I wasn't going to publicize my ridicule again this year, but 14 of 16 round
ball picks yesterday returned a smile to my face and a little confidence.
 
#10 SLU at #1 Yale
 
Yale is an inexperienced ECAC playoff team, but it won't hurt them at this
level.  Their last pair of home games ruined a perfect home record, but they
proved last weekend that they could win when they needed to against RPI and
Union.  Yale in 2.
 
#9 Vermont at #2 Clarkson
 
The question of the year for Clarkson seems to be who's in goal.  The answer
for this series is that Tim Thomas isn't in goal across the way.  Clarkson went
10-0-1 at home in league play this year, and hasn't lost or even tied a
quarterfinal game at the Cheel Arena.  Knights in 2.
 
#8 Cornell at #3 RPI
 
This is one of the very intriguing matchups on tap for this weekend.  Cornell
has a lot of playoff experience and a lot of pride.  We've seen this
combination before.  However, RPI is without a doubt the better team.  Expect
this series to end in 2, but I think RPI might get a wake-up call with a tie
tonight.
 
#7 Princeton at #4 Brown
 
Tigers and Bears, oh my.  Well, I bet against Princeton last night and it hurt
me, but here we go again.  Princeton beat Brown it OT early in the season, but
Brown was impressive in the second meeting.  Princeton has only mustered wins
against  #6 Colgate, #5 Harvard, and Dartmouth in the second half of the
season.  This all coming while traveling with the #1 ranked team.  Brown has
only lost to #1 Yale and #2 Clarkson since the first of February.  Bears in 2.
 
#6 Colgate at #5 Harvard
 
An interesting series when you consider that with 2 teams headed downhill so
quickly, something's got to give.  Harvard's only victory against a top 8 ECAC
team since the first of 1998 was against Colgate.  Colgate doesn't even have
that going for them.  Harvard seems to have the edge on paper, but I think this
matchup is going to be our only upset.  Colgate will take this series in 2.
 
Not really going out on a limb in general, but I don't think SLU, UVM, and
Princeton have a limb to stand on.  IMHO, the only close matchups are the 3/8
and 5/6 games.
 
Dan Olsen
Clarkson '96
 
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