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. |
 Miami |
 2 |
The Eff and Jeff Show played to rave reviews in Big
Rapids this weekend: sophomore goalie Charlie Effinger
(37 saves, 1 GA) got the win Friday, while freshman netminder
Jeff Zatkoff pitched a shutout (37 saves) the next night. |
| 19-4-4
(16-3-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Ferris State, 3-1; W at
Ferris State, 5-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Alaska Fairbanks, vs.
Alaska Fairbanks. |
| 2. |
 Minnesota |
2 |
Knowing how little Don Lucia covets the MacNaughton
Cup, we bet he’s thinking more about health of Danny
Irmen and Kris Chucko (both of whom left Saturday’s
game with bad shoulders) than his team’s newfound
place atop the WCHA standings. |
| 18-6-4
(13-5-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Wisconsin, 5-4; W at Wisconsin,
3-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 3. |
 Boston
College |
 2 |
Saturday’s duet by Brian Boyle (four goals) and
Chris Collins (four assists) had fans checking to be sure
that it was BC – not CC – that featured a
prolific tandem. |
| 17-5-2
(15-3-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Boston University,
4-3; W at UMass Lowell, 4-3 ot. THIS WEEK: at Massachusetts. |
| 4. |
 Wisconsin |
2 |
The Badgers made an unpleasant kind of history on Saturday,
as the sweep by Minnesota marked the first time Bucky
had ever lost all four games of back-to-back WCHA home
series. |
| 18-6-2
(13-5-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Minnesota, 5-4; L vs.
Minnesota, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth, at Minnesota
Duluth |
| 5. |
 Cornell |
– |
Mark McCutcheon should add an L to his last name and
make it Mc-Clutch-eon. Five of his seven goals have either
tied the game or been game-winning goals. |
| 14-4-3
(9-3-2 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Brown, 4-3 ot; T vs.
Yale, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Colgate, at Colgate |
| 6. |
 Maine |
3 |
All you need is three – in their last nine games,
the Black Bears won three, lost three, then won three. |
| 17-9-0
(10-7-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Northeastern, 6-3;
W at Northeastern, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire,
vs. New Hampshire. |
| 7. |
 Colorado
College |
1 |
We’re wondering if Ron Hartwell (112 career goals
as a Tiger), Dave Delich (111), Bruce Aikens (100) and
Jay McNeill (100) will be at World Arena this weekend
hoping to welcome Brett Sterling (99) as the program’s
fifth member of the Century Club. |
| 17-10-1
(9-8-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. North Dakota,
vs. North Dakota. |
| 8. |
 Vermont |
2 |
Matt Syroczynski, a senior that has played in 102 career
games for the Catamounts, won’t be playing on Friday
against Providence after getting a fighting major and
game DQ on Saturday against Merrimack. |
| 16-8-2
(8-7-2 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Merrimack, 4-2;
W vs. Merrimack, 4-3 ot. THIS WEEK: at Providence, at
Providence. |
| 9. |
 Denver |
3 |
Left for dead just a few weeks ago, the Pioneers head
into a bye weekend tied atop the WCHA standings. Tell
the folks who organize the Magness Arena trophy case to
hold off on putting the MacNaughton Cup in that big shipping
crate just yet. |
| 16-10-2
(13-5-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Alaska Anchorage, 4-3;
W at Alaska Anchorage, 5-3. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 10. |
 Michigan |
– |
Friday's tie at Michigan State marked the start of a
16-day stretch during which the Wolverines play eight
games. |
| 14-9-3
(9-6-3 CCHA). LAST WEEK: T at Michigan State, 1-1 ot;
T vs. Michigan State, 5-5 ot, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio
State, vs. Ohio State. |
| 11. |
 Michigan
State |
– |
The only teams with more ties than Michigan State
are Juventus and Real Madrid. |
| 14-10-7
(8-7-6 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Ferris State, 2-1; T vs.
Michigan, 1-1 ot; T vs. Michigan, 5-5 ot. THIS WEEK: at
Notre Dame, vs. Notre Dame. |
| 12. |
 North
Dakota |
5 |
In the rink built by a former casino owner, they’re
defying the old Vegas axiom that the house always wins.
The Sioux are now a humble 7-8-0 at home, and at this
rate won’t be playing there in the playoffs. |
| 17-12-1
(10-10-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. St. Cloud State, 2-1;
L vs. St. Cloud State, 2-1 ot. THIS WEEK: at Colorado
College, at Colorado College. |
| 13. |
 Providence |
1 |
After giving up one goal on 22 shots in a win vs. New
Hampshire Friday, sophomore goalie Tyler Sims lowered
his GAA in Hockey East games to a thrifty 1.97. |
| 14-9-1
(11-5-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. New Hampshire,
3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont, vs. Vermont. |
| 14. |
 Lake
Superior State |
1 |
Sweep of Bowling Green extends the Lakers' home winning
streak to nine straight. Now they take their 4-5-2 road
mark on trips to Omaha and Ann Arbor during the next two
weekends. |
| 14-7-5
(10-7-3 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Bowling Green, 6-1; W
vs. Bowling Green, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Nebraska-Omaha,
at Nebraska-Omaha. |
| 15. |
 Boston
University |
3 |
Who own the longest winning streak in Division I? The
Terriers, with seven straight. Owns, owns. |
| 14-8-2
(12-6-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Boston College,
4-3; W vs. Massachusetts, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at UMass Lowell.
|
| 16. |
 New
Hampshire |
3 |
Weekend series against Maine doesn't need any more buildup,
but we just want to remind folks that it is February,
and these teams are currently separated by one point for
the final home-ice spot in the Hockey East playoffs. |
| 13-9-4
(9-5-3 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L at Providence, 1-3.
THIS WEEK: at Maine, at Maine. |
| 17. |
 St.
Cloud State |
2 |
Since a 2-1 loss in Anchorage on Dec. 3, the Huskies
are on an 8-1-1 tear. Might there be revenge on the minds
of the home club with the floundering Seawolves visiting
St. Cloud this weekend? |
| 14-9-3
(9-8-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at North Dakota, 2-1; W at
North Dakota, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Alaska Anchorage, vs.
Alaska Anchorage. |
| 18. |
 Colgate
|
2 |
The ECACHL’s regular season includes just 22 league
games, and Colgate envies CCHA and WCHA clubs that play
28 times within the conference. The Raiders are 11-2-1
in the league and 4-4-4 otherwise. |
| 15-6-5
(11-2-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Yale, 2-1 ot; W vs.
Brown, 5-2. THIS WEEK: at Cornell, vs. Cornell. |
| 19. |
 St.
Lawrence |
2 |
Saint seniors supply superlative Saturday scoring in
swan song. Adam Hogg, T.J. Trevelyan, and John Zeiler
lead the rally in their last regular-season game against
rival Clarkson. |
| 15-10-1
(9-5-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L at Clarkson, 3-2; W vs. Clarkson,
5-4. THIS WEEK: at Princeton, at Quinnipiac. |
| 20. |
 Harvard |
4 |
Congrats to Dan Murphy on his 10th goal of the season,
scored Jan. 27 in Harvard’s 20th game of the season.
Tom Cavanagh, last year’s first to 10 goals, needed
50 more days and a dozen more games to get to double-figures. |
| 11-8-2
(8-7-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. Rensselaer, 3-1; L vs.
Union, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Brown. |