Minnesota ends the recent string of new No.
1 teams, staying in the top spot with a win and a tie at Michigan
Tech. In order to maintain that status, however, the Gophers
will have to handle one of the big movers in this week's poll.
No. 7 Denver, up two spots from a week ago after sweeping
visiting Minnesota State Mankato, invades Mariucci Arena for
a critical two-game set.
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. |
 Minnesota |
– |
Series of some importance in Minneapolis this weekend
as the immovable object (the Gophers are 12-1-1 over their
last 14 games) entertains the unstoppable force (first-place
Denver has won seven in a row.). |
| 19-6-5
(14-5-3 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Michigan Tech, 7-4; T at
Michigan Tech, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Denver, vs. Denver. |
| 2. |
 Miami |
– |
The RedHawks could clinch the CCHA regular season championship
as early as Tuesday with a win against travel-weary Ohio
State at Goggin Ice Arena. |
| 20-5-4
(17-4-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio State;
at Michigan State, at Michigan State. |
| 3. |
 Boston
College |
 1 |
Chris Collins' 47 points on the season is 12 more than
any other Hockey East player. Twenty of 'em have come
during the senior's current point streak, now at eight
games and counting. |
| 19-6-2
(16-4-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 5-2
(Beanpot Tournament); W vs. Providence, 8-3. THIS WEEK:
vs. Boston Univerity (Beanpot Tournament), at Maine, at
Maine. |
| 4. |
 Wisconsin |
1 |
Badgers feel they can use momentum from win in front
of 40,000 screaming fans at Lambeau as a springboard for
the rest of the season. Getting a goaltender of All-America
caliber back in the lineup will help too. |
| 20-7-2
(14-6-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Ohio State, 4-2 (Frozen
Tundra Classic, Green Bay, Wis.) THIS WEEK: at Michigan
Tech, at Michigan Tech. |
| 5. |
 Cornell |
 2 |
A loss and a tie on the road marked just the second
weekend this season that the Big Red failed to win at
least one game. |
| 16-5-4
(11-4-3 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L at Clarkson, 3-1; T at St.
Lawrence, 4-4 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Dartmouth, vs. Harvard. |
| 6. |
 Maine |
1 |
The Black Bears erased a 1-0 deficit on Friday by scoring
three times in 1:14, and pulled off another impressive
rally on Saturday by earning a tie after trailing 3-0.
|
| 19-10-1
(12-8-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Vermont, 3-1; T
at Vermont, 4-4 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston College, vs.
Boston College. |
| 7. |
 Denver |
2 |
Defenseman Matt Carle had six assists in weekend sweep
of Minnesota State Mankato, prompting Nuggets coach George
Karl to offer him a 10-day contract. |
| 18-10-2
(15-5-2 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota State Mankato,
7-4; W vs. Minnesota State Mankato, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at
Minnesota, at Minnesota. |
| 8. |
 Colorado
College |
– |
Not that we're counting, but Brett Sterling's goal drought
has reached seven games, which is nearly double his previous
career high. On second thought, I guess we are counting. |
| 19-12-1
(11-10-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at St. Cloud State, 6-3;
L at St. Cloud State, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage,
at Alaska Anchorage. |
| 9. |
 Michigan
State |
1 |
With a win at Ohio State last week, the Spartans
improved to 9-2-2 since Jan. 1. Both losses were by
one goal. |
| 17-10-7
(11-7-6 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Ohio State, 4-3. THIS WEEK:
vs. Miami, vs. Miami. |
| 10. |
 Boston
University |
2 |
BU's leading scorer, Pete MacArthur, only has 26 points
on the year. It's a good thing that four other players
have scored 20-plus. |
| 17-8-2
(14-6-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Harvard, 5-3 (Beanpot
Tournament); W vs. Massachusetts, 3-0. THIS WEEK: vs.
Boston College (Beanpot Tournament), vs. New Hampshire,
at New Hampshire. |
| 11. |
 Vermont |
5 |
The Cats haven't lost in their last 13 overtime games,
and are 4-0-9 in a streak that dates back to January of
2004. |
| 17-9-4
(9-8-4 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Maine, 3-1; T vs.
Maine, 4-4 ot. THIS WEEK: at Massachusetts, at Massachusetts. |
| 12. |
 North
Dakota |
1 |
Here's a testament to the strength of the WCHA –
the Fighting Sioux and Colorado College, Frozen Four participants
in 2005, are on track to meet in the first round of the
league playoffs next month. |
| 18-13-1
(11-11-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota
Duluth, vs. Minnesota Duluth. |
| 13. |
 Michigan |
2 |
Split with Lake Superior at Yost Arena last weekend
keeps Wolverines sweepless since posting back-to-back
wins against this week's opponent, Nebraska-Omaha, Dec.
9-10. |
| 18-11-3
(13-8-3 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Western Michigan, 4-1;
L vs. Lake Superior, 3-2 ot; W vs. Lake Superior, 4-2.
THIS WEEK: at Nebraska-Omaha, at Nebraska-Omaha. |
| 14. |
 St.
Cloud State |
– |
Goalies, like cornerbacks, need short memories. One
night after giving up five goals on 20 shots in a loss
to Colorado College, Bobby Goepfert makes 40 saves in
a 2-1 Husky win. |
| 17-10-3
(12-9-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Colorado College, 6-3;
W vs. Colorado College, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota State
Mankato, at Minnesota State Mankato. |
| 15. |
 Lake
Superior State |
2 |
Steve McJannet's goal with 1:59 remaining in overtime
Friday ended the Lakers' 10-game losing streak against
the Wolverines. |
| 15-9-6
(11-9-4 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Michigan, 3-2 ot; L at
Michigan, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Northern Michigan, at Northern
Michigan. |
| 16. |
 New
Hampshire |
– |
Comeback kids? Not so much. Following Saturday's 1-1
tie at Merrimack, UNH is 0-8-5 this season when trailing
after two periods. |
| 15-10-5
(11-6-4 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Merrimack, 4-0;
T at Merrimack, 1-1 ot. THIS WEEK: at Boston University,
vs. Boston University. |
| 17. |
 Nebraska-Omaha
|
2 |
The Mavericks are the only team in the nation with two
players among the top-10 scoring leaders in Scott Parse
(first) and Bill Thomas (tied for seventh). |
| 17-11-4
(11-9-4 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Northern Michigan, 2-1;
W at Northern Michigan, 8-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan,
vs. Michigan. |
| 18. |
 Providence |
3 |
Friars give new meaning to the term "taking the
easy way out" with four of their six remaining games
against Merrimack and Northeastern. |
| 15-11-2
(12-7-2 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L at Boston College,
8-3, W vs. Massachusetts, 4-1. THIS WEEK: at Northeastern,
vs. Northeastern. |
| 19. |
 Dartmouth
|
NR |
Let's call Dartmouth the second-half Colgate. They don't
have any good wins, but we can't ignore their performance
in the ECACHL. |
| 13-10-2
(11-5-2 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Quinnipiac, 5-4; W vs.
Princeton, 2-1 ot. THIS WEEK: at Cornell, at Colgate. |
| 20. |
 Harvard |
2 |
The Crimson have alternated wins (with one tie) and
losses for the last 11 games, which is bad news for Monday's
Beanpot game because the Crimson beat Princeton on Friday. |
| 13-9-2
(10-7-1 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L vs. Boston University, 5-3
(Beanpot Tournament); W vs. Princeton, 5-4 ot. THIS WEEK:
vs. Northeastern (Beanpot Tournament); at Colgate; at
Cornell. |