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April
14, 2003
INCH Power Rankings
With the season
wrapped up, it was time for one last look at the 2002-03 Power Rankings.
Minnesota – to no surprise – tops the list, which includes
each team's turning point or defining moment in their season.
Here's how the
Inside College Hockey editors and staff ranks the nation's top teams.
You can let
us know what you think and we'll share your thoughts below.
| 1. |
Minnesota |
 1 |
Turning
point: it’s no coincidence the Gophers turned the corner
when Grant Potulny returned from injury January 24. |
| 2. |
New Hampshire |
1 |
Turning
point: the Wildcats rebounded after a meltdown at Providence
in February to post a 10-0-3 record before losing to Minnesota
Saturday. |
| 3. |
Cornell |
 2 |
Turning
point: Jan. 1, 2003. The Big Red lost one game between New Year’s
Day and the Frozen Four. |
| 4. |
Michigan |
– |
Turning
point: The CCHA Tournament, when the Wolverines learned freshman
Al Montoya could be a reliable playoff goaltender. |
| 5. |
Colorado
College |
– |
Turning point: Nov. 15, when the Tigers marched
into Mariucci Arena and laid a 7-3 beating on the defending
national champions. |
| 6. |
Ferris
State |
– |
Turning
point: Nov. 22-23. The Bulldogs swept Ohio State in Big Rapids
in a battle of the two top teams in the CCHA standings at the
time. |
| 7. |
Boston
College |
– |
Turning
point: Beanpot championship game. The loss to Boston U. marked
the start of a 6-5-1 finish for the young Eagles. |
| 8. |
Maine |
– |
Turning
point: Feb. 9, when the Black Bears lost to Boston College at
Alfond Arena. Their invincibility at home a memory, Maine won
just three of its last 11 games and went 0-5-1 at home. |
| 9. |
Boston
University |
– |
Turning
point: Feb. 3. The Terriers downed Harvard in the Beanpot first
round, the start of a hot streak for goaltender Sean Fields. |
| 10. |
Harvard |
– |
Turning
point: Nov. 26. Loss to B.U. started an ugly trend in which
the Crimson finished 1-5-1 against foes from outside the ECAC. |
| 11. |
Minnesota-Duluth |
– |
Turning
point: Feb. 7-8, when the Bulldogs swept defending WCHA champion
Denver at the DECC. The games were the beginning of UMD’s
7-2-1 run to close the regular-season. |
| 12. |
North Dakota |
– |
Turning
point: Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Colorado College swept the visiting Sioux,
who never recovered, losing 12 of their last 17. |
| 13. |
Minnesota
State, Mankato |
– |
Turning
point: Nov. 8, when the host Mavericks beat Minnesota, a huge
confidence builder for a young team. |
| 14. |
Ohio State |
– |
Turning
point: Jan. 24-25. The Buckeyes lost two games at lower-division
Nebraska-Omaha, which kicked of a stretch during which OSU had
trouble scoring…and winning. |
| 15. |
Michigan
State |
– |
Turning
point: Jan. 3, when the Spartans were embarrassed, 7-1, at Lake
Superior State. MSU would win 15 of its remaining 21 games. |
| 16. |
Northern
Michigan |
– |
Turning
point: Feb. 21: After a 7-4 loss to Michigan State, Craig Kowalski
caught fire, leading a 7-3-0 stretch run that lifted the Wildcats
into the rankings. |
| |
|
| Bubble-licious |
|
|
St. Cloud State; Massachusetts; Providence; Denver; Wayne
State; Mercyhurst
Send feedback
to inch@insidecollegehockey.com
Feedback
Come on,
not putting Dartmouth among the top 21 teams in the country
is an insult. They finished with 20 wins for the first time
since the post-war era
(1947-48), and had several quality wins to boot: Cornell,
Boston College, and a tie with UNH. Not to mention finishing
third in the ECAC. The only real downfall was going 0-3 against
Harvard, but then Harvard themselves didn't beat a single
ranked opponent.
Just one
more slap in the face to this Dartmouth team, which got shafted
big time in all of the post-season awards (All-Ivy, All-ECAC,
and ECAC tournament teams), and now isn't even considered
as good as Mercyhurst or Wayne State (who by the way, they
beat handily).
– Benjamin Flickinger |
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