Four new teams appear in the INCH Power Rankings
this week, as a volatile top-20 rewards the movers and shakers.
We'll see if the market conditions continue to be favorable
to the WCHA, as eight teams from the association are ranked.
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. |
Maine |
2 |
With the WCHA title locked up, the Black Bears are shifting
their focus on winning Hockey East next. |
5-0-0 (0-0-0 Hockey
East). LAST WEEK: W at North Dakota, 6-2; W at North Dakota,
3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Massachusetts. |
2. |
Wisconsin |
2 |
Just like in April, the Bagders welcome BC to Dairyland.
Only this time without Earl, Pavelski, Gilbert and Burish.
But we hear there's still a pretty good goalie in the
home team's crease. |
3-1-2 (2-1-1 WCHA).
LAST WEEK: T vs. Minnesota Duluth, 2-2 ot; W vs. Minnesota
Duluth, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston College, vs. Boston
College. |
3. |
Minnesota |
2 |
A mere 13 goals (eight of them on the power play) was
all it took for the Gophers to forget their unsuccessful
Frozen Four trip to Columbus two years ago. |
4-1-0 (0-0-0
WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Ohio State, 7-2; W at Ohio State,
6-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Colorado College, vs. Colorado College. |
4. |
Boston
University |
3 |
Pete MacArthur has four goals and two assists in two
games over the weekend for Hockey East's first-place squad. |
2-0-1 (2-0-0 Hockey
East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 4-3; W vs. Merrimack,
4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell. |
5. |
Boston
College |
4 |
Chew on this. BC lost to Notre Dame in hockey and beat
Florida State in football in the same weekend. |
2-1-0 (1-0-0 Hockey
East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Notre Dame, 7-1; W vs. Bowling
Green, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Wisconsin, at Wisconsin. |
6. |
Michigan
State |
– |
Next time the Spartans trail by six goals heading into
the third period, Rick Comley can harken back to a football
game in Evanston, Ill. Chances are he won't want to bring
up any of MSU's games against the Under-18 Team. |
1-1-0 (1-1-0 CCHA).
LAST WEEK: L vs. U.S. Under-18 Team, 5-4 (Ex.). THIS WEEK:
vs. St. Lawrence, vs. Sacred Heart. |
7. |
Michigan |
1 |
When the Wolves score 6, 7 or 8 goals, they're 3-0-0.
When they score 1 -- well, you can probably guess. |
3-1-0 (1-1-0 CCHA).
LAST WEEK: W vs. Miami, 6-3; L vs. Miami, 4-1. THIS WEEK:
vs. Northeastern, vs. Northeastern. |
8. |
Miami |
1 |
It had been 4,353 days since Miami's last win at Yost.
At that time, Rico Blasi had just graduated from Miami
and was an assistant coach for the Wexford Raiders of
the Ontario Provincial Junior League. |
4-2-0 (1-1-0 CCHA).
LAST WEEK: L at Michigan, 6-3; W at Michigan, 4-1. THIS
WEEK: vs. Bowling Green, vs. Bowling Green. |
9. |
North
Dakota |
7 |
After looking Hobey-ready three weeks ago, Jonathan
Toews has been held without a point since Oct. 7 —
and missed Saturday night's game with an injury. |
3-3-0 (0-0-0 WCHA).
LAST WEEK: L vs. Maine, 6-2; L vs. Maine, 3-1. THIS WEEK:
at Minnesota State, at Minnesota State. |
10. |
Dartmouth
|
– |
Turn the red light on, eh? Dartmouth scored 15 times
against two Canadian colleges. |
0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECACHL).
LAST WEEK: W vs. PEI, 8-1 (Ex.); W vs. Trois-Rivieres,
7-4 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: vs. Harvard. |
11. |
New
Hampshire |
4 |
Don't sleep on the Wildcats, who had a promising weekend
at Colorado College. Trevor Smith had 3-2—5 in the
series. |
2-0-0 (0-0-0 Hockey
East). LAST WEEK: W at Colorado College, 4-3; W at Colorado
College, 7-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Massachusetts, vs. Yale. |
12. |
Clarkson
|
– |
Special weekend: Clarkson allowed five PPGs in its only
loss of the season, then turned things around with four
PPGs of their own on Saturday. |
4-1-1 (0-0-0 ECACHL).
LAST WEEK: L vs. Lake Superior State, 5-1; W vs. Lake
Superior State, 7-1. THIS WEEK: vs. U.S. Under-18 Team
(Ex.). |
13. |
Notre
Dame |
NR |
Irish earned a trip to Florida with two routs in Hockey
East country. Enjoy the sun and what should be two more
easy wins. |
3-1-0 (0-0-0 CCHA).
LAST WEEK: W at Boston College, 7-1; W at Providence,
6-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Merrimack, at UMass Lowell. |
14. |
Harvard |
2 |
Harvard had a tougher time with PEI than Dartmouth did,
but comparing a common opponent isn't necessary since
the Crimson and Big Green meet on Friday. |
0-0-0 (0-0-0
ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. PEI, 4-3 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: at
Dartmouth. |
15. |
Denver |
2 |
A split with Rensselaer drops the Pioneers to 1-2-0
against the ECACHL in Magness the last two years. |
3-3-0 (1-1-0 WCHA).
LAST WEEK: L vs. Rensselaer, 2-1; W vs. Rensselaer, 5-1.
THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth, at Minnesota Duluth. |
16. |
St.
Cloud State |
2 |
Bobby Goepfert has an uncharacteristic .881 save percentage,
but Jase Weslosky — who won Friday with 28 saves
— appears to be a capable alternative. |
2-2-0 (2-2-0 WCHA).
LAST WEEK: W at Minnesota State, 4-2; L vs. Minnesota
State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at North Dakota, at North Dakota. |
17. |
Michigan
Tech |
NR |
Sophomore goalie Rob Nolan's first collegiate win was
a long time coming (he was 0-11-2 as a rookie), but his
28 saves helped the Huskies sweep in Vermont, for their
best start in a decade. |
3-1-0
(0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Vermont, 4-3 ot; W at Vermont,
2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Alaska Anchorage, vs. Alaska Anchorage. |
18. |
Northern
Michigan |
NR |
Bill Zaniboni leads the nation in minutes (364) and
they've been quality: .940 save percentage and a 1.81
goals-against average. |
3-2-1 (0-0-0 CCHA).
LAST WEEK: W vs. UMass Lowell, 2-1; W vs. Nebraska-Omaha,
5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio State, vs. Ohio State. |
19. |
Alaska
Anchorage |
NR |
Big dog on campus? Jay Beagle had four goals last season
and three last weekend. That made for the Seawolves first
undefeated weekend in Fairbanks since 1987. |
2-0-2 (0-0-0 WCHA).
LAST WEEK: W at Alaska, 6-5 ot; T at Alaska, 1-1 ot. THIS
WEEK: at Michigan Tech, at Michigan Tech. |
20. |
Colorado
College |
2 |
The Tigers were 3-0-1 entering this weekend,
but were quickly reminded that those wins came against
teams that are a combined 3-11-1. |
3-2-1
(0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. New Hampshire, 4-3; L vs.
New Hampshire, 7-2. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota, at Minnesota. |