Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

Here we are the start of a new year, 2013, and the start of the second half of the WCHA season.  I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa and the New Year Holiday, I know I did J

WCHA STANDINGS 2012-2013

Team………………………W-L-T………Points

1. St. Cloud St………….…9-5-0………….18
2. North Dakota.………..…7-2-3…..……...17
2. Denver…………..………7-4-3………....17
4. Minnesota State……….8-6-0.…...…….16
5. Minnesota………………6-3-3………….15
5. Nebraska-Omaha………7-4-1……........15
7. Minnesota-Duluth….…..5-6-3…………..13
8. Colorado College ……..5-6-1..….……..11
8. Bemidji State……..…….4-7-3..…….......11
10. Wisconsin…....…………2-5-5………......9
10. Michigan Tech………….3-8-3……….….9
12. Alaska-Anchorage…......1-8-3…...….…..5

WCHA

Wisconsin @ Alaska-Anchorage

Last weekend both the Badgers and Seawolves were off for the holidays.

After this series these teams will be halfway through the league schedule and will be in the lower half still.  The funny thing is this is the first of two series these teams play against each other this month.  They meet again in Madison the 25^th and 26^th of January too.  The Badgers with a sweep could almost even their record, almost. The Seawolves need some wins and momentum if they want to climb their way up the ladder.  This series will likely be the last time the Badgers visit Anchorage in a long time, given the upcoming conference changes.  I’m going with the upset special to start the year.  SEAWOLVES SWEEP

Colorado College @ #16 Nebraska-Omaha

Last weekend, the Tigers were off and the Mavericks were swept by the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

The Tigers appear to be on a vegetarian diet as of late, they haven’t feed the win column in the last 5 games.  CC has only one win in its last ten games.  The Mavericks have also fallen on hard times with only one win in their last five games.  The Tigers are a respectable 3-5-0 on the road and the Mavericks are 6-3-1 in Omaha this year.  I’m taking the easy prediction here.  SPLIT

Non Conference Games

#10 Western Michigan @ Bemidji St.

Last weekend, the Broncos tied Michigan St. (1-1) and lost to MTU (4-0) at the Great Lakes Invitational tournament.  The Beavers lost to UMass (4-3) and New Hampshire (3-2 ot) in the Ledyard Bank Classic.

The Broncos are 3-3-1 away from Kalamazoo this year and the Beavers are 3-3-2 at home in Bemidji this year.  The Beavers have been play well the last month and I don’t see them getting swept at home to start 2013.  SPLIT

#12 Cornell @ #11 Denver
The Pioneers defeated Boston U (6-0) over the holiday weekend, to end an eight game winless streak.  The Big Red beat Ferris State (5-3) and lost to Maine (6-4) in the Florida College Classic last weekend.

Cornell has played only three away games this season and are 1-2-0 in those contests.  The Pioneers are 7-4-1 at home in Magnus Arena this season.  It’s hard to say if DU is off their slide after their win.  And if the pollsters are accurate, this should be a very even series with eleven versus twelve.  SPLIT

Providence @ #14 Minnesota State

The Friars were off over the holidays and the Mavericks beat Brown (3-1) and Connecticut (3-1) in the UConn Hockey Classic.

The Mavericks are still red purple hot, only losing once in their last nine games, going 8-1-0 over that span.  The Friars are on a three game winless skid going 0-1-2, and are currently sitting in fourth place in Hockey East.  I have to go with the hot hand in this series.  MAVERICKS SWEEP

Northern Michigan @ #15 St. Could St.

The Wildcats were off over the holidays and the Huskies split a series with RPI (4-3L, 2-1W) in St. Cloud.

The Wildcats have one win (over MTU) in their last six games, and the Huskies have won three of their last four games.  SCSU will be looking to build some momentum this weekend before mushing into the WCHA schedule the rest of the year.  HUSKIES SWEEP

#20 Holy Cross @ #7 North Dakota

Last weekend, the Crusaders beat Yale 5-4 and NoDak enjoying the Christmas and New Years weekends off.

The last time the Crusaders were in Grand Forks was March 24-25, 2006, for the NCAA west regional.  I’m sure many of you remember those games. HC beat the Gophers 4-3 in overtime, in the opening game, which many called the greatest upset in NCAA history of hockey.  UND beat Michigan in their first round game, and then beat HC in the regional final 5-2.  This time around I don’t think Holy Cross will leave Grand Forks with a win.  NODAK SWEEP

#3 Notre Dame @ #1 Minnesota (Tuesday)

The Irish have been off since mid-December and the Gophers beat Air Force (4-0) and Boston College (8-1) in the Mariucci Classic last weekend.

The Irish are on a 6 game winning streak (their last loss was to UND on 11-23-12) and the Gophers are on a 5 game unbeaten streak.  I’m going to say rust is going to be on the Irish and the Gophers will jump to an early lead and hold on to win.

BYE WEEK

Minnesota-Duluth
Michigan Tech