Half the teams in this week's INCH Power Rankings
felt like we did after Thursday's Thanksgiving meal —
they didn't feel like moving. Of the 10 that did shift up
or down, five are just one spot removed from the previous
week's rating. The week's big gainer and loser hail from Hockey
East, as Northeastern climbed six spots after its overtime
win at Boston College, a loss that sent the Eagles plummeting
eight positions.
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. |
 Miami |
— |
Hey Andy, did you hear about this one? Junior forward
Brian Kaufman scored 3-5—8 in the RedHawks' back-to-back
romps over Canisius, then pinned Jerry "The King"
Lawler to win the AWA world heavyweight belt. |
| 13-1-0 (9-1-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Canisius, 4-0; W vs. Canisius,
11-1. THIS WEEK: Off. |
| 2. |
 Michigan |
— |
Here's your weekly Kevin Porter update — the senior
forward has seven goals and five assists in the Wolverines'
last four games. He potted three goals and three assists
in Michigan's wins this past weekend over Wisconsin and
Minnesota. |
| 13-1-0 (8-0-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Wisconsin, 3-2; W vs. Minnesota,
5-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio State, vs. Ohio State. |
| 3. |
 Denver |
— |
This weekend’s split gives us a definite “2005
all over” vibe. Imagine the Pioneers and Tigers
tying for the league title again and not settling the
issue until the Frozen Four. Ticket scalpers outside the
Pepsi Center like that idea... |
| 9-3-0 (6-2-0 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: L at Colorado College, 5-1; W vs. Colorado
College, 3-2. THIS WEEK: vs. North Dakota, vs. North Dakota. |
| 4. |
 Michigan
State |
— |
Fit to be tied: "There's a bad taste right now
and there should be," said MSU coach Rick Comley
following the Spartans' come-from-ahead tie with Wisconsin,
which had lost four in a row, Saturday. |
| 8-3-2 (4-2-0 CCHA)
LAST WEEK: T vs. Minnesota, 3-3 ot; T vs. Wisconsin, 4-4
ot. THIS WEEK: at Lake Superior State, at Lake Superior
State. |
| 5. |
 Colorado
College |
— |
Before their next home game (Jan. 11), the Tigers travel
to Anchorage, St. Cloud, Tampa, and Madison. That’ll
put 14,418 miles on your car if you plan on following
Chad Rau and Co. for the next six weeks. |
| 8-4-0 (8-2-0 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: W vs. Denver, 5-1; L at Denver, 3-2. THIS WEEK:
at Alaska Anchorage, at Alaska Anchorage. |
| 6. |
 New
Hampshire |
— |
Wildcats are feeling tricky, as Mike Radja scored three
after freshman Paul Thompson notched a hat trick last
weekend. |
| 7-2-1 (4-2-1 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Brown, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass
Lowell, at UMass Lowell. |
| 7. |
 Notre
Dame |
 2 |
With a 2-1 win against Bowling Green and a 4-3 triumph
over Rensselaer last week, the Fighting Irish improve
to 5-0 in one-goal games this season. |
| 12-4-0 (8-2-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Bowling Green, 2-1; W vs. Alabama-Huntsville,
4-1; W vs. Rensselaer, 4-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Nebraska-Omaha,
vs. Nebraska-Omaha. |
| 8. |
 Clarkson |
 1 |
What I did on my Christmas vacation: Following Saturday's
game at St. Lawrence, the Knights enjoy a 27-day layoff
until meeting Maine in the opening round of the Florida
College Classic in Estero Dec. 28. |
| 10-4-0 (6-1-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: L vs. St. Cloud State, 4-1; W
vs. St. Cloud State, 3-2. THIS WEEK: at St. Lawrence. |
| 9. |
 North
Dakota |
1 |
A month ago, we wondered if J-P Lamoureux would ever
give up a goal. Saturday, he allowed one on a shot from
the red line as the Fighting Sioux failed once again to
stay above .500 in WCHA play. |
| 6-4-1 (4-4-0 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota Duluth, 8-3; L vs. Minnesota
Duluth, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Denver, at Denver. |
| 10. |
 Minnesota
Duluth |
2 |
Drew Akins picked an opportune time to score his first
two goals of the season, as the Bulldogs made a few more
believers with a win in Grand Forks. A win or two in Mankato
this weekend would be equally valuable. |
| 6-4-2 (5-4-1 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: L at North Dakota, 8-3; W at North Dakota,
4-2. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota State, at Minnesota State. |
| 11. |
 Northeastern |
6 |
It's more than just Brad Thiessen who can
beat you, as the Huskies get their first win when allowing
more than two goals. |
| 6-4-1 (6-3-1 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: W at Boston College, 4-3 ot. THIS WEEK:
vs. Brown. |
| 12. |
 St.
Cloud State |
1 |
There’s little chance that the Huskies will be
looking ahead to home dates with Denver and Colorado College
next month, what with that trip to Madison on the docket
for this weekend. |
| 7-3-2 (3-2-1 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: W at Clarkson, 4-1; L at Clarkson, 3-2. THIS
WEEK: at Wisconsin, at Wisconsin. |
| 13. |
 Massachusetts |
1 |
The Minutemen make their second visit to Lynah Rink,
hoping for more success than their 8-1 loss there in 1995-96 |
| 6-3-4 (3-2-4 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: L at Vermont, 4-2; W vs. Union, 5-2.
THIS WEEK: at Cornell, vs. U.S. NTDP (exhibition). |
| 14. |
 Wisconsin |
3 |
It may be too early to call him “Mr. October,”
but freshman Kyle Turris had five collegiate goals on
Oct. 20, and will still have those same five goals to
his credit when the Badgers face St. Cloud State on Nov.
30. |
| 5-6-1 (2-4-0 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: L at Michigan, 3-2; T at Michigan State, 4-4
ot. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Cloud State, vs. St. Cloud State. |
| 15. |
 Minnesota |
— |
Those fans chanting “We Want Kangas!” will
note that the rookie tied the defending national champs,
while Jeff Frazee got lit up by Michigan. In Frazee's
defense, the Wolverines are doing that to everyone these
days. |
| 7-6-1 (3-5-0 WCHA)
LAST WEEK: T at Michigan State, 3-3 ot; L at Michigan,
5-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan Tech, vs. Michigan Tech. |
| 16. |
 Rensselaer |
— |
Up 2-0 after one against the Irish, the Engineers were
outshot 28-7 the rest of the way and couldn't hold on. |
| 6-4-3 (1-1-2 ECAC
Hockey) LAST WEEK: T vs. American International, 1-1 ot;
L vs. Notre Dame, 4-3. THIS WEEK: at Princeton, at Quinnipiac. |
| 17. |
 Harvard |
1 |
The Crimson, like "Dancing With the Stars,"
appear just about every night of the week. Harvard's slate
between last week's win at BU and its Dec. 12 date with
BC reads: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday,
Sunday, Wednesday. |
| 5-2-0 (4-2-0 ECAC
Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Boston University, 2-1 ot. THIS
WEEK: at Yale, vs. Dartmouth. |
| 18. |
 Boston
College |
8 |
Eight spots is a significant drop, but when you haven't
beaten anybody but Merrimack since Oct. 13, that snowman
doesn't look so bad. |
| 3-4-5 (2-3-4 Hockey
East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Northeastern, 4-3 ot. THIS WEEK:
vs. Boston University, at Boston University |
| 19. |
 Niagara |
— |
The Purps, tied for fourth nationally in scoring defense
at 1.91 goals allowed per game, face a Bemidji State team
that ranks 54th in the land in scoring offense (2.08 goals
per game.) |
| 8-3-0 (2-2-0 CHA)
LAST WEEK:Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Bemidji State, vs. Bemidji
State. |
| 20. |
 Bowling
Green |
— |
The Falcons aim for win no. 7 this weekend against non-conference
foe Wayne State. BGSU picked up its seventh win last season
on Feb. 24. |
| 6-4-0 (5-3-0 CCHA) LAST WEEK:
L at Notre Dame, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Wayne State, vs. Wayne
State. |