While the top three remained the same, that's
not to say there was no movement in this week's INCH Power
Rankings. Bounceback wins by Minnesota and Michigan highlighted
the upwardly mobile as we near the holiday break.
Here's how the Inside College Hockey editors
and staff rank the nation's top teams (along with a note for
each team).
| No. |
Team |
|
Of
Note |
| 1. |
 Wisconsin |
– |
Give the Badgers a mulligan for Friday's loss to Michigan
Tech, a game in which Bucky went 0-for-8 on the power
play and gave up two short-handed goals. |
| 14-2-2
(11-1-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Michigan Tech, 4-2; W
vs. Michigan Tech, 7-0. THIS WEEK: vs. U.S. Under-18 Team
(Ex.). |
| 2. |
 Vermont |
– |
The Catamounts have the second-best power play in the
nation (24.7%), and that's not counting the 6-for-11 they
put up on the Under-18 Team. |
| 11-3-1
(5-3-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. U.S. Under-18 Team,
8-4 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: vs. St. Lawrence. |
| 3. |
 Miami |
– |
With one red-and-white clad team's unbeaten streak history,
another replaces them as owners of the nation's longest
stretch without a loss. The RedHawks hit the holiday break
6-0-2 in their last eight. |
| 12-2-2
(10-1-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: T vs. St. Lawrence, 1-1 ot;
W vs. Clarkson, 2-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 4. |
 Minnesota |
 2 |
Danny Irmen's "take a stupid penalty to give NoDak
a 5-on-3, watch Sioux score on ensuing PP, get blind pass
from Ryan Stoa at center ice seconds after penalty expires,
undress Parise with backhand move, pop jersey to stunned
sellout crowd at Engelstad" could have been the defining
moment of the Gophers' season. |
| 9-5-4
(8-4-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at North Dakota, 4-3; W at
North Dakota, 4-3. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 5. |
 Michigan |
2 |
Mirror images: senior linemates Andrew Ebbett and Brandon
Kaleniecki each register 1-2—3 in Friday's win vs.
UNO, then post identical 1-1—2 scoring lines Saturday. |
| 11-5-1
(7-3-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 4-2; W
vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 7-3. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 6. |
 Colorado
College |
 1 |
The Tigers – 4-5-1 after a 9-1-0 start –
might look forward to the break, but a little road trip
to Alaska comes first. |
| 13-6-1
(7-4-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota Duluth, 7-2;
L vs. Minnesota Duluth, 4-3. THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage,
at Alaska Anchorage. |
| 7. |
 Maine |
1 |
If multiple-point games against Northeastern spark Michel
Leveille and Bret Tyler, uncharacteristically sixth and
eighth on the team in scoring, the Black Bears could be
even better in the second half. |
| 11-5-0
(5-4-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Brown, 2-1; W vs.
Northeastern, 5-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 8. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
Benn Ferriero, shut out for his first 11 career games,
has 4-3—7 in his last three. |
| 9-4-1
(8-2-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Massachusetts, 7-0;
W at Massachusetts, 4-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 9. |
 North
Dakota |
5 |
Maybe the new Ralph is a little too comfortable –
Minnesota's weekend sweep extends the Sioux's home losing
streak to five straight, which ties the school record. |
| 10-7-1
(6-6-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Minnesota, 4-3; L vs. Minnesota,
4-3. THIS WEEK: at Bemidji State, vs. Bemidji State. |
| 10. |
 Colgate
|
1 |
Colgate will head to Providence with a six-game
unbeaten streak, a great way to kick off the holiday
tournament season. |
| 10-2-3
(6-1-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 11. |
 Denver |
1 |
A pair of wins at Minnesota Duluth this weekend would
put the Pioneers at 11-7-2 entering the break, which is
just two games off their pace of a year ago. |
| 9-7-2
(6-4-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska Anchorage, 5-2;
L vs. Alaska Anchorage, 3-0. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth,
at Minnesota Duluth. |
| 12. |
 Harvard |
4 |
Thursday's tight-checking game on big ice reminded us
of last spring. This game turned out better for the Crimson. |
| 9-4-1
(6-3-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Quinnipiac, 3-2; W at
New Hampshire, 1-0. THIS WEEK: at Dartmouth. |
| 13. |
 Clarkson
|
– |
Effort to sweep Ohio trip was compromised by losing
leading scorer Shea Guthrie to a checking-from-behind
DQ on Friday. |
| 10-5-1
(5-2-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W at Bowling Green, 6-4; L
at Miami, 2-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 14. |
 New
Hampshire |
2 |
With two 1-0 losses in their last five games, the Wildcats
might start losing fans to MLS. |
| 9-6-3
(7-3-2 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Harvard, 1-0; W
vs. UMass Lowell, 4-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 15. |
 Cornell |
– |
A skills competition at Skate With the Big Red determined
that sophomore defenseman Doug Krantz was the team's fastest
skater and had the hardest shot. |
| 8-3-1
(5-2-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 16. |
 Providence |
1 |
A 1-4-0 non-conference record is all that's keeping
Providence from a top-10 ranking. But no reason to frown,
Friar fans – first place at the break sounds pretty
good. |
| 9-6-1
(8-2-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Boston University,
4-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 17. |
 St.
Lawrence |
3 |
Bowling Green's 6-4 win spoiled a second period in which
T.J. Trevelyan scored power-play, even-strength and short-handed
goals. |
| 11-6-1
(6-3-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: T at Miami, 1-1 ot; L at Bowling
Green, 6-4. THIS WEEK: at Vermont. |
| 18. |
 Lake
Superior State |
– |
One win at Notre Dame this weekend would be the Lakers'
10th of the year. LSSU hasn't posted more than nine victories
before Christmas since 1996. |
| 9-5-4
(5-5-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Bemidji State, 2-1; T at
Bemidji State, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Notre Dame, at Notre
Dame. |
| 19. |
 Ohio
State |
NR |
Sophomore goalie Ian Keserich filled in admirably for
injured starter Dave Caruso, stopping 60 of 62 shots he
faced in a weekend sweep of Union. |
| 9-6-2
(6-4-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Union, 2-1; W vs. Union,
6-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 20. |
 Bemidji
State |
– |
Beavers are 2-3-1 after a 7-1-0 start, but have yet
to lose back-to-back games. That could change with this
weekend's non-conference series with North Dakota. |
| 9-4-1
(4-2-0 CHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Lake Superior State, 2-1;
T vs. Lake Superior State, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. North
Dakota, at North Dakota. |