| No. |
Team |
|
Of
Note |
| 1. |
 Cornell |
– |
Cornell's
four losses match the '01 Michigan State team and the '03 Big
Red for the fewest entering the tourney in this decade. |
| 26-4-3
(18-2-2 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Vermont, 5-0; W vs. Harvard,
3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio State. |
| 2. |
 Denver |
 1 |
The last
time the Pioneers played an NCAA Regional game in Massachusetts
was in 1999, when they jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Michigan.
The Wolverines scored the next five goals. |
| 28-9-2
(19-7-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. North Dakota, 2-1 ot; W vs.
Colorado College, 1-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Bemidji State. |
| 3. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
Since Christmas,
Hockey East Tourney MVP Brian Boyle has 14 goals and has given
the Eagles much-needed size and strength at forward. |
| 25-6-7
(14-3-7 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Maine, 2-1 2ot; W vs.
New Hampshire, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Mercyhurst. |
| 4. |
 Colorado
College |
 2 |
Marty Sertich,
who was held scoreless in two games at the WCHA Final Five,
has one goal and two assists in the Tigers' last seven outings. |
| 29-8-3
(19-7-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota, 3-0; L vs. Denver,
1-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Colgate. |
| 5. |
 Michigan |
– |
Remember
the moment in Happy Gilmore when Shooter McGavin finds
out Happy can putt? That's what the Wolverines' opponents feel
like now that Al Montoya seems to have found a rhythm. |
| 30-7-3
(23-3-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska-Fairbanks, 3-1; W vs.
Ohio State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Wisconsin. |
| 6. |
 Minnesota |
– |
The prospect
of playing Jimmy Howard and Dave McKee in back-to-back games
ranks right up there with trips to the dentist. |
| 26-14-1
(17-10-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Colorado College, 3-0; L vs.
North Dakota, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Maine. |
| 7. |
 New
Hampshire |
– |
If Preston
Callander has 54 points and is named the Best Defensive Forward
in the league, shouldn't he be at least a first-team all-league
pick? |
| 25-10-5
(15-5-4 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Boston University, 5-2;
L vs. Boston College, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Harvard. |
| 8. |
 Ohio
State |
– |
In 2003,
OSU was bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by
BC, 1-0. Last year, the Buckeyes dropped a 1-0 decision to Wisconsin.
Care to guess a score in Saturday's game against Cornell? |
| 27-10-4
(21-5-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Michigan State, 4-1; L vs. Michigan,
4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Cornell. |
| 9. |
 Harvard |
– |
One more
reason to respect what Dov Grumet-Morris has done for the Crimson:
Harvard didn't even get its first double-digit goal scorer until
Friday night (Tom Cavanagh). |
| 21-9-3
(15-5-2 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Colgate, 4-3 2ot; L vs. Cornell,
3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire. |
| 10. |
 North
Dakota |
5 |
In the
WCHA, only Colorado College and Wisconsin have allowed fewer
goals than the Sioux. |
| 22-14-5
(13-12-3 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Wisconsin, 3-2; L vs. Denver
2-1 ot; W vs. Minnesota, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston University. |
| 11. |
 Maine |
1 |
If the
Black Bears wind up short-handed in overtime of Saturday's rematch
of the 2002 title game, here's betting they'll keep an eye on
Potulny. |
| 20-12-7
(13-6-5 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Boston College, 2-1 ot.
THIS WEEK: at Minnesota. |
| 12. |
 Colgate |
– |
A year
delayed, the 2003-04 ECAC regular season champs get their
shot at the NCAA Tournament. |
| 25-10-3
(14-5-3 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L vs. Harvard, 4-3 2ot; W vs. Vermont,
2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Colorado College. |
| 13. |
 Boston
University |
2 |
Another
Hockey East team has knocked the Terriers out of the NCAAs the
last two times they've played in Worcester. It'll feel even
worse if it's archrival BC on Saturday. |
| 23-13-4
(15-5-4 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. New Hampshire, 5-2. THIS
WEEK: vs. North Dakota. |
| 14. |
 Wisconsin |
1 |
Friday's
first-round match with Michigan will feature 26 NHL draft picks
– a dozen for Bucky and 14 for the Wolverines. |
| 23-12-4
(16-9-3 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. North Dakota, 3-2. THIS WEEK:
vs. Michigan. |
| 15. |
 Vermont |
1 |
The Catamounts
closed their ECACHL era with their best season since the days
of Martin St. Louis. |
| 21-14-4
(13-6-3 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L vs. Cornell, 3-0; L vs. Colgate,
2-1. |
| 16. |
 UMass
Lowell |
1 |
The River
Hawks don't make the tournament, but they should figure prominently
in the INCH Wish List Draft over the next couple of days. |
| 20-12-4
(11-10-3 Hockey East). |
| 17. |
 Dartmouth |
1 |
The men's
team fell short of the NCAAs, but the Big Green women get a
rematch of last year's title game against Minnesota in this
weekend's semifinals. |
| 20-13-2
(14-8-0 ECACHL). |
| 18. |
 Northern
Michigan |
2 |
One day
after being named the CCHA Player of the Year, goaltender Tuomas
Tarkki allowed a season-high five goals in a loss to Alaska-Fairbanks. |
| 22-11-7
(17-7-4 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Alaska-Fairbanks, 6-3. |
| 19. |
 Bemidji
State |
1 |
The Beavers
are the newcomers in the NCAA Tournament, but only two teams
in the field have more titles than the six the school racked
up in Divisions II and III. |
| 23-12-0
(16-4-0 CHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Denver. |
| 20. |
 Mercyhurst |
NR |
With top
seed Boston College on the docket in Worcester, Lakers hope
Vermont hoopsters left behind a dash of upset karma in one of
the DCU Center locker rooms. |
| 18-15-4
(14-7-3 Atlantic Hockey). LAST WEEK: W vs. Holy Cross, 4-3 ot;
W vs. Quinnipiac, 3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston College. |
