Hockey: One Time-out Per Game, Hoops: I Can't Count That High

This week the Elder and myself will be trying our hand at picking the outcome of the NCAA Division I Regional hockey games. This year the tournament finally expanded to sixteen games from twelve, so the pickings are a little tougher with those byes out of the way. (An aside to everyone whining about #1 ranked Cornell getting a tough seeding: It's about time the NCAA did this to an Eastern team after years of doing it to Western teams. You were way overdue to get the proverbial hockey stick shaft!) I have two Boston teams advancing to the Frozen Four, not because I know Eastern hockey (I don't) but I think because Radio K has been playing a live cover of "Dirty Water" by the Dropkick Murphys ... aw but they're cool people.

West Regional:

Semifinal) Ferris State vs. North Dakota - Ferris State wins 3-2.

Semifinal) Minnesota vs. Mercyhurst - Minnesota wins 5-1.

Final) Minnesota vs. Ferris State - The Gophers looks very very tough these days. They will eat up the home cooking in the regional and win this game 4-2.

Midwest Regional:

Semifinal) Maine vs. Michigan - Michigan wins 3-2.

Semifinal) Colorado College vs. Wayne State - Colorado College wins 6-2.

Final) Colorado College vs. Michigan - This will be a tough game for the Tigers as they will have to (if my above prediction comes true) play the Wolverines in their own building. But CC will pull through and win 3-2.

East Regional:

Semifinal) Cornell vs. Minnesota State-Mankato - Cornell wins 3-2.

Semifinal) Boston College vs. Ohio State - BC wins 3-1.

Final) Cornell vs. Boston College - BC plays in the solid Hockey East conference, while Cornell plays in the mediocre ECAC conference. It won't be that much of an upset when BC wins 4-2.

Northeast Regional:

Semifinal) Boston University vs. Harvard - BU wins 4-3

Semifinal) New Hampshire vs. St. Cloud State - UNH wins 5-3.

Final) Boston University vs. New Hampshire - BU triumphs so I will get to say "Jack Pahker pahked his cah in Hahvard Yahd" in a Boston accent (all my accents end up sounding North Dakotan anyway.) BU wins 2-1.