2009-2010 Hockey East tournament preview

In a year were almost every team was in a fight for there lives, I will try my best to give you a good idea of what the Hockey East playoffs will look like. Since it is so close there is a very good chance that i will be wrong in the prediction area.

#1 New Hampshire vs #8 Vermont

 Although, UNH did not have to fight for a playoff spot on the final weekend of regular season play, they did go down the wire with Boston College for the number one seed.UNH has a 15-6-6 in league record and 36 total points. Vermont on the other hand, was in a fight for their playoff life. they took a big step in making the postseason after they swept BU and then lost and tied Lowell. With the tie they clinch the 8th spot. UVM had a 9-11-7 and 25 points.

The pick: UNH will take this series in three games. Vermont takes the second game.

#2 Boston College vs #7 Umass

BC, like UNH was already in the tournny before the weekend started. The Eagles could have won the regular season championship if they took had won both games against UNH. They were up 3-0 in the second on friday night and the Wildcats came back and tie the game giving them the title. The Eagles lost by one point to UNH with 35 points. Umass thought, turned their season around in a big way last weekend, after going up to Maine sweeping the series (this is the first time that any one has sweped in Maine) Umass had not won a game since January and most people wrote them off as the 9th place team, me included. Its clear that the Minutemen had some thing left in the tank and lets see if they can kick it into high gear and take down the Eagles.
The Pick: BC will move on to the Garden but will have to come back after Umass wins the first game. 

#3 Boston University vs #6 Merrimack 
Both teams on the last weekend of play could have gone from third place to out of the tournament. BU sweped Northeastern, knocking them out, and then needing Vermont to win or tie Maine to get third. Everything worked into the Terriers hands and they clinched third. BU finished the season with 28 points tied with Maine, but BU won the tie breaker because they sweped Maine three weeks ago. Merrimack, to get in the tourny had to take two points from Providence in the final weekend and they did. MC could have got home ice if they sewped PC and the BU would have had to lose to NU on Saturday. MC had a 12-13-2 in league record and finished with 26 points.
The Pick: BU heads to the the Garden after after a very close series that ends in overtime in the third game.

#4 Maine vs #5 Lowell

Again both teams fought to get better position in the final weekend. Although Maine was already in they could have moved into third by just winning one game against Umass. They did not they finished in fourth and still had home ice. Lowell was in the same boat, they also could have finished third. After beating Vermont friday night the River Hawks locked up a playoff spot. The next night the tied UVM and fell to the 5th spot.
The Pick: Maine has struggled lately losing the final two against Umass, But Maine still has bean very close to unbeatable in Alfond Arena this year. Lowell takes this series because Maine's starting goalie, Scott Darling has bean suspended for the play offs. this is to much to over come for the Black Bears Lowell is going to the Garden for the second straight year.