Three weekends to go and things are quiet on the HockeyEast discussion
front. I haven't read Dave's "prederelictions" for this weekend's games yet,
so I figured I'd express my view before I take a look at his. I also haven't
heard anything on Maine yet so I'm assuming they'll be the "spoilers" in the
coming weeks and I won't count them in HockeyEast standings. (ie. Providence
is in third.)
 
Its a weekend where 6 of the nine HockeyEast teams will be facing league
opponents that they haven't seen yet. Its also a weekend where #'s 3 and 4
square off against #'s 1 and 2. This provides a great oppurtunity for #'s 5
and 6 to jump their positions, except they'll be playing eachother.
 
---------------- Boston College vs. Merrimack -------------------
                 (Season series ... haven't met.)
This 5 vs. 6 matchup is my key series to watch. #5 Boston College is hosting
#6 Merrimack on Friday and Merrimack returns the favor on Saturday. This is
a hot underachiever vs. a cold underachiever. Both of these teams promised
to have better showings this year. Boston College has shown glimpses of this
but lately they've been coming up short. They've lost four of their last five.
Granted, three of these losses were close games against very good BU, UNH
and Maine squads. Maybe they'll be able to display their strength against
Merrimack. But, don't count on Merrimack rolling over. This was a very hot
Merrimack squad that won four straight (and seven of ten) before Providence
cooled them off last Saturday. They beat a hot Lowell squad and a
steam-rolling Maine that no one seemed able to beat. If Merrimack pulls off
the sweep this weekend, it could conceivably rocket them into a tie for
third place. If BC gains a sweep, they could gain third for themselves.
 
The key will clearly be goal-tending. Will Merrimack's battered goalies be
able to thwart the crafty BC forwards? Will the fast and dangerous MC forwards
be able to get by Greg Taylor often enough to win? If either team's keeper
gets hot, a weekend sweep would be a significant playoff boost. I would bet
on Taylor if this was a BU or UNH that BC was going up against, but it
isn't. I'd like to see the rookie Classen get a start for Merrimack but
otherwise Legault is the Warriors best bet in having a goalie that could
finish a game.
 
Merrimack wins 6-5 in overtime at BC and the 5-1 at Merrimack on
Saturday.
 
---------------------- UNH vs. Providence -----------------------
                 (Season series ... haven't met.)
Providence is on a 3-game streak outscoring opponents 21-8 in that span. UNH
is on a 6-game streak outscoring opponents 21-1 in the last three games. The
scoring won't be as high this weekend as both squads run into hot goalies.
UNH's defense has been outstanding lately. Look for some low-scoring close
games.
 
Its a shame that the rookie goalie Kane from Providence has to meet such a
formidible opponent during his current streak. Maybe, Prov. coach Poule
will spare the kid and go with seasoned veteran Dennis, but I doubt it. Feed
the kid to the wolves and see what he's made of. If he gets eaten alive,
Dennis will be surely in net on Saturday. I have a feeling that Kane will
get both starts, albeit without a point for Providence.
 
UNH sweeps 4-3 and 4-1.
 
---------------- Boston University vs. Lowell -------------------
                 (Season series ... Lowell 1-0.)
Lowell sweeps 13-2 and 9-0. Freshmen Koehler and Bell get hat-tricks in
both games. Donovan gets 12 assists and sophomore goalie Scott Fankhouser
gets both wins while compiling a .953 save perentage over the weekend.
 
Just kidding!
 
Seriously? - I'm hoping for a split. BU is hot but can be taken ... and we
all know Lowell is just the team to do it. I think Lowell's scoring will
come alive this weekend and hopefully the goalie change I'm prediciting
will have a strong impact. Lowell has been playing pretty poorly and Fillion
looked real suspect against Amherst. I would think that the BU games would
be a great lift for Fillion to get going again, but I wonder if he'll get
the start.
 
Lowell wins 7-6 on Friday and loses 9-7 on Saturday.
 
------------------- Maine at UMass-Amherst ----------------------
                 (Season series ... haven't met.)
Maine sweeps 6-2 and 7-0, eliminating Amherst's home-ice chances and pretty
much relegating them to a seventh-place finish.
 
 
Predicted Standings (after UNH loses to Maine on Tuesday.)
              G   W   L   T   Pts.
1 - UNH      22  18   4   0   36
2 - BU       20  14   3   3   31
3 - Lowell   21  10  11   0   20
4 - Merr.    20   9  10   1   19
  - Prov.    21   9  11   1   19
6 - BC       21   7  11   3   17
7 - Amherst  22   7  15   0   14
8 - NE       20   2  17   1    5
 
Maine (They would be in a strong third.)
             21  13   7   1   27
 
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