Let’s recap my predictions vs the reality. I know it wasn’t my night…

ECAC I had Harvard & Union. It was Harvard & Cornell. 50%

Hockey East I chose Notre Dame & BC. It’s UML vs BC. 50%

Big 10 I went Ohio St & Minnesota. Wisconsin & Penn St won. 0%

Ouch. It’s always tough going between head & heart on the picks. Luckily I’m not a betting man.

ND vs UML Just an overall ugly, slow paced game. Whistles galore. UML’s defensive play was stifling. ND couldn’t muster much offense, especially in the 1st period. ND was lucky to even get a goal, and it was all luck, a shot from the center ice face off circle bounced past  UML goalie Tyler Wall. UML answered only :25 seconds later. And again 2 minutes after that. It was UML all night. ND only had 20 shots on goal, while the River Hawks had 41. The Irish had no fight, even though they won the face off battle 26-24, after the draw UML was too strong. Credit Lowell for being up for the game. They always come to the Garden ready to go. And go tonight they will…

BC vs BU This was certainly a better game overall. The 1st was more in BU’s favor. The Terriers outshot the Eagles 12-9 and had the better chances. Joesph Woll was up to the task all night. Each team hit iron in the 1st period. BC broke open the scoring in the 2nd, and for awhile that seemed to weigh down BU. Again BU outshot BC, but the Eagles carried the play this period. In all actuality BU didn’t show up until the final 5 minutes of the game. David Quinn summoned his inner Parker & pulled Jake Oettinger, who played well overall (I think he was screened by his defenseman on 2 of the 3 goals) with just under 4 minutes left. The Terriers jammed 2 goals passed Woll between 17:36 & 18:38 gone by. BU had a draw to the right of Woll with :09 left but the BC center fell on the puck & wasted the clock. Tip my cap to BC, they’re playing for their season now. I thought they were toast after the way they flatlined the last month and a half.