Another new team steps into the top spot in
the INCH Power Rankings. While a pair of one-goal wins at
Bowling Green won't draw many oohs and aahs, they're wins
just the same, and Notre Dame and Minnesota have more of those
(23) than every other team in the nation.
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. |
 Notre
Dame |
 1 |
Following his team's three-point weekend vs. Miami,
coach Jeff Jackson remarked that becoming the nation's
top-ranked team would be "the worst thing to happen"
to the Irish because "I don't want to build us [up]
into something yet." Uh, sorry, coach. |
| 23-5-2 (17-3-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Bowling Green, 3-2; W at Bowling
Green, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Nebraska-Omaha, vs. Nebraska-Omaha |
| 2. |
 New
Hampshire |
 1 |
Trevor Smith had just one point on the weekend, but
was active in Saturday's win with a bump on Maine goalie
Ben Bishop and a five-minute major penalty for charging
later in the game. |
| 20-5-1 (15-3-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Maine, 4-2; W vs. Maine,
2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Merrimack, at Merrimack |
| 3. |
 Minnesota |
— |
Welcome back: Assistant coach John Hill, a former Alaska
Anchorage player and coach, suffered a concussion when
he slipped and fell during the Gophers' practice at Sullivan
Arena Thursday. |
| 23-5-3 (15-4-3
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Alaska Anchorage, 8-2; W at Alaska
Anchorage, 2-1. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 4. |
 St.
Cloud State |
— |
The Huskies' top three scorers — forwards Andrew
Gordon, Andreas Nodl, and Ryan Lasch — have combined
for 42 goals, 100 points, and 28 penalty minutes through
26 games this season. |
| 17-5-4 (11-5-4
WCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Colorado College,
vs. Colorado College |
| 5. |
 Michigan
State |
3 |
Forward Bryan Lerg, who leads the nation with seven
game-winning goals, has picked up the GWG in each of the
Spartans' last three victories, the latest being a 5-1
triumph over Nebraska-Omaha Friday. |
| 17-8-2 (13-6-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Nebraska-Omaha, 5-1; T at Nebraska-Omaha,
3-3 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Ferris State, vs. Michigan (Joe
Louis Arena) |
| 6. |
 Denver |
1 |
Forward Geoff Paukovich extended his point streak to
seven games with a goal and an asisst in the Pioneers'
split with
Minnesota Duluth. |
| 20-10-2 (12-8-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota Duluth, 5-2; L vs. Minnesota
Duluth, 6-4. THIS WEEK: at Michigan Tech, at Michigan
Tech |
| 7. |
 Michigan |
3 |
Defenseman Jack Johnson scored in each of the Wolverines'
wins against Western Michigan this past weekend, extending
his current goal streak to five straight games. He's potted
eight goals
during that stretch. |
| 21-9-0 (16-6-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Western Michigan, 7-4; W vs. Western
Michigan, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Bowling Green, vs. Michigan
State (Joe Louis Arena) |
| 8. |
 Boston
University |
2 |
Jack Parker is participating in his 40th Beanpot Tournament
as a head coach, assistant coach, or player. |
| 13-5-8 (10-4-7
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T vs. UMass Lowell, 0-0 ot. THIS
WEEK: vs. Northeastern (Beanpot), at Massachusetts |
| 9. |
 Clarkson |
2 |
Golden Knights' coach George Roll on defenseman Phi
Paquet's play that set up the game-winner at Colgate,
"I wasn't really sure what he was trying to do there,
but it worked." |
| 17-7-4 (9-4-3
ECACHL) LAST WEEK: L at Cornell, 5-1; W at Colgate, 2-1.
THIS WEEK: vs. Brown, vs. Yale |
| 10. |
 Maine |
1 |
One great way to measure a rivalry is to check the penalties
that are assessed, and there were six pairs of matching
minors doled out in Saturday's loss at New Hampshire. |
| 17-8-2 (10-8-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. New Hampshire, 4-2; L at
New Hampshire, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont, vs. Vermont |
| 11. |
 Miami |
2 |
Junior Nathan Davis, who scored 13 goals in the RedHawks'
first 15 games, has three goals in the team's last 17
outings and none in six straight games. |
| 18-10-4 (13-7-4
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Alaska, 2-1 ot; T at Alaska, 3-3
ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Lake Superior State, vs. Lake Superior
State |
| 12. |
 North
Dakota |
3 |
Just when things started looking up for the Sioux on
the ice, Robbie
Bina is expected to be charged for trying to help
teammates T.J. Oshie and Jonathan Toews bust out of a
Grand Forks police car to avoid an underage drinking rap. |
| 15-11-2 (9-9-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota State,
vs. Minnesota State |
| 13. |
 Vermont |
1 |
All four of Vermont's goals last weekend came on the
power play, in 11 total opportunities. |
| 15-9-4 (10-5-4
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Providence, 3-2; L vs. Providence,
4-1. THIS WEEK: at Maine, at Maine |
| 14. |
 Colorado
College |
3 |
We want in on the A.V. Club: Redshirt freshman forward
Andreas Vlassopoulos, who had a goal and an assist in
the Tigers' 2-1 OT win against Wisconsin Friday, has 3-5—8
in CC's last nine games. |
| 16-10-2 (12-7-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Wisconsin, 2-1 ot; W vs. Wisconsin,
4-2. THIS WEEK: at St. Cloud State, at St. Cloud State |
| 15. |
 Boston
College |
2 |
Boston College opens Beanpot play against Harvard, a
team that beat the Eagles 4-0 earlier this season, but
BC has a five-game winning streak against Harvard in the
Beanpot. |
| 14-10-1 (11-8-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Massachusetts, 5-3. THIS
WEEK: vs. Harvard (Beanpot), at Providence |
| 16. |
 St.
Lawrence |
— |
Junior forward Jordan Hack has seen increased
ice time as a result of injuries to other Saint forwards,
and capitalized on his opportunity with two goals over
the weekend. |
| 15-11-2 (11-4-1
ECACHL) LAST WEEK: L at Colgate, 6-2; W at Cornell, 2-1.
THIS WEEK: vs. Yale, vs. Brown |
| 17. |
 Niagara |
3 |
All three of Niagara's losses in College Hockey America
play have come against Robert Morris at the Colonials'
Island Sports Center. |
| 17-10-3 (8-3-3
CHA) LAST WEEK: L at Robert Morris, 7-1; L at Robert Morris,
5-2. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 18. |
 Lake
Superior State |
1 |
Freshman Nathan Perkovich scored his 11th goal of the
season in the Lakers' 2-1 win against Northern Michigan
Saturday, the most for an LSSU rookie in a season since
Sean Tallaire scored 26 in 1992-93. |
| 15-12-3 (9-10-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Northern Michigan, 1-0; W vs. Northern
Michigan, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Miami, at Miami |
| 19. |
 RIT |
1 |
The Tigers haven't won in their last five games against
Air Force (0-3-2), this weekend's visitors to Ritter Arena. |
| 17-9-2 (16-5-1
Atlantic Hockey) LAST WEEK: L vs. Canisius, 4-1; W at
Canisius, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Air Force, vs. Air Force |
| 20. |
 Massachusetts |
— |
The Minutemen had a 5-on-3 power play in the first minute
of Friday's win at BC, and capitalized with an early goal. |
| 13-9-4 (10-7-2 Hockey East)
LAST WEEK: W at Boston College, 5-3; L vs. UMass Lowell,
2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston University, vs. Providence |