Let's take a look at the Hockey East playoff picture with one week to go.
 
1. Maine 17-3-2, 36 pts - Needs only 2 pts in final two games to win Hockey
East, but must play at second-place New Hamsphire.  Certainly Maine has to
be happy being up a point going on the road.  Maine has fared well vs. UNH
of late, winning the last five games against the Wildcats including a
two-game sweep in last year's Hockey East Quarterfinals at UNH.  In fact,
Maine has won the last three games at UNH.  Maine is 10-2-2 on the road
this year and can finish no lower than second.
2. New Hamsphire 16-3-3 35 pts - Will host Maine Friday and Saturday to
decide HE.  The Wildcats need to take at least 3 of 4 points to win the
title.  UNH has not lost a game at home this year posting a stellar 14-0-1
record to date and have only allowed 23 goals in those 15 games.  UNH can
finish no lower than second.
3. Boston College 13-7-2 28 pts - BC, the preseason favorite to win HE, is
locked into the #3 spot.  BC will close out the year @ BU and home vs.
Merrimack.
4. Providence 12-10-1 25 pts - PC is locked into the last home ice spot at
#4.  They play just one more game, Sunday at Northeastern.
5. Boston University 8-12-3 19 pts - BU looks to be in good position to
finish #4 and set up a very intriguing matchup with Providence in the HE
quarterfinals.  The Terriers have a tough gave vs. BC to close out the
season, but throw out the records when those two rivals meet.
6. The Umass teams currently sit tied for sixth.  Amherst at 7-14-2 - 16
pts has been a surprise this year, as many expected them to finish at the
bottom of the league, but Joe Mallen is taking his team back to the
playoffs this year.  Amherst will play a critical positioning game at
Merrimack on Friday.  A win and they could possibly be as high as #6, a
loss and they could be the #8 seed.   Lowell is 8-15 16pts and has one game
remaining at Northeastern.  A win and Lowell will be the #6 seed if
Merrimack loses at least one game.  If Amherst and Lowell both lose, Lowell
will win the tiebreaker vs. Amherst on basis of head-to-head record.
8.     Merrimack  7-14-1 15 pts - Merrimack has the greatest amount of
mobility left.  I'm not sure how the tiebreakers work when teams split the
season series, but two Merrimack wins (and the right tiebreaker) and they
can tie BU for the #5 seed.  But the Warriors have not yet clinched a
playoff spot, but all they need is 1 point in their final two games vs.
Amherst and Boston College to clinch because they swept Northeastern 3-0
this season.  Merrimack however loses head-to-head vs. both Lowell and
Amherst, so if all three teams end up with 16 points Merrimack will be the
#8 seed.  A win over Amerhest will assure Merrimack at least a #7 seed.
 
9.   Northeastern  5-15-2  12 pts --- It is all but over for the
Northeastern Huskies.  Northeastern must win both its games next weekend.
The Huskies are home vs. Lowell and PC, but the bad news is that they are
2-10-1 at home this year.  If they fail to earn 4 points or if Merrimack
earns only 1 point, Northeastern is eliminated from making the playoffs
because they lose the tiebreaker to Merrimack.
 
---
Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
 
"Any idiot can face a crisis -- it's this day-to-day living
that wears you out."    - Anton Chekhov
 
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