The Badgers have staked a definitive claim to
that title, marching to a two-game sweep of Colorado College
this weekend. Beyond that, it gets more muddied, as teams
are jockeying for position between spots 2 and, well, 59.
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 |
– |
Now holding an eight-point lead in the WCHA standings
with only 12 games to play, the Badgers should've just
hauled the MacNaughton Cup home from Colorado on Sunday,
and saved the league the shipping costs. |
| 18-2-2
(13-1-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Colorado College, 3-2;
W at Colorado College, 9-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Denver, vs.
Denver. |
| 2. |
 Boston
College |
 3 |
Eagles carry an eight-game unbeaten streak into Hockey
East's series of the year, at least thus far, this weekend
against Vermont. |
| 14-4-2
(12-2-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Merrimack, 2-1;
W at Merrimack, 5-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont, vs. Vermont. |
| 3. |
 Miami |
 1 |
Junior forward Marty Guerin assisted on Raymond Eichenlaub's
game-winning goal against Notre Dame Saturday for his
first point in 10 games. |
| 15-4-4
(12-3-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Ohio State, 3-0; T at Notre
Dame, 2-2 ot; W at Notre Dame, 3-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Western
Michigan, vs. Western Michigan. |
| 4. |
 Minnesota |
1 |
The jinx lives. With Sports Illustrated's Michael
Farber in the building, working on a Phil Kessel feature,
the Gophers' seven-game win streak comes to an end. |
| 14-6-4
(9-5-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. North Dakota, 6-1; L vs.
North Dakota, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Colorado College, vs.
Colorado College. |
| 5. |
 Vermont |
1 |
The Catamounts feature more zeroes than a high school
shop class – their last four wins have all been
shutouts. |
| 15-5-2
(7-4-2 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 3-0;
W vs. Northeastern, 3-0. THIS WEEK: at Boston College,
at Boston College. |
| 6. |
 Colorado
College |
2 |
Looking for offensive diversity, Sterling and Sertich
skated on different lines last weekend. After two Wisconsin
wins, we'd guess that Scott Owens is putting the band
back together for the series in Minneapolis. |
| 17-8-1
(9-6-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Wisconsin, 3-2; L vs. Wisconsin,
9-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota, at Minnesota. |
| 7. |
 Michigan |
2 |
The CCHA schedule-makers, and not outrageous gas prices,
keep the Wolverines close to home over the next month.
Five of the next 11 are on the road, but none further
than the 98-mile trek to Western Michigan Feb. 7. |
| 13-7-1
(8-4-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. U.S. Under-18 Team, 4-3
(Ex.). THIS WEEK: at Michigan State, vs. Bowling Green,
at Bowling Green. |
| 8. |
 Cornell |
– |
The Big Red allowed one or zero goals in the last six
games of a nine-game unbeaten streak. |
| 11-4-2
(6-3-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W at Quinnipiac, 6-0; L at
Princeton, 3-0. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Lawrence, vs. Rensselaer. |
| 9. |
 Maine |
2 |
Black Bears not only got swept at BU, but Michel Leveille
and Bret Tyler missed Saturday with injuries suffered
Friday night. |
| 14-8-0
(7-6-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L at Boston University,
3-2; L at Boston University, 5-4. THIS WEEK: vs. Providence,
vs. Providence. |
| 10. |
 North
Dakota |
– |
Philippe Lamoreaux stopped 41 shots to beat the Gophers,
and gave a thank you wave to the Minnesota students for
all their support as the final horn blew. The shower of
garbage the students sent his way in response was Minnesotan
for, "Travel safely, friend." |
| 15-10-1
(8-8-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Minnesota, 6-1; W at Minnesota,
4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota State Mankato, vs. Minnesota
State Mankato. |
| 11. |
 Lake
Superior State |
2 |
The Lakers are inching closer to the top 10, which could
mean the thermometer in Hades is inching toward Sault
Ste. Marie levels. |
| 12-6-4
(8-6-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Ferris State,
at Ferris State. |
| 12. |
 New
Hampshire |
2 |
Jacob Micflikier's game-winning goal with 15 seconds
to play against Dartmouth came just eight seconds after
he failed to convert on a penalty shot and 30 seconds
after the Big Green had tied the score. |
| 12-7-4
(8-3-3 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Yale, 4-1; W vs.
Dartmouth, 5-4. THIS WEEK: at Massachusetts, vs. Massachusetts. |
| 13. |
 St.
Lawrence |
2 |
Win at Union was the Dutchmen's first loss on home ice
this year and also snapped St. Lawrence's three-game losing
streak in Schenectady. |
| 14-7-1
(8-3-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W at Rensselaer, 4-3; W at
Union, 3-0. THIS WEEK: at Cornell, at Colgate. |
| 14. |
 Providence |
2 |
The Friars surrendered a 3-1 lead with five minutes
remaining against UMass Lowell, giving them just their
second home loss of the season and first back-to-back
Hockey East losses. |
| 12-8-1
(9-4-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. UMass Lowell, 4-3
ot. THIS WEEK: at Maine, at Maine. |
| 15. |
 Clarkson
|
4 |
The university's name reminds us of break-up anthem
singer Kelly, and the fact that "Idol" debuts
on Tuesday. |
| 12-8-2
(5-4-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L at Union, 5-0; L at Rensselaer,
4-3. THIS WEEK: at Colgate, at Cornell. |
| 16. |
 Harvard |
– |
Teams that grumble about long bus rides this week might
not feel so bad when they're reminded that Harvard's players
are taking exams. At Harvard. |
| 10-7-2
(6-5-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 17. |
 Michigan
State |
NR |
Yee-haw! College hockey's Bo and Luke Duke, cousins
Bryan (the forward paces the Spartans in points) and
Jeff (the rookie goalie has allowed a total of three
goals in winning four straight starts) Lerg have MSU
back in the top 20. |
| 12-8-5
(6-5-4 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 4-0;
W vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan,
at Nebraska-Omaha, at Nebraska-Omaha. |
| 18. |
 Denver |
– |
Making a good case to keep the Hobey in Colorado for
another year, Matt Carle scored three of his team's six
goals and assisted on another over the weekend. |
| 12-10-2
(9-5-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. St. Cloud State, 5-1; W
vs. St. Cloud State, 5-2. THIS WEEK: at Wisconsin, at
Wisconsin. |
| 19. |
 Boston
University |
NR |
Sweep of Maine marked the Terriers' first two-win weekend
of 2005-06. |
| 10-8-2
(8-6-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Maine, 3-2; W vs.
Maine, 5-4. THIS WEEK: at Merrimack, vs. Merrimack. |
| 20. |
 Northern
Michigan |
NR |
In their 13 wins and one tie this season, the Wildcats
have allowed a total of 15 goals. They've given up 47
goals in their 10 losses. |
| 13-10-1
(9-8-1 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Ferris State, 5-0; W vs.
Ferris State, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Notre Dame, vs. Notre
Dame.. |