In my 11 years of college hockey fandom, I don't really recall a HEA season
that has been so exciting, with so many solid, close games being played.
 
Wheeeeeee!
 
 
Some random comments...
 
Hockey Most:
Could this be the year Hockey East puts 4 teams into the tournament? Given
the inconsistent performances shown in the ECAC and WCHA (sorry, fans), and
HEA teams sitting 3-4-7-13 in the recent poll -- they've certainly got a
good shot at it, especially if Northeastern or Boston College pulls through
and wins the HEA tournament. Certainly the Huskie's sweep of UNH this
weekend should launch them into the top 10 and rocket them up in the PWR, no?
 
 
Hockey East Standings:
BU needs one more win (or a tie combined with a BC loss or tie) to clinch
the HEA regular season title. Just a few weeks ago, UNH was in the driver's
seat of the league and now faces the possibility (albeit slight) of
finishing fourth. Boston College has a shot at tying BU for first, and
Northeastern is gunning for second. Would that I could be in Boston for the
HEA playoffs!
 
 
This could be a wild final weekend in HEA, what with 3 of the top 4 facing
each other (BU v NU and BC v NU) and UNH fighting for its life on the road.
 
 
Boston University:
Bunch of milestones for this fantastic team. BU wins its 300th at Walter
Brown, Drury gets hits 200th point of his career, Poti scores his first hat
trick. Maybe Drury won't win the Hobey this year, but maybe someone should
come up with an award for the best 1-2 tandem. Would be hard to argue
against Drury-Poti for that one, when you take into consideration how both
play both ends of the ice so damn well. Originally the final weekend didn't
look so tough on paper, but now they're facing a hot Northeastern at
Matthews, and Ron Anderson's final (regular-season) game at Walter Brown.
This is pure judgment time for the young squad.
 
 
Boston College:
Is it just me (stuck here in the rockies with 2 mediocre WCHA squads) or
has BC's rise back to the top of Hockey East come very quietly? Yes,
they've been ranked somewhat steadily in the polls, but they've been
somewhat overshadowed by their top-dwelling counterparts BU and UNH. Now
they've got a good shot to steal second place from UNH -- whom they've
taken two of three from this season, thus winning out in the event of a
tie. Big final game against Northeastern. Reeeeal Beeeeg.
 
 
New Hampshire:
Saw the game against Northeastern (on the dish) saturday night. This is
*not* the same team I saw playing in the Denver cup, or the same team I saw
elsewhere on the tube earlier this year. 3 losses in a row! I still think
that "Hobey" Bekar is the best in the country, but what's up with the rest
of the squad? You're not supposed to drop those 1-1 games at home in the
third period. They've got a pair of away games this weekend against teams
(Provdence and Lowell) who have only one game remaining. Could be tough to
win a pair... might this team actually wind up in FOURTH?
 
 
Northeastern:
Like BC, they've also taken 2 of 3 against the 'Cats. They've got the lock
on fourth, and have culled 20 wins overall. They've got a pair of (I say it
again) Reeeeeal Beeeeeg games at HOME against BU and BC, and if they carry
the momentum from this weekend might just take both games. Not only would
this vault them into the top 7 or 8 in the national rankings, but might
even allow the Huskies to wind up in SECOND in the HEA rankings. Talk about
motivation!
 
 
Predictions:
 
Boston U ties Northeastern, defeats Merrimack.
Boston College defeats UMass, loses to Northeastern.
New Hampshire defeats Providence, defeats Lowell.
Northeastern ties Boston U, defeats Boston College.
Maine defeats UMass.
 
Predicted HEA final standings:
 
1 Boston U              17-4-3          37 pts
2 Boston College**      15-6-3          33
  New Hampshire 16-7-1          33
4 Northeastern  14-7-3          31
5 Maine         11-11-2 24
6 Lowell                10-11-3 23
7 Providence            9-13-2          20
8 Merrimack             4-20-0           8
9 UMass         3-19-1           7
 
**BC seeded ahead of UNH by virtue of 2-1 season edge.
 
 
 
 
Jason Kekoa Greene
http://www.kekoa.com
 
Senior Web Artist
Parsons Brinckerhoff
4D Imaging multimedia group
http://www.pb4d.com
(renovating, renovating, renovating!)
 
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