Hockey Game Pick D-III East – January 6, 2022 – College Hockey
It’s only the first weekend of the New Year – technically the second weekend – and there are still some big tournaments going on as well as ranked team battles to choose from this week. There were a lot of carryovers in my tournament pick matches, but I finished on the positive side in what was contested at 3-1-0 (.750), bringing the record up slightly overall at 42-26-6 (.608). Hopefully the games will be played so that I can start the year with a solid pick list and the second half is on. Here are the selections for this weekend:
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Plymouth State vs. Fitchburg State
The Panthers are undefeated in conference play and to keep it that way they will need to earn a key road win against a key MASCAC challenger in the Falcons. Just a little too much PSU firepower to stop – Power supply, 5-4
Friday, January 7, 2022
WB Mason Winter Classic
Saint Anselm against Albertus Magnus
This game features teams going in different directions. The Hawks had lost five straight before defeating St. Michael’s on Tuesday and would face a Falcon team with seven wins in their last eight games. Hawks get the most out of this pair of raptors – Albertus Magnus, 5-3
King’s vs. Plattsburgh
The host Cardinals went 2-0-1 in December and would like to build on that momentum in their own tournament. Shouldn’t take the Lions lightly and after a slow start pick up the win to qualify for the title game – Plattsburgh, 6-2
Hobart (5) v Norwich (8)
The Statesmen clinched a nice trophy by winning the FOPH Middlebury tournament last weekend as Norwich had to postpone their tournament. Home ice and building positive momentum is the difference in this one – Hobart, 3-2
Middlebury v. Trinity
The Panthers have several busy weeks with Tuesday games to come throughout January which began this week with a 1-0 overtime loss at Bowdoin. Another weekend bus trip and a tough “L” – Trinity, 3-1
Cortland vs. Nazareth
The Red Dragons now have three in a row, including Tuesday’s win over Rivier. Hit the road and look to show they can win just as well as the visiting team – Corland, 4-2
Stevenson vs. Geneseo (2)
The Knights taste their only first-half loss since Dec. 11 and so the Mustangs will face an early onslaught as a result. This one is close with Ryan Kenny playing stellar hockey for Stevenson – Genesis, 4-2
Saturday, January 8, 2022
Curry (13) vs. Utica (3)
The upset alert has been launched! The curry is good and the Pioneers can ill afford to look past them for Sunday’s game with Oswego. Third-period goals are key for the Colonels – Curry, 5-4
St. Michael’s v. Assumption
This NE-10 battle could be very important because everyone is looking to southern New Hampshire and the weekend splits aren’t going to net enough points to start closing the gap. The Greyhounds help their cause with a weekend sweep – Assumption, 5-3
Colby v. Hamilton
The Mules are in the middle of five of six road games and will be looking to improve their NESCAC standings against a Hamilton side sitting above them. Endicott’s win showed Mules how to win close matches – Colby, 3-2
Massachusetts-Dartmouth v. State of Framingham
A trick game if ever there was one for the Corsairs – while FSU struggled in the first half of the season, UMD can’t look past the two-point opportunity on the road. They do but barely – UMD, 3-2
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Oswego vs. Utica (3)
The Lakers played better hockey and took all sixty minutes from No. 4 Augsburg in a 2-1 loss last weekend. Goals were hard to come by and three just not enough against the Pioneers – Utica, 4-3
The second half is officially on and I hope the players didn’t enjoy the holiday spirit too much. – “Drop the puck!”
