Inside College Hockey | INCH Power Rankings

November 2, 2003
INCH Power Rankings

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Last week's rankings

USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll

USCHO.com Poll

The top four teams secured their spots in the INCH Power Rankings with some impressive performances – each scored at least six goals in a game this weekend. That sets the stage for a big weekend of great matchups ahead.

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.

No.	Team		Notes
1.	North Dakota	–	Perhaps the Parise-Murray-Bochenski buzz-saw wasn't the best place for a defensively-challenged Yale team to start the season.
4-1-0 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Yale, 8-4; W vs. Yale, 10-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota, vs. Minnesota.
2.	Maine	–	The Black Bears unveiled a third jersey Saturday, and you can bid on a signed one to benefit the Shawn Walsh Center on ebay.
7-0-0 (2-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Merrimack, 6-2; W vs. Boston University, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Boston College, at New Hampshire.
3.	New Hampshire	–	Union coach Nate Leaman's take on Jacob Micflikier (four goals): "He's just like Saviano and Collins." Not what Hockey East opponents want to hear.
4-1-0 (1-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Union , 9-2. THIS WEEK: at Boston University, vs. Maine.
4.	Michigan	–	Wolverines get reeling Ferris State for two games this weekend.
7-1-0 (3-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Niagara, 6-2. THIS WEEK: at Ferris State, vs. Ferris State.
5.	Boston College	1	Eagles can make a statement in next four games – vs. surging UMass Lowell, Maine, UNH and UMass.
3-2-1 (0-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell, vs. Maine.
6.	Colorado College	5	We were worried about the Tigers' offense this season, but goaltender Curtis McElhinney has rendered the discussion moot.
5-0-1 (2-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota State, 3-0; W vs. Minnesota State, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Denver, at Denver.
7.	Denver	3	Pioneers rebounded nicely from Friday loss at Minnesota to salvage split. That wouldn't have happened last year.
5-1-0 (1-1-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Minnesota, 6-2; W at Minnesota, 4-3. THIS WEEK: at Colorado College, vs. Colorado College.
8.	Boston University	1	Senior Gregg Johnson lost the battle vs. younger brother Keith of Maine. Think he's not looking forward to the Jan. 23-24 rematches?
2-1-1 (1-1-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L at Maine, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire.
9.	Harvard	4	Mark Mazzoleni: "It was like we had new skates, new sticks, and new gloves." So swing by Bright if you're looking for a deal on some slightly used equipment.
0-1-0 (0-1-0 ECAC). LAST WEEK: L vs. Brown, 2-0. THIS WEEK: at Vermont, at Dartmouth.
10.	Massachusetts	2	They've already got wins over Maine and UNH. Wait, that's the school's football team (ranked fourth in Division I-AA).
5-1-0 (2-1-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Providence, 6-2; W at Providence, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Merrimack, vs. Merrimack.
11.	Minnesota Duluth	1	After playing five games against ranked opponents – including three No. 1s – to start the year, Bulldogs flexed their muscles against Alaska Anchorage.
4-2-1 (4-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska Anchorage, 8-1; W vs. Alaska Anchorage, 5-1. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Cloud State, vs. St. Cloud State.
12.	Minnesota	1	The Gophers are off to a slow start, but the combined record of their opponents (excluding 0-5-1 Nebraska-Omaha) thus far is 16-3-1. 4-1-0 North Dakota looms this week.
2-4-0 (1-3-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Denver, 6-2; L vs. Denver, 4-3. THIS WEEK: at North Dakota, at North Dakota.
13.	Notre Dame	3	One question for freshman goalie David Brown, he of the three straight shutouts: can you cover wide receivers?
5-2-0 (4-2-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 4-2; W vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 2-0. THIS WEEK: at Michigan State, at Michigan State.
14.	Cornell	5	Big Red fans distraught about life after Dave LeNeveu? Call 1-800-R-MILLER for support.
0-1-1 (0-0-0 ECAC). LAST WEEK: T vs. Western Michigan, 5-5 ot; L vs. Western Michigan, 3-2. THIS WEEK: at Yale, at Princeton.
15.	Dartmouth	1	After two years of spot duty, Dan Yacey could be the Big Green's answer in goal this season.
1-0-0 (0-0-0 ECAC) LAST WEEK: W vs. Holy Cross, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Brown, vs. Harvard.
16.	St. Cloud State	1	Three one-goal wins could be considered clutch, or closer than they should be.
5-0-1 (3-0-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Princeton, 2-1 ot; W vs. Princeton, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth, at Minnesota Duluth.
17.	Providence	1	Take me away: Friars are 2-2-0 at home, 3-0-1 on the road.
5-2-1 (1-2-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Massachusetts, 6-2; L vs. Massachusetts, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Northeastern.
18.	Ohio State	1	Buckeyes have played six CCHA games. They've allowed fewer than two goals in five of them.
6-3-0 (5-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 4-2; W vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 3-2. THIS WEEK: at Northern Michigan, at Northern Michigan.
19.	Michigan State	1	Tom Goebel's seven goals, including five this weekend, lead the nation's freshmen.
5-3-0 (4-2-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Ferris State, 8-0; W at Ferris State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Notre Dame, vs. Notre Dame.
20.	Brown	NR	Bears start season with traditional opener vs. Harvard. In what is becoming tradition, Yann Danis shuts the Crimson out for the second straight year.
1-0-0 (1-0-0 ECAC). LAST WEEK: W at Harvard, 2-0. THIS WEEK: at Dartmouth, at Vermont.

Dropped out: Union

Bubble-licious: Clarkson, Union, Mercyhurst, Western Michigan

Feedback

Perhaps your poll is the reason why I might be the only person in Maine who knows of the existence of Inside College Hockey. Local radio and TV refer to USCHO and USA Today and never mention you. Seeing your poll, I understand why. Please explain your poll criteria at the top of the poll each week so that we can understand illogic. Were USCHO and USA Today out of sync, you might make sense. But how can you march to such a different drummer and not make Maine number one this week?

—Victor Berardelli, Newburgh, Maine

I cannot imagine why "local radio and TV" would use a poll that favors a local team either?

—Mike Bauer, St. Paul, Minn.

Maine #1

—David Brown

How is it possible that Maine is not ranked 1st in your power rankings? They just happen to be giving up 1.29GA and netting 5 tallies per game. They have also defeated the then #1 and #7 ranked teams in the nation. Am I missing something here?

—Tom, Regina, Sask.

Dropping Harvard 4 spots was a nice start, now add another 12 and all college hockey fans will be happy.

—Chris McCarron, Madison, Wisc.

Why is North Dakota #1. U of M should be #1.

—Joe Schnettler, Mililani, Hawaii

Great call ranking North Dakota at #1. You've obviously done your homework on them, as they will continue to roll as college hockey's premier program.

—Steve, Minneapolis, Minn.

My hat is off to you as it is nice to see a poll that doesn't automatically award rankings based on historical bias...as in pandering to Hockey East mid-level talented teams year in and year out to keep the larger media markets happy and in blissful oblivion. These are the same mis-informed fans who rabidly point to the media driven polls and tout their conference as "the best" college hockey has to offer. Yet for several years running the WCHA has put 4 to 5 of it's teams in the top 10 consistently, and WON the Frozen Four consistently while the paper lions of Michigan, Boston College, Maine and New Hampshire keep falling short in head-to-head competition. The NCAA even had to "restructure" the seeding/bracketing for the playoffs to avoid the embarrassing possibility of 3 WCHA teams making the Frozen Four only a few short years ago under the guise of making sure that both "East and West" are represented (meaning they wanted to try and guarantee a LARGE MEDIA MARKET was locked in to assure $$$$ as having Grand Forks, ND/ St. Cloud,MN/Colorado Springs,CO and only maybe Boston represented wouldn't generate enough attention to the perennially sold-out Frozen Four nationally).

It is almost laughable that when we have one of the few Division I sports where a true national champion can be crowned that the NCAA goes so far to protect the Hockey East teams in their quest for the almighty dollar, rather than allowing natural selection to give us the true champion. For those confused Hockey East fans who didn't find their teams in unearned rankings quit sucking on the Zamboni's exhaust pipe, look around the world of college hockey with clear eyes, survey the true depth of talent around the other conferences so you understand where the true STRENGTH of schedule comes from for polls (there is hockey outside the 200 miles radius of UNH/Maine/BC/BU...and frankly much better from top to bottom competitively), and see how the WCHA is out-recruiting/out-hustling/out-playing you and see why knowledgeable hockey fans have taken notice. Maine's G.A.A. is what? Points scored per game is what? Against who?? I just watched a UND team with currently shaky goaltending spot Boston College (then #1 I believe) a 3 goal lead and come back and smoke them in the 3rd period for 4 or 5 goals and the win....Hockey Who?I truly hope that you aren't pinning your hopes on stats gained against teams hobbled by large groups of unable to play/injured players in the first couple weeks of the season? I also hope those stats up in Maine keep you warm again at the end of the season, as for us in the WCHA and other non-Hockey East conferences, we'll be nice and warm under our nice, thick NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS. Having now found this site...thank ESPN.....I will be checking in much more frequently as a counter measure to USA TODAY/USCHO (finally!!!). Toss up between UND/Minnesota for national champions '04....UND if they find a reliable, consistent (not even flashy) goalie, otherwise Minnesota with their returned fire-power (much as it would pain me).

—Mike, Grand Forks, N.D.

Wow....UND 7- Minnesota 3, Maine loses 4-1...I bet there are a lot of Hockey East fans (see above) who'd like to borrow your crystal puck right about now. Like I said before, stats are nice but they don't mean squat when the puck drops at the next game (see Maine). Now they see why UND SHOULD be ranked #1 by knowledgeable/unbiased pollsters instead of Maine. UND beat BC outright, and beat Minnesota by the same 4 goal margin Maine did (a month into the season instead of 1st game of the year). Nice Call guys!!

—Mike, Grand Forks, N.D.

All I can say is I want you guys to pick my next lottery ticket...your poll (with the exception of Maine being ranked higher than deserved as usual) was as dead on as you could get with college sports. It's looking like Brandt might be ready to step up and get the offense's back at UND (finally, a true #1 goalie again at UND), and Parise is looking like a very capable back up as his confidence increases each game. With that trend continuing it could be lights out for the rest of the league this year (not being a stat man, I'm not sure of UND's current goals scored a game average but it has to be getting very eye-opening for opposing coaches/goalies). Minnesota had better put something under Vanek's Tacklas pretty quick or they are in trouble this year.....it is very disheartening to see an overall #1 NHL draft pick take entire games off, especially against your biggest rival!

—Mike, Grand Forks, N.D.

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