the first half. This game will be aired on NBCsports.com. Union wins

Saturday, Nov. 29

Connecticut at Brown, 4 p.m.

It’s been a nightmarish start for the Bears. Brown has lost six in a row following a 4-2 win in the season opener on Oct. 31. The Bears’ penalty kill has been atrocious, converting at 54.5 percent. Connecticut isn’t any sort of offensive powerhouse, but has good goaltending and is willing to create traffic in front of the net. Connecticut wins

Colgate at Boston University, 4 p.m.

The Raiders have had some injuries this season, but have kept on rolling. They’ll have their hands full with No. 1 Boston University, who lost 3-2 to Harvard in overtime Tuesday. This might be one of the best games of the weekend, and I could see it going either way. Colgate wins

American International at Dartmouth, 4 p.m.

Dartmouth is looking to break out of a mini 1-3 funk, but I don’t see them losing to the Yellow Jackets, especially at home. Dartmouth wins

Clarkson at Merrimack, 4 p.m.

I think the Golden Knights will rebound and head home with a split. Clarkson wins

Union vs. Ohio State/Michigan State, 4:05 (Shillelagh Tournament)

Assuming Union gets past Notre Dame in the opener, the Dutchmen will either face Ohio State or Western Michigan for the championship. Both teams have struggled this season, and the Dutchmen should be able to handle either one. Union wins

Michigan State at Princeton, 7 p.m.

While I predicted a split for Clarkson, I don’t see that happening for the Tigers. Michigan State wins

Quinnipiac at Massachusetts, 7 p.m.

The venue is different, but I don’ think the result will be any different. QU should get the sweep. Quinnipiac wins

Harvard at Massachusetts Lowell, 7 p.m.

The Crimson had an impressive overtime win against No.1 Boston University Tuesday. Can they continue that against UMass Lowell? The River Hawks have steady on both ends of the ice this year, and while I’m tempted to call for a Harvard win, it will be tough, especially on the road. Massachusetts-Lowell wins

RIT at Yale, 7 p.m.

Yale forward Stu Wilson will have the chance to face his father, RIT coach Wayne Wilson, for the first time in his collegiate career. The younger Wilson’s team has been the better one thus far, and the Bulldogs and goalie Alex Lyon should come through for the win. Yale wins

Rensselaer at Michigan, 7:35

Michigan should come back to get the weekend split. Michigan wins

Penn State vs. Cornell, 8 p.m. (Frozen Apple at Madison Square Garden)

This is the sixth time in eight seasons Cornell has played at Madison Square Garden, but the first time the Big Red have faced Penn State. The Nittany Lions are off to a 7-3-2 start thanks to a high-scoring offense. It should be a good test for Cornell’s defense, which has been strong to date. If the Big Red can carry over its offensive production from last weekend, they should get the win. Cornell wins

Sunday, Nov. 30

Brown at Holy Cross, 1:05 p.m.

Holy Cross has gotten strong goaltending from senior Matt Ginn this season. I think that will be the difference here. Holy Cross wins

Boston University at Dartmouth, 4 p.m.

The Terriers face their third straight ECAC Hockey team, and I think they’ll finally break through with a win. Boston University wins

Weekend picks are in

By Dan Hickling & Brian Lester

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November 28, 2014

Babson goaltender Jamie Murray is off to a stellar start for the Beavers (photo: Babson Athletics).

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and that everyone is thankful for another weekend of college hockey.
Our two columnists take a look at this weekend’s top games and weigh in with their predictions.

BRIAN LESTER

Concordia (Minn.) is certainly thankful to be playing and for its early-season success. It will be tested this weekend as it heads out to the prestigious PrimeLink Great Northern Shootout at Middlebury.
The Cobbers take on the host team on Friday and will look to build on their early-season success. Concordia is tied for second in the MIAC at the moment, sitting at 4-3-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the league.
Concordia has won its last two and has gotten a huge lift from Andrew Deters, who has tallied five goals. Jon Grebosky has come through with four goals. The Cobbers have scored 25 goals in all.
The Panthers have played just four games and are 1-1-2 on the season. Mike Najjar and Vincent Gosonti have scored two goals apiece. Although this is a road game for Concordia, I think the Cobbers are more than capable of getting the job done and advancing to the tournament title game. Concordia, 4-3.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point (5-2) vs. Adrian (8-0): The ninth-ranked Pointers and No. 4 Bulldogs face off in a pivotal non-conference matchup. Stevens Point has won three of its last four and is looking avenge a 6-4 loss to Adrian last weekend. The Pointers held a 37-21 edge in shots in the last meeting. But they gave up three goals in the second period and they have to avoid the flurry of goals that Adrian is capable of coming through with in a game. Defense will be key. Brandon Jaeger has tallied 143 saves on the year.
Adrian’s high-powered offense is tough to contain. The Bulldogs are averaging six goals per outing and are extremely difficult to defend. Matthew Thompson leads the attack with five goals. He has also dished out eight assists. Taylor McCloy is the assist leader with 13 on the season. If this were on the road, I might give the Pointers the edge. The Bulldogs get the edge being at home. Adrian, 5-4.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire (3-2-2) vs. Augsburg (5-3): The Auggies will look to get back on track after a tough overtime loss to Wisconsin-River Falls. Mark Ohnstead has paced Augsburg with six goals and Dylan Meier has come through with five goals. The Auggies need to be able to cash in on scoring opportunities when they get them and take advantage of being at home.
The No. 13 Blugolds hit the road looking to end a three-game winless streak. Jay Deo and Tyler Green have split time and goal and there is no question the defense will need to shine for Eau Claire to get the win.
Scoring off the power play will be key as well. Eau Claire is 0-for-30 in those situations, and if it can generate goals off of it this weekend, it could go a long way toward a win. I think Eau Claire gets back on track. Eau Claire, 4-3.
Lake Forest (2-3-2, 1-2-1) vs. Finlandia (1-6, 1-3): The Foresters are hoping to break out of a funk where they have gone five games without a win. They have managed to score only two goals in a game only twice during the stretch. Luke Swardenski has led Lake Forest with four goals. This is a NCHA series the Foresters need to take care of business in, especially with the expectations they have for the season.
Finlandia is capable of beating anyone on any given night. It proved as much with its upset win over St. Scholastica. The Lions have dropped three in a row and have managed to score only nine goals all year. They have given up 44. The odds favor Lake Forest and my guess is the Foresters get the job done. Lake Forest, 4-1, 5-2.

DAN HICKLING

FRIDAY
Manhattanville (1-3-1) vs. Castleton (3-4-0) at Rutland Herald Invitational – Castleton 2, Manhattanville 1
Both squads are looking for a jump start. The view here is that Castleton finds one.
No. 3 Plattsburgh (7-0-0) vs. #2 Norwich (6-0-0) at Primelink Tourney – Plattsburgh 3, Norwich 2
Would you be surprised to see these two squaring off for the national championship in three months? Didn’t think so.
SATURDAY
University of New England (3-4-0) vs. Cortland (2-5-1) at PAL Stovepipe – UNE 6, Cortland 5
Like a full-tilt 200-foot contest? Get to this one. These teams can score and score some more. Should be highly entertaining for everyone – except the goalies, that is.
Nazareth (4-2-1) @ No. 6 Babson (6-0-0) – Babson 3, Nazareth 1
Nazareth has pulled off enough upsets over ranked teams that another one here wouldn’t be such a shock. Still, Babson’s Jamie Murray is playing as well as any goalie in the country, and the eager Beavers in front of him are very protective of him.
SUNDAY
No. 10 Massachusetts-Boston (6-0-0) @ No. 8 Trinity (3-0-1) – Trinity 4 UMB 2
Two quality teams who play in tough conferences, eager (and capable) of entering the national conversation. What do they say? Nothing to lose and everything to gain?

NCHC picks: Nov. 28

By Candace Horgan

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November 28, 2014

I thought I might put some distance between Matthew and I after Minnesota-Duluth’s come-from-behind win over Nebraska-Omaha, but alas, it was not to be, as Colorado College fell to Air Force the next night. Overall, Matthew and I bouth went 7-3 (.700). On the year, I am 49-20-3 (.701), while Matthew is 44-25-3 (.631).

NCHC action is light this weekend, but let’s see how we do.

Friday, Nov. 28

Western Michigan vs. Ohio State (Shillelagh Tournament)
Candace: I don’t actually think I’ve gotten a Western Michigan pick right yet this year. Maybe Matthew knows something I don’t, so I’ll follow his lead. Western Michigan 3-2
Matthew: Outside of Minnesota and Penn State, the Big Ten has been pretty mediocre so far this season, and Ohio State hasn’t been immune to it. Granted, Western hasn’t blown anyone’s doors off this season, either, but I’m taking the Broncos in this one. Western Michigan 4-2

Friday-Saturday, Nov. 28-29

No. 11 Nebraska-Omaha at No. 2 North Dakota
Candace: I have no idea what to expect in this series, but both games will be close. A split seems likely. However, since I don’t have any idea of an order, I’ll pick a UND sweep, just so The Red Army will tweet “bite me” in response. North Dakota 3-2, 3-1
Matthew: These are always very entertaining games, whether they’re in Omaha or Grand Forks. To me, this has “split” written all over it, but I’m not sure who will win which night. North Dakota 3-1, Nebraska-Omaha 3-1

No. 16 St. Cloud State at Bemidji State
Candace: I’d like to think that St. Cloud can start building a little run, so I’m going to be an NCHC homer and pick a sweep. St. Cloud State 3-1, 3-2
Matthew: Tom Serratore makes sure his Beavers are a tough out every time they play, and I have a sneaking suspicion that they could pick up a split here, but I think SCSU will take care of business. St. Cloud State 2-1, 3-1

Pickin’ the Big Ten: Nov. 28-29

By Paula C. Weston

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November 28, 2014

Everyone plays this week. First, though, let’s look at how Drew Claussen and I are doing with the picks. (Hint: Drew’s doing just fine.)

Last week
Drew: 3-3-0 (.500)
Paula: 1-5-0 (.167)

Season
Drew: 36-21-3 (.625)
Paula: 23-34-3 (.408)

I correctly picked two series to split last week, Michigan State-Ohio State and Penn State-Michigan. Unfortunately, I called each team to win on the night opposite it won. Again.

This week

It’s all nonconference play this week, with the Shillelagh Tournament and a single game at Madison Square Garden thrown in for good measure. Not one of these games is televised.

Ferris State at Wisconsin

Drew: It’s hard to get a good read on this Ferris State team. The Bulldogs started the season with a convincing win over Michigan and then proceeded to lose five of their next eight. They then rebounded by destroying Alaska Anchorage in a series, outscoring the Seawolves 14-2 over two games, and then followed that up by splitting with Alabama-Huntsville last weekend. It’s been easier to decipher the Badgers so far this season. They’ve struggled. Wisconsin’s next eight games will be played at home and they will pick up a couple of wins during this home stand. I mean, they have to pick up a coupleof wins, right? I’ve picked Wisconsin before and the Badgers have yet to come through for me, but I’m going with them again.

Paula: The Bulldogs and Badgers last met Jan. 1, 2005, in the title game of the Badger Hockey Showdown, which Ferris State won, 5-3. That was FSU’s second consecutive Badger Hockey Showdown title. While I once again hesitate to call a split — for obvious reasons — that’s the way I’m going, too. Friday’s game begins at 7:00 p.m., Saturday’s at 8:00 p.m.

Drew’s picks: Wisconsin 3-1, Ferris State 4-2.
Paula’s picks: Wisconsin 3-2, Ferris State 3-2.

Michigan State at Princeton

Drew: The Spartans have had three chances to sweep an opponent so far this season and they’re currently 0-3 in those situations. That fact makes it very hard to pick Michigan State to sweep on the road this weekend, even if Princeton has a 1-6-1 record and has dropped its last five contests. I would describe MSU as having scoring woes so far this season, but Princeton’s situation is far worse. The Tigers are dead last in the nation in scoring, averaging only one goal per game. That’s more than a goal less than what the Spartans have averaged. One of these teams will break out offensively this weekend and I bet it will be Michigan State.

Paula: This is Michigan State’s first trip to Princeton; the Spartans swept the Tigers last season in East Lansing, 4-1 and 8-1. The Spartans’ scoring woes are really rooted in scoring inconsistency. They are certainly capable of finding the net. This is a Friday-Saturday series with games beginning at 7:00 p.m. each night.

Drew’s picks: Michigan State 5-2, 5-1.
Paula’s picks: Michigan State 3-2, 4-2.

Minnesota at Boston College and Northeastern

Drew: Boston College isn’t having a typical Boston-College-like season but, like both of us said when the Eagles played Michigan State, there’s never a good time to face BC. The Eagles have won their last three games after dropping four games in a row for the first time in a decade. It’ll be interesting to see how the Gophers respond after getting swept by Minnesota-Duluth last time out. Minnesota did drop an exhibition game to the U.S. Under-18 Team last Friday, but I don’t see anything to worry about there due to the fact that Nick Lehr was in net and the U-18 team is pretty good this year. Minnesota is 2-0-1 against Boston College in the three contests the two teams have played over the last two seasons. All three games have been at Mariucci Arena. Of course, the Eagles beat the Gophers 6-1 in at the Frozen Four in 2012 on the way to their fifth national title. Northeastern has won two of its last three games, which improved the Huskies’ record to 2-9-1. Not much to say about that game; home ice could help the Huskies steal one but I expect Minnesota to win.

Paula: This is the worst kind of dilemma. In nonconference games, I rarely pick against the Gophers and I never pick against the Eagles. Minnesota is 16-12-3 all-time against the Eagles, 8-5-0 all-time against the Huskies. Friday’s game against BC begins at 6:00 p.m.; Saturday game against Northeastern begins at 7:00 p.m.

Drew’s picks: Minnesota 3-2, 5-2.
Paula’s picks: BC 3-2, Minnesota 4-2.

Ohio State at Shillelagh Tournament

Drew: Friday’s match up in South Bend will put the Buckeyes against a team from the NCHC that also has had a less-than-stellar start to the season, Western Michigan. I’m glad to see they’re starting the two games in this tournament closer together than they did for the Ice Breaker. Hopefully Notre Dame fans arriving early combines with fans from both Ohio State and Western Michigan that made the drive to create a decent crowd. I liked the way the Buckeyes looked against Michigan State, even though their effort only yielded a split. There’s some tough competition in this field, so this weekend will be another good test for the Buckeyes.

Paula: The Buckeyes and Broncos are familiar foes from the CCHA, with a series that dates back to 1963. WMU holds a 65-61-13 edge all-time. The last time the teams met was Feb. 15-16, 2013, with a 1-1 tie and a 6-3 OSU win. OSU’s history with Notre Dame, another former foe from the CCHA, dates back to 1965, and OSU leads the all-time series 34-32-10. The Buckeyes and Irish last met in the last-ever CCHA Tournament semifinals (March 23, 2013), a 3-1 Notre Dame win. The Buckeyes and Dutchmen have met three times, the last a 2005 series that OSU swept. Friday’s game against the Broncos begins at 4:00 p.m., and games are at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Drew’s picks: Ohio State defeats Western Michigan 3-2 and falls to Notre Dame 4-2.
Paula’s picks: I have no idea how to pick this. None. Not one of these teams is performing up to its potential, and no one seems to be playing consistently. OSU over WMU 3-2, then the Buckeyes fall to Union, 3-2.

Penn State at Cornell: The Frozen Apple

Drew: Before the season I told a friend that it would still be at least four or five years before Penn State would be a true contender in the Big Ten. After a dozen games, the Nittany Lions are making me look pretty dumb. Whether they stay this hot throughout the rest of the season remains to be seen. The law of averages says that they have to cool down eventually, but right now you can’t count Penn State out of any game. This game being at Madison Square Garden, while being a cool spectacle, takes away home-ice advantage from Cornell. Penn State should be eager to get a win and put last week’s loss to Michigan in the rear-view mirror.

Paula: I like this Penn State team. That’s all I’ve got.

Drew’s pick: Penn State 4-1.
Paula’s pick: Penn State 3-2.

Rensselaer at Michigan

Drew: Michigan’s struggle with consistency continued last weekend when it followed up a disappointingly-close home loss to Penn State with its best effort of the season in an 8-1 victory over the Nittany Lions. RPI won’t be a pushover this weekend; the Engineers have quality wins over Notre Dame and Union this season, but they also seem to be a team that has struggled to carry over momentum from one game to another. I’d like to see Michigan play well again this weekend. The Wolverines have the talent of a top-10 team that can challenge Minnesota in the Big Ten, but they have yet to play up consistently to that potential this season.

Paula: The Engineers have a 7-3-1 record against the Wolverines, but the teams haven’t met since the 2009 Great Lakes Invitational Tournament, a 4-3 RPI semifinal win. I like what I saw from the Wolverines last weekend … with the exception of the three-minute lapse Friday that led to Penn State’s goals.

Drew’s picks: Michigan 4-2, 3-1. (I feel like I’m picking way too many sweeps this week, considering how nonconference play has gone for the Big Ten so far.)

Paula’s picks: Michigan 3-2, 4-2. (I have no qualms picking a sweep. I have no qualms picking anything. Clearly, I have no ability to pick this season.)

Hockey East picks – Nov. 28-Dec. 3

By Jim Connelly

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November 28, 2014

Dave and I picked differently on just two games last week and one of those wasn’t played. So I made up the most I possibly could on the deficit.

Jim last week: 11-3-1
Jim to-date: 66-31-9
Dave last week: 10-4-1
Dave to-date: 68-29-9

Friday, November 26

Minnesota at Boston College
Jim’s pick: I would like to think that home ice is enough to sway this game, but having seen Minnesota play on tape I think they are simply the better team
UM 4, BC 2
Dave’s pick: I have to agree. BC isn’t yet the juggernaut we come to expect each year.
UM 4, BC 2

Clarkson at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: I’ll admit to not knowing much about Clarkson this season. What I do know is that Merrimack has been a beast at home.
MC 3, CU 1
Dave’s pick: I’m giving the Warriors the opener. A 5-1-0 home record is nothing to trifle with.
MC 3, CU 2

Vermont at Maine (non-conference)
Jim’s pick: The way that the Catamounts dismantled UMass in the last two games gives me even more faith this team can win at Maine.
UVM 4, UM 2
Dave’s pick: Much has been made of Maine’s inability to win on the road, but the Black Bears are only .500 at home. That’s not good enough to topple a team playing as well as Vermont.
UVM 3, UM 2

Massachusetts at Quinnipiac
Jim’s pick: I would like to think UMass could respond to tough losses to UVM with a great non-conference opponent. Quinnipiac on the road, though, isn’t the right matchup.
QU 4, UMass 1
Dave’s pick: Since Quinnipiac comes into this one at 8-3-1, I don’t think this is the right matchup regardless of the venue.
QU 4, UMass 2

Union at Notre Dame (Shillelagh Tournament, South Bend, Ind.)
Jim’s pick: This might be the most difficult game to pick. If Notre Dame can score some goals, they can win. That is a bit of an ‘if’, though. So home ice is my deciding factor.
UND 3, Union 2 (OT)
Dave’s pick: Notre Dame is surprisingly only at .500, and Union is even more surprisingly just a game over that mark. As Jim says, home ice decides this one.
UND 3, Union 2

Saturday, November 29

Boston College at Providence
Jim’s pick: Between Nick Ellis and Jon Gillies, Providence is riding back-to-back shutouts and a streak of 161:22 without allowing a goal. Against strong opponents BC’s offense hasn’t clicked. Thus, I’m going with the Friars.
PC 3, BC 2
Dave’s pick: I never expected these two teams to be cumulatively only three games over .500. So I’m going with home ice.
PC 3, BC 2 (OT)

Connecticut at Brown
Jim’s pick: UConn has played well against the top teams and no-so-well against teams they should beat. That’s what makes me nervous here. But the Hockey East homer in me will pick the Huskies.
UC 2, BU 1
Dave’s pick: There are only two teams in the country without a single point at home. Wisconsin is one; Brown is the other. It’s a small sample size, but UConn has just been playing better.
UC 3, BU 2

Colgate at Boston University
Jim’s pick: A loss to Harvard should give BU a shot in the arm.
BU 5, CU 2
Dave’s pick: The Terriers ain’t ranked number one for nothin’.
BU 4, CU 2

Clarkson at Merrimack
Jim’s pick: The Warriors continue to love home cooking.
MC 3, CU 2
Dave’s pick: Clarkson is better than its .500 record so I think the Raiders salvage the split despite Merrimack’s prowess at home.
CU 3, MC 2

Vermont at Maine (non-conference)
Jim’s pick: I should be picking a split given Maine’s success on home ice. But my gut says that UVM keeps on winning.
UVM 3, UM 2
Dave’s pick: As I noted before, Maine hasn’t been that successful at home. The Catamounts sweep.
UVM 4, UM 2

Minnesota at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: If I can’t pick BC to beat the Gophers, I certainly can’t pick Northeastern.
UM 6, NU 2
Dave’s pick: This one could get ugly.
UM 5, NU 1

Quinnipiac at Massachusetts
Jim’s pick: The Bobcats win the back end of the home-and-home for the two-game sweep.
QU 3, UMass 2
Dave’s pick: Agreed. Quinnipiac sweeps.
QU 4, UMass 2

Harvard at Massachusetts-Lowell
Jim’s pick: These are two of the nation’s hottest teams right now. And home ice proves the razor thin difference.
UML 3, HU 2
Dave’s pick: Despite Harvard’s impressive win over BU, I’m sticking with the River Hawks until proven wrong.
UML 4, HU 2

Ohio State/Western Michigan at Notre Dame (at Shillelagh Tournament, South Bend, Ind.)
Jim’s pick: Regardless of the opponent, I believe that the Irish should come out on top.
ND 4, OSU 1; ND 4, WMU 2
Dave’s pick: Agreed. Neither Ohio State nor Western Michigan have impressed this year.
ND 4, OSU 2; ND 5, WMU 1

Boston University at Dartmouth
Jim’s pick: A busy week ends on a winning note for BU.
BU 5, DC 2
Dave’s pick: That loss to the Crimson was just an aberration.
BU 4, DC 1

Wednesday, December 3

Providence at Northeastern
Jim’s pick: Things just don’t get any simpler for the Huskies.
PC 3, NU 2
Dave’s pick: The Huskies have won two of their last three, but they’ve also won only two for the entire season.
PC 4, NU 2

Connecticut at Massachusetts-Lowell
Jim’s pick: UConn has played the top of Hockey East tough. But that is a reason that Lowell should be ready.
UML 4, UC 2
Dave’s pick: Yup, I’m a River Hawk believer.
UML 4, UC 2

Gallery: Minnesota defeats Boston College

By Melissa Wade

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November 28, 2014

Images from Minnesota’s win at Boston College on Friday night, the first of two road games for the Gophers versus Hockey East teams.

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Is Saturday night all right?

Home cooking makes a difference

Getting the hang of this college hockey thing

Too soon?

Mountain climbers

Optimism in Hanover

Neutral-site review

BRIAN LESTER

DAN HICKLING

This week

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