| No. |
Team |
|
Of
Note |
| 1. |
 Minnesota |
– |
Gophers
score an improbable trio of man-advantage goals versus what
was the WCHA's best penalty-kill team to extend home winning
streak to 18. |
| 13-4-0
(9-3-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at St. Cloud State, 2-1 ot; W vs.
St. Cloud State, 4-2. NEXT GAME: Dec. 22 vs. Merrimack (Dodge
Holiday Classic). |
| 2. |
 Colorado
College |
– |
Goals are
like donuts in Alaska. Score a dozen, and they throw in #13
for free. |
| 13-3-0
(7-3-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Alaska Anchorage, 6-1; W at Alaska
Anchorage, 7-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota State, vs. Minnesota
State. |
| 3. |
 Michigan |
 1 |
With five
regulars heading off to the World Junior Championships and injuries
raising questions about the availability of Eric Werner and
Michael Woodford, Red Berenson could have as few as 15 healthy
skaters for the GLI. |
| 13-4-1
(11-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Bowling Green, 8-3; W at Bowling
Green, 5-4. NEXT GAME: Dec. 29 vs. Michigan Tech (Great Lakes
Invitational). |
| 4. |
 Wisconsin |
 1 |
Bucky won't
play again until after Christmas – plenty of time to clean
and press those special candy cane-striped Badger Hockey Showdown
sweaters. |
| 13-5-0
(10-4-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Minnesota State, 4-3 ot; W at
Minnesota State, 3-2. NEXT GAME: Dec. 31 vs. Yale (Badger Hockey
Showdown). |
| 5. |
 Boston
College |
– |
Cory Schneider's
selection means an Eagle has represented the U.S. in each of
the last nine World Junior Championships. |
| 7-3-3
(4-1-3 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 2-1 ot.
NEXT GAME: Dec. 28 vs. Cornell (Everblades College Classic). |
| 6. |
 New
Hampshire |
– |
Wildcats
make like a presidential candidate – another trip to Michigan
– with holiday tournament in Detroit. |
| 11-3-2
(6-1-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Massachusetts, 4-0; W
vs. U.S. Under-18 Team, 3-2 (Ex.). NEXT GAME: Dec. 29 vs. Michigan
State (Great Lakes Invitational). |
| 7. |
 Denver |
– |
Pioneers
coming off a fortnight's rest to prepare for their Frozen Four
rematch at the DECC next weekend. |
| 10-5-0
(7-3-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth,
at Minnesota Duluth. |
| 8. |
 North
Dakota |
– |
Six conference
losses (already) may spell doom for those hoping the MacNaughton
Cup would spend another summer in Grand Forks. |
| 11-7-2
(9-6-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Minnesota Duluth, 5-1; L at Minnesota
Duluth, 4-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Canisius, vs. Canisius. |
| 9. |
 Colgate |
3 |
Eight Raiders
have 10 or more points, but none of them are scoring at a point-per-game
clip. |
| 12-4-0
(5-1-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Ottawa (Ex.). |
| 10. |
 Harvard |
6 |
Harvard
is perfect in non-conference play with wins over BC, BU, and
most recently, Maine. |
| 9-3-1
(6-3-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Vermont, 3-1; W vs. Maine,
4-1. NEXT GAME: Dec. 22 vs. Northern Michigan (Dodge Holiday
Classic). |
| 11. |
 Cornell |
2 |
If you've
been slighting the Big Red's strength of schedule, take note:
Cornell's next four opponents could be BC, Maine, Harvard and
Brown. |
| 7-2-2
(4-1-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Off. NEXT GAME: Dec. 28 vs. Boston
College (Everblades College Classic). |
| 12. |
 Maine |
3 |
No comebacks
this time: Harvard – and Ben Murphy's younger brother,
Dan – got revenge for last year's NCAAs with a 4-1 win
Saturday night. |
| 10-7-2
(6-3-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L at Harvard, 4-1. NEXT GAME:
Dec. 28 vs. St. Cloud State (Everblades College Classic). |
| 13. |
 Vermont |
2 |
Coach Kevin
Sneddon's alma mater ended his team's 11-game unbeaten streak. |
| 9-5-3
(4-1-2 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L at Harvard, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at
Dartmouth. |
| 14. |
 Ohio
State |
4 |
Buckeyes
are 9-2-1 in CCHA, 2-3-1 against non-conference opponents following
a tie and loss at Clarkson. |
| 11-5-2
(9-2-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: T at Clarkson, 3-3 ot; L at Clarkson,
3-1. NEXT GAME: Dec. 29 vs. Minnesota State (Ohio Hockey Classic). |
| 15. |
 Boston
University |
1 |
Brad Zancanaro's
two goals left RPI at 1-1 vs. Hockey East teams (and Zancanaros)
last week. |
| 10-6-0
(8-1-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Rensselaer, 4-1. NEXT GAME:
Dec. 29 vs. Nebraska-Omaha. |
| 16. |
 Northern
Michigan |
1 |
Talk about
no respect – goalie Bill Zaniboni makes 45 saves in a
2-2 draw at Alaska-Fairbanks Friday and isn't named one of game's
three stars. |
| 9-4-3
(7-3-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: T at Alaska-Fairbanks, 2-2 ot; W at
Alaska-Fairbanks, 5-3. NEXT GAME: Dec. 22 vs. Harvard (Dodge
Holiday Classic). |
| 17. |
 Minnesota
Duluth |
1 |
With ex-'Dog
Brett Hull on Saturday Night Live, the current Bulldogs played
Saturday Night Still Alive, beating NoDak in the final minute. |
| 8-8-2
(6-6-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. North Dakota, 5-1; W vs. North
Dakota, 4-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Denver, vs. Denver. |
| 18. |
 Bowling
Green |
1 |
The Falcons
never packed it in against Michigan, but did pack 'em in to
BGSU Ice Arena Saturday – more than 4,500 fans saw the
visitors escape with a 5-4 win. |
| 8-6-2
(5-5-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Michigan, 8-3; L vs. Michigan,
5-4. NEXT GAME: Dec. 29 at Dartmouth (Ledyard Classic). |
| 19. |
 UMass
Lowell |
1 |
Who's hotter
than the RiverHawks? Uh, no one...their current six-game unbeaten
streak is the nation's longest. |
| 8-5-2
(0-5-2 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Dartmouth, 4-3; T at Northeastern,
2-2 ot. NEXT GAME: Dec. 30 vs. Niagara. |
| 20. |
 Brown |
NR |
Bears are
4-0-1 in their last five games, but need to find a way to maintain
momentum during a four-week layoff. |
| 5-4-2
(4-3-2 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Off. NEXT GAME: Dec. 30 vs. Merrimack
(UConn Hockey Classic). |
