Beasts of the East

College Hockey talk. This is the final weekend of the regular season for Hockey East. With the first round of the conference tournament beginning next weekend, there is still a lot to be decided in the regular season. There are some great match ups and some great twists to end the year.

The battle for top seed in the playoffs is separated by just one point between BU and Northeastern. BU is looking to make a jump to No. 1 as they take on Providence in a home-and-home. For BU to clinch the top seed they need to do better then their previous meeting with the Friars.

The Terriers also need Northeastern to not pull off the sweep against Boston College, a team they defeated twice this season already including a 6-1 beat down in the Beanpot. But that is not the biggest story of this match up. It still seems hard to believe, but in order to take 1st place in Hockey East, BU will have to cheer for Boston College.

Moving down the rankings there is no better setup then for the No. 3 seed. New Hampshire and Vermont are tied at 32 points for third place. They play two games against each other at Vermont this weekend. The Catamounts need to take at least three points as New Hampshire would own the tiebreaker if they spit the weekend.

They lost their chance at home ice last weekend, but UMass-Lowell is now fighting to keep BC away from the No. 5 seed. The River Hawks host Maine for two games at the Tsongas Arena. The River Hawks have a one point lead over Boston College with the tiebreaker should they be even in points at the end of the season.

Maine is locked in as the No. 8 seed in the playoff, but look to avenge their first loss earlier this season at home against Lowell for the first time since 2001.

With our sympathies to Merrimack, they are looking to not sit at the bottom of the standings for the fifth straight season. They are two points behind Providence going into a home and home with UMass Amherst. While it may not mean a playoff birth it may still mean something to them.

A big weekend that could lead to some big changes and big match ups going into the playoffs. Another reason why Hockey East is one of, if not the greatest conference in college hockey.