Notre Dame's impressive sweep of Michigan moved
them up one spot, but North Dakota's losses against Wisconsin
dropped their overall and WCHA records below .500 —
and out of the INCH Power Rankings.
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 |
— |
Though they enter the holiday break with an 18-game
unbeaten streak, the Gophers are an afterthought in the
state. Seems everyone in the Land of 10,000 Lakes has
caught Insight Bowl fever. |
| 15-1-3 (9-0-3
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Michigan Tech, 4-1; W at Michigan
Tech, 5-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 2. |
 New
Hampshire |
— |
With nine straight wins and a 12-game unbeaten streak
(11-0-1), the Wildcats aren't looking forward to the three-week
layoff. |
| 13-2-1 (10-1-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at UMass-Lowell, 4-2; W vs.
St. Lawrence, 2-0. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 3. |
 Notre
Dame |
 1 |
The Fighting Irish set a school mark for most wins prior
to Christmas when they beat Michigan Sunday for their
14th victory. The 1983-84 ND team won all 13 of its games
prior to the break. |
| 14-3-1 (9-2-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Michigan, 7-3; W vs. Michigan, 4-3.
THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 4. |
 Maine |
 1 |
Don't blame the Black Bears if they're looking past
Saturday's matchup with Mercyhurst to their Dec. 29 tilt
with Western Michigan. After all, they'll be ditching
snowy Orono for the Florida College Classic. |
| 10-3-1 (5-3-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. New Brunswick, 3-2 ot (Ex.);
W at Northeastern, 7-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Mercyhurst. |
| 5. |
 Miami |
1 |
Charlie Effinger made 25 saves in the RedHawks' 5-2
win against Ohio State Friday, his first start after missing
nearly a month with mononucleosis. |
| 14-5-1 (10-3-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Ohio State, 5-2; T vs. Ohio State,
2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 6. |
 St.
Cloud State |
3 |
Ain't nothin' but a G thing: Forward Dan Kronick has
five goals in the Huskies' last six games, including three
in this weekend's sweep of Colgate. |
| 10-3-3 (6-3-3
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Colgate, 3-1; W vs. Colgate, 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 7. |
 Boston
College |
2 |
The Eagles haven't had back-to-back wins since their
October trip to Wisconsin. |
| 9-5-1 (6-3-1 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: L at Massachusetts, 2-1; W vs. Massachusetts,
5-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 8. |
 Colorado
College |
— |
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting): Five Tigers,
six Alaska-Anchorage players earned fighting majors and
game DQs in a post-game melee at World Arena. We guess
that makes Friday night all right for sitting in the press
box in street clothes. |
| 11-6-1 (8-4-0
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Alaska-Anchorage, 5-4 ot; W vs.
Alaska-Anchorage, 4-3 ot. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 9. |
 Boston
University |
1 |
With four-goal "explosion" in Friday's win
over Providence, the Terriers matched their season high
for goals in a game, and scored more than two goals for
just the second time in 11 games. |
| 6-3-5 (4-3-4 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Providence, 4-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 10. |
 Michigan |
3 |
Last weekend's Wolverine opponent, Notre Dame, has allowed
28 goals this season. The Wolverines have allowed 30 goals
... in their last five games. |
| 12-7-0 (8-5-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Notre Dame, 7-3; L vs. Notre Dame,
4-3. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 11. |
 Cornell |
1 |
Sophomore defenseman Jared Seminoff has 12 points, all
assists, in 12 games this year. |
| 8-3-1 (5-2-1 ECACHL)
LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 12. |
 Denver |
1 |
Ryan Dingle, who picked up a hat trick in Saturday's
win against Minnesota State, has gone back-to-back games
without scoring a goal once this season. |
| 10-6-2 (6-4-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: T vs. Minnesota State, 3-3 ot. W vs.
Minnesota State, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Alaska-Anchorage,
at Alaska-Anchorage. |
| 13. |
 Clarkson |
3 |
These are happy times for the Golden Knights, with a
five-game winning streak, a win over their biggest rival,
and knowing that they're soon heading to Madison. |
| 11-5-1 (5-2-0
ECACHL) LAST WEEK: W vs. St. Lawrence, 3-1. THIS WEEK:
Off. |
| 14. |
 Vermont |
1 |
Shhh! The Catamounts are quietly in second place in
Hockey East. |
| 9-5-1 (6-2-1 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: W vs. US Under-18s, 7-1 (Ex.). THIS WEEK:
at St. Lawrence. |
| 15. |
 Massachusetts |
1 |
Props to the 6,300 who showed up at the Mullins Center
for Friday night's win over BC at the same time the football
team was beating Montana in the NCAA semifinals. |
| 8-5-2 (5-4-1 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: L at Merrimack, 3-0; W vs. Boston College,
2-1; L at Boston College, 5-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 16. |
 Michigan
State |
1 |
Might as well get the milestone wins in
the same town: Coach Rick Comley picked up his 100th win
behind the Spartan bench Saturday in Marquette as MSU
beat Northern Michigan, 3-2. |
| 9-7-1 (7-5-1 CCHA)
LAST WEEK: W at Northern Michigan, 3-2; W at Northern
Michigan, 3-2. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 17. |
 Quinnipiac |
2 |
The Bobcats return to the ice Jan. 6 against RIT. Quinnipiac
beat the Tigers three times last year, by a combined score
of 14-4. |
| 8-4-4 (5-2-3 ECACHL)
LAST WEEK: T vs. Rensselaer, 4-4 ot; W vs. Union, 4-2.
THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 18. |
 Lake
Superior State |
2 |
Now comes the payoff. After playing seven of their first
18 contests at home, including just three CCHA games,
the Lakers get 10 of their last 16 in the Soo. |
| 11-5-2 (6-4-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: T at Ferris State, 1-1 ot; W at Ferris
State, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. US Under-18s (Ex.). |
| 19. |
 Dartmouth |
1 |
The Big Green conducted a toy drive for the Children's
Hospital at Dartmouth and hosted Skate With the Big Green
on Sunday afternoon. |
| 5-3-2 (4-3-2 ECACHL)
LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Harvard. |
| 20. |
 Niagara |
NR |
Niagara was actually outshot 41-27 in Friday's 4-0 win
over Wayne State. |
| 10-6-3 (6-1-3 CHA) LAST WEEK:
W vs. Wayne State, 4-0; W vs. Wayne State, 4-2. THIS WEEK:
Off. |