There's a new number one, after Minnesota was
swept at home. The Gophers once went 22 games without a loss.
Now they've dropped four of six.
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. |
 New
Hampshire |
 1 |
The Wildcats kept the pressure on in the Hockey East
race by squeaking past Providence while others slipped. |
| 19-4-1 (14-2-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Providence, 2-1. THIS WEEK:
vs. Maine (Manchester, N.H.), vs. Maine |
| 2. |
 Notre
Dame |
2 |
Freshman Kevin Deeth, who scored the tying goal with
less than three minutes remaining in Saturday's game with
Miami, had been benched by coach Jeff Jackson for two
shifts earlier in the period for what he perceived to
be a lackluster effort. |
| 21-5-2 (15-3-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Miami, 4-1; T vs. Miami, 2-2 ot.
THIS WEEK: at Bowling Green, at Bowling Green |
| 3. |
 Minnesota |
 2 |
After playing series against Wisconsin, Denver, and
North Dakota the Gophers get a trip to Anchorage. That's
like busting your hump at work for a few months and going
on "vacation" to your in-laws. |
| 21-5-3 (13-4-3
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. North Dakota, 5-3; L vs. North
Dakota, 7-3. THIS WEEK: at Alaska-Anchorage, at Alaska-Anchorage |
| 4. |
 St.
Cloud State |
1 |
An impressive road split, coupled with trouble in Minneapolis,
suddenly finds the Huskies just three points out of the
WCHA lead. |
| 17-5-4 (11-5-4
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Denver, 3-2; L at Denver, 2-0. THIS
WEEK: Off |
| 5. |
 Denver |
— |
Welcome back, Peter. After missing six games with a
groin injury, Mannino returned to the Pioneers crease
with an exclamation point, notching his third shutout
of the season. |
| 19-9-2 (11-7-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. St. Cloud State, 3-2; W vs. St.
Cloud State, 2-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota Duluth, vs.
Minnesota Duluth |
| 6. |
 Boston
University |
— |
Brandon Yip can't catch a break. The Terriers have their
fingers crossed that his sprained ankle doesn't keep him
out very long. |
| 13-5-7 (10-4-6
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at Boston College, 4-1; L vs.
Boston College, 5-2; T at Massachusetts, 3-3 ot. THIS
WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell |
| 7. |
 Clarkson |
1 |
The Golden Knights have handed St. Lawrence two of its
three losses in league play, including last week's rally
from a 2-0 deficit to win 6-2 at Appleton. |
| 16-6-4 (8-3-3
ECACHL) LAST WEEK: W at St. Lawrence, 6-2; T vs. Dartmouth,
4-4 ot; W vs. Harvard, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Cornell, at
Colgate |
| 8. |
 Michigan
State |
2 |
Life of Bryan: Forward Bryan Lerg has eight goals and
seven assists in the Spartans' last 12 games. MSU is 10-2-0
during that span. |
| 16-8-1 (12-6-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Nebraska-Omaha, at
Nebraska-Omaha |
| 9. |
 Miami |
2 |
The RedHawks, who travel to Alaska this weekend, have
a goal differential of +25 in 16 home games. In 12 road
matches, that differential is zero. |
| 18-9-3 (13-6-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Notre Dame, 4-1; T at Notre Dame,
2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Alaska, at Alaska |
| 10. |
 Michigan |
2 |
Defenseman Jack Johnson scored five goals and eight
points in a weekend sweep of Ferris State. Merrimack's
leading scorer, Pat Kimball, has a team-high three goals
and nine points this season. |
| 19-9-0 (14-6-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Ferris State, 9-4; W vs. Ferris
State, 6-2. THIS WEEK: at Western Michigan, vs. Western
Michigan |
| 11. |
 Maine |
2 |
The Black Bears are picking a horrible time to struggle.
Their next three weekends: UNH twice (one neutral in Manchester,
N.H., one in Durham), host Vermont twice, at BC twice. |
| 16-7-2 (9-7-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Northeastern, 6-1; W vs.
Northeastern, 2-1 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire (Manchester,
N.H.), at New Hampshire |
| 12. |
 Vermont |
1 |
Even though Vermont's second-half schedule is the easiest
of any of the Hockey East contenders, tying Merrimack
twice was not the way to follow up a sweep of Boston College. |
| 14-8-4 (9-4-4
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T vs. Merrimack, 1-1 ot; T vs.
Merrimack, 1-1 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Providence, vs. Providence |
| 13. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
Nathan Gerbe has emerged as one of the most exciting
players in Hockey East. |
| 14-9-1 (11-7-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Boston University, 4-1;
W at Boston University, 5-2; W vs. UMass Lowell, 4-3.
THIS WEEK: vs. Massachusetts |
| 14. |
 Niagara |
1 |
4x4: Niagara has four wins over Wayne State this year,
and has scored four goals in each win. |
| 17-8-3 (8-1-3
CHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Wayne State, 4-2; W vs. Wayne State,
4-3. THIS WEEK: at Robert Morris, at Robert Morris |
| 15. |
 North
Dakota |
2 |
Geometry lesson on Saturday: Robbie Bina scored once
on a puck that traveled roughly 170 feet. By contrast,
T.J. Oshie’s two goals came via pucks that traveled
a combined total of maybe five feet. |
| 15-11-2 (9-9-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Minnesota, 5-3; W at Minnesota,
7-3. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 16. |
 St.
Lawrence |
— |
After getting yanked against Clarkson,
Alex Petizian returned to the net and allowed just two
goals on 45 shots in wins over Harvard and Dartmouth. |
| 14-10-2 (10-3-1
ECACHL) LAST WEEK: L vs. Clarkson, 6-2; W vs. Harvard,
4-3; W vs. Dartmouth, 4-1. THIS WEEK: at Colgate, at Cornell |
| 17. |
 Colorado
College |
5 |
If the Tigers are thinking of winning their third WCHA
title since 2003, getting just one point out of the long
trip to Michigan Tech is no way to do it. |
| 14-10-2 (10-7-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: T at Michigan Tech, 2-2 ot; L at Michigan
Tech, 1-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Wisconsin, vs. Wisconsin |
| 18. |
 RIT |
2 |
Tough and talented: RIT's leading scorer, Steve Pinnizzotto,
also ranks second on the team in penalty minutes. |
| 16-8-2 (15-4-1
Atlantic Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at American International,
6-2; W at American International, 3-2. THIS WEEK: vs.
Canisius, at Canisius |
| 19. |
 Lake
Superior State |
1 |
The Lakers, who split with Ohio State last weekend,
are on track for back-to-back winning seasons for the
first time since 1995-96 and 1996-97. |
| 14-11-3 (8-9-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Ohio State, 4-2; L vs. Ohio State,
5-3. THIS WEEK: at Northern Michigan, vs. Northern Michigan |
| 20. |
 Massachusetts |
NR |
On one hand, the Minutemen should be proud of their
three-point weekend. On the other, they should be furious
at themselves for blowing a 3-0 lead at home against the
Terriers. |
| 12-8-4 (9-6-2 Hockey East) LAST
WEEK: W at UMass Lowell, 6-3; T vs. Boston University,
3-3 ot. THIS WEEK: at Boston College, vs. UMass Lowell |