Wisconsin and Colorado College found the perfect
way to build suspense before this weekend's big series in
Colorado Springs – take a week off. It allowed them
to escape the week without a loss, something eight of the
top 15 from last week's rankings couldn't do.
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 |
– |
When Michigan State hoopster Idong Ibok let a rebound
slip through his hands and bounce out of bounds late in
Sunday's Badger win over the Spartans, the Kohl Center
crowd chanted, "Sieve! Sieve! Sieve!" |
| 16-2-2
(11-1-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Colorado
College, at Colorado College. |
| 2. |
 Miami |
– |
Forward Matt Davis scored four goals in the RedHawks'
6-3 win against Northern Michigan Saturday. Miami registered
a total of eight goals in its previous five games. |
| 14-3-3
(11-2-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Northern Michigan, 2-1;
W vs. Northern Michigan, 6-3. THIS WEEK: at Ohio State,
at Notre Dame, at Notre Dame. |
| 3. |
 Minnesota |
 1 |
The Gophers have averaged a tidy 5.5 goals during their
current six-game win streak, a run that started with a
sweep of this weekend's opponent, North Dakota. |
| 13-5-4
(8-4-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Niagara, 5-2; W vs. Niagara,
7-1. THIS WEEK: vs. North Dakota, vs. North Dakota. |
| 4. |
 Colorado
College |
1 |
The Tigers didn't beat Wisconsin in the first meeting
between the two in November, but they join Michigan Tech
and St. Cloud State as the only WCHA schools to earn at
least one point in the league standings from the Badgers. |
| 17-6-1
(9-4-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Wisconsin,
vs. Wisconsin. |
| 5. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
It's not exactly a World Junior medal, but Cory Schneider's
43 saves in his return from Vancouver put the Eagles alone
in first place in Hockey East. |
| 12-4-2
(10-2-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 4-3;
W at Providence, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Merrimack, at Merrimack. |
| 6. |
 Vermont |
 3 |
A visit from 1-13-4 Northeastern should be just the
thing to put some distance between the Catamounts and
the .500 mark in Hockey East play. |
| 13-5-2
(5-4-2 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L at New Hampshire, 2-1;
T at New Hampshire, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Northeastern,
vs. Northeastern. |
| 7. |
 Maine |
1 |
Sure, he's splitting time, but it still looks like a
misprint: we're into January and Matt Lundin has only
allowed single digits in goals (nine). |
| 14-6-0
(7-4-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. UMass Lowell, 4-0;
W vs. UMass Lowell, 6-2. THIS WEEK: at Boston University,
at Boston University. |
| 8. |
 Cornell |
2 |
Nine of Matt Moulson's team-leading 11 goals have come
on the power play, including both of his goals against
RIT. |
| 10-3-2
(5-2-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. RIT, 3-1. THIS WEEK:
at Quinnipiac, at Princeton. |
| 9. |
 Michigan |
2 |
Think the Wolverines will spend some time working on
the power play this week? In the split with Alaska Fairbanks
at Yost last weekend, Michigan went 0-for-19 with the
extra man. |
| 13-7-1
(8-4-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 4-0;
L vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. U.S. Under-18
Team (Ex.). |
| 10. |
 North
Dakota |
1 |
Sioux have played seven games versus Minnesota (four
in Grand Forks, two in St. Paul and one in Columbus) since
their last trip to Mariucci Arena. |
| 14-9-1
(7-7-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Alaska Anchorage, 5-3; W
at Alaska Anchorage, 5-0. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota, at
Minnesota. |
| 11. |
 Clarkson
|
2 |
Knights enter a critical league stretch with only one
home game in their next eight. |
| 12-6-2
(5-2-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. RIT, 5-2; W vs. St. Lawrence,
6-2 (in Ottawa). THIS WEEK: at Union, at Rensselaer. |
| 12. |
 Providence |
1 |
Steve Rooney, former linemate of Tim Army's at PC, saw
his son Joe score Saturday's game-winner for BC to hand
the Friars their first home loss. |
| 12-7-1
(9-3-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Boston University,
5-1; L vs. Boston College, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell. |
| 13. |
 Lake
Superior State |
6 |
The Lakers closed out a season sweep of Western Michigan
in the Soo last weekend and outscored the Broncos in those
four wins by a 23-2 margin. |
| 12-6-4
(8-6-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Western Michigan, 6-1;
W vs. Western Michigan, 4-0. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 14. |
 New
Hampshire |
3 |
If you're pondering a ticket purchase for Saturday's
UNH-Dartmouth tilt, may we remind you of last year's 9-8
barnburner? |
| 10-7-4
(8-3-3 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Vermont, 2-1; T
vs. Vermont, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Yale, vs. Dartmouth. |
| 15. |
 St.
Lawrence |
1 |
Defenseman Drew Bagnall (-2) and goaltender Kevin Ackley
(5 GA) made inauspicious returns to the lineup on Saturday
afternoon. |
| 12-7-1
(6-3-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L vs. Clarkson, 6-2 (in Ottawa).
THIS WEEK: at Rensselaer, at Union. |
| 16. |
 Harvard |
1 |
Alex Meintel scored his first two collegiate goals this
weekend, but the rest of Harvard's players only managed
one. |
| 10-7-2
(6-5-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: T at Union, 1-1 ot; L at Rensselaer,
3-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 17. |
 Colgate
|
5 |
The Raiders are the Seattle Seahawks of college
hockey – their record looks great on paper but
they haven't beaten anyone. |
| 10-5-5
(6-1-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L at Bowling Green, 4-0; L
vs. St. Cloud State, 3-2; T vs. St. Cloud State, 5-5 ot.
THIS WEEK: at Princeton, at Quinnipiac. |
| 18. |
 Denver |
2 |
Pioneers, 0-2 in the Denver Cup, haven't lost three
in a row at home since November 2003. Of course, that
season had a happy ending. |
| 11-9-2
(8-4-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Cloud
State, vs. St. Cloud State. |
| 19. |
 Ferris
State |
1 |
What better way to follow up the lengthy bus ride from
Big Rapids to Marquette for a weekend road series at Northern
Michigan than by tacking on a four-hour sojourn to Bowling
Green Monday for a make-up game? |
| 9-6-5
(4-4-3 CCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Northern Michigan,
at Northern Michigan. |
| 20. |
 Alaska
Fairbanks |
NR |
Michigan State, this weekend's opponent, is the last
team to score a power-play goal against UAF...on Dec.
10. The Nanooks have killed 37 straight penalties since. |
| 9-8-3
(5-7-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Michigan, 4-0; W at Michigan,
4-2. THIS WEEK: at Michigan State, at Michigan State. |