The INCH Power Rankings saw some significant
changes after the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Some teams played their way up with wins and some fell after
losses.
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 |
— |
By beating Michigan in the Midwest Regional final in
Fort Wayne Sunday, the RedHawks are the first CCHA team
other than the Wolverines to make consecutive trips to
the Frozen Four since Lake Superior State did it from
1992-94. |
| 29-7-7 LAST
WEEK: W vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 2-1; W vs. Michigan, 3-2
2ot (NCAA Midwest Regional). FROZEN FOUR: vs. Boston College
(April 8) |
| 2. |
 Wisconsin |
— |
The Frozen Four has been played in Detroit on six previous
occasions and the WCHA won the title in all but one of
those years. Wisconsin did it twice – once at Olympia
Stadium in 1977 and at Joe Louis Arena in 1990. |
| 27-10-4
LAST WEEK: W vs. Vermont, 3-2; W vs. St. Cloud State,
5-3 (NCAA West Regional). FROZEN FOUR: vs. RIT (April
8) |
| 3. |
 Boston
College |
 1 |
Boston College is making its third trip to the Frozen
Four in four years despite not playing its best hockey
at the Northeast Regional. The Eagles scored at least
one goal in five of the six periods it played. |
| 27-10-3
LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska, 3-1; W vs. Yale, 9-7 (NCAA Northeast
Regional). FROZEN FOUR: vs. Miami (April 8) |
| 4. |
 Denver |
 1 |
The Pioneers closed the year with three straight defeats,
and though the season is over, DU’s losses might
not end there – underclassmen Joe Colborne, Marc
Cheverie, and Patrick Wiercioch could all leave school
early to start professional careers. |
| 27-10-4
LAST WEEK: L vs. RIT, 2-1 (NCAA East Regional). |
| 5. |
 St.
Cloud State |
2 |
Forward Ryan Lasch closed out his college career with
a school-record 183 points, but his reign atop the SCSU
scoring chart could be short lived. If Garrett Roe returns
for his senior season, he’ll need just 42 points
to eclipse that mark. |
| 24-14-5
LAST WEEK: W vs. Northern Michigan, 4-3 2ot; L vs. Wisconsin,
5-3 (NCAA West Regional). |
| 6. |
 Yale |
3 |
Did you check out the INCH
Wish List Draft last week? Notice that we added a
goalie with Yale's first pick? Now you know why. |
| 21-10-3
LAST WEEK: W vs. North Dakota, 3-2; L vs. Boston College,
9-7 (NCAA Northeast Regional). |
| 7. |
 North
Dakota |
2 |
The Sioux lose two key seniors in forwards Chris VandeVelde
and Darcy Zajac, but if defenseman Chay Genoway comes
back after missing most of the past season due to injury,
NoDak should start next season among the top five in the
preseason polls. |
| 25-13-5
LAST WEEK: L vs. Yale, 3-2 (NCAA Northeast Regional). |
| 8. |
 Cornell
|
2 |
The Big Red got stung for six goals against in their
NCAA Tournament game, double the total they allowed in
their previous six games. |
| 21-9-4 LAST
WEEK: L vs. New Hampshire, 6-2 (NCAA East Regional). |
| 9. |
 RIT |
6 |
How good has RIT's defense been? The Tigers have allowed
a total of 16 goals in their last 12 games, the stingiest
streak in program history. |
| 28-11-1
LAST WEEK: W vs. Denver, 2-1; W vs. New Hampshire, 6-2
(NCAA East Regional). FROZEN FOUR: vs. Wisconsin (April
8) |
| 10. |
 Michigan |
2 |
Provided the Wolverines hang on to all their underclassmen,
Michigan will join Miami as the favorites to win the CCHA
championship next season. At the very least, a seventh-place
finish in the league standings should be a thing of the
past. |
| 26-18-1
LAST WEEK: W vs. Bemidji State, 5-1; L vs. Miami, 3-2
2ot (NCAA Midwest Regional). |
| 11. |
 Northern
Michigan |
3 |
With Mark Olver, Greger Hanson, Justin Florek, and Erik
Gustafsson expected back in Marquette next season, the
Wildcats shouldn’t have trouble scoring goals. But
the graduation of Brian Stewart means they’ll have
to find someone who can keep ’em out. |
| 20-13-8
LAST WEEK: L vs. St. Cloud State, 4-3 2ot (NCAA West Regional). |
| 12. |
 Union |
2 |
The college hockey season isn't over just yet for senior
forward Jason Walters, who will participate in next week's
Frozen Four Skills Challenge. |
| 21-12-6 |
| 13. |
 New
Hampshire |
5 |
UNH has been in the NCAA Tournament all eight years
since the format expanded to 16 teams and has four wins
and four losses in first-round games in that stretch. |
| 18-14-7
LAST WEEK: W vs. Cornell, 6-2; L vs. RIT, 6-2 (NCAA East
Regional). |
| 14. |
 Bemidji
State |
3 |
Fans who griped about Bemidji State getting an at-large
bid to the NCAA Tournament in spite of its CHA schedule,
be careful what you wish for. The Beavers return all but
three seniors from a team that beat Miami, Minnesota,
Minnesota Duluth, and Northern Michigan. |
| 23-10-4
LAST WEEK: L vs. Michigan, 5-1 (NCAA Midwest Regional). |
| 15. |
 Ferris
State |
2 |
The Bulldogs' season has been over for about a week,
but seniors Cody Chupp and Matt Case are still playing.
Chupp signed a deal with the American Hockey League's
Texas Stars and Case has inked a contract with the AHL's
Norfolk Admirals. |
| 21-13-6 |
| 16. |
 Minnesota
Duluth |
2 |
Forward Rob Bordson left school with a year of eligibility
remaining after signing a deal with the Anaheim Ducks
last week. Barring any other early departures, UMD should
once again contend for a spot in the top half of the conference. |
| 22-17-1 |
| 17. |
 Michigan
State |
1 |
Defenseman Jeff Petry took his game and a year of college
eligibility to the Edmonton Oilers. Forward Corey Tropp
could also look at signing a pro deal; if he returns,
the Spartans will bring back all but three players from
this year’s CCHA runner-up. |
| 19-13-6 |
| 18. |
 Alaska |
1 |
Freshman forward Andy Taranto is the answer to the trivia
question, which UAF player scored the program’s
first goal in an NCAA Tournament game? Unfortunately for
the Nanooks, it was the only goal they scored in a 3-1
first-round loss to Boston College. |
| 18-12-9
LAST WEEK: L vs. Boston College, 3-1 (NCAA Northeast Regional). |
| 19. |
 Vermont |
1 |
Vermont built a 2-1 lead on goals from
Dan Lawson and Brian Roloff. It was Lawson's first goal
since scoring the double-OT game-winner against Air Force
that sent the Catamounts to last year's Frozen Four. |
| 17-15-7
LAST WEEK: L vs. Wisconsin, 3-2 (NCAA West Regional). |
| 20. |
 Maine |
1 |
Of Maine's top-12 scorers from last year, 11 are eligible
to return to the Black Bears next year. Maine finished
2009-10 as the nation's fourth-highest scoring team. |
| 19-17-3 |