The recently-completed weekend was a proving
ground for the nation's top teams, meaning that they proved
they deserve a spot in a listing of the nation's best teams.
Last week's top-15 teams in the INCH Power Rankings only suffered
nine losses as a whole, and eight of those defeats were administered
by other teams inside the top-15. As a result, there's not
much movement to be found in the latest rankings. At the bottom
though, three teams left and three are newly-ranked this week.
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
Duluth |
— |
Which is more amazing: that the Bulldogs are 6-0-2 in
their last eight overtime games, or that they’ve
won five of those games by a 3-2 margin? (See Wisconsin
note for the answer) |
| 11-1-2 (8-1-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Wisconsin, 6-5 ot; W at Wisconsin,
3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 2. |
 Boston
University |
— |
Trailing 2-1 halfway through Saturday night's game,
and following Friday's loss at UNH, the Terriers scored
three times in the second half of the second period and
went on to a 4-2 victory to rebound from their first loss
of the year. |
| 7-1-4 (5-1-4
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L at New Hampshire, 5-2; W vs.
New Hampshire, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Brown |
| 3. |
 Yale |
 2 |
In a tie game in a difficult environment at Lynah Rink,
Yale played one of its best periods of the season and
earned a 4-2 victory. It was the exact opposite of the
previous week's situation against Air Force. |
| 7-1-0 (4-0-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Cornell, 4-2; W at Colgate,
6-4. THIS WEEK: vs. Sacred Heart |
| 4. |
 Nebraska-Omaha |
— |
INCH exclusive: Bo Pelini wasn’t yelling at players
and officials. He was shouting for joy after hearing the
Mavs beat North Dakota Saturday on a goal with one second
left in regulation. |
| 9-2-1 (6-1-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. North Dakota, 6-5; W vs. North
Dakota, 1-0. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 5. |
 Maine |
 2 |
One bright spot for the Black Bears in two losses at
Boston College, they outshot the Eagles in each game.
Maine had a 32-24 advantage in Friday's game and a 39-23
differential in Sunday's contest. |
| 6-3-3 (4-3-3
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L at Boston College, 4-0; L at
Boston College, 4-1. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 6. |
 North
Dakota |
— |
Sophomore forward Danny Kristo has been scuffling so
far this season, but picked an opportune time to net his
first goal of the year, potting the eventual game-winner
in the Fighting Sioux’s 6-5 win at Nebraska-Omaha
Friday. |
| 8-5-1 (7-3-0
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Nebraska-Omaha, 6-5; L at Nebraska-Omaha,
1-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Notre Dame, vs. Notre Dame |
| 7. |
 New
Hampshire |
— |
UNH had a nine-game unbeaten streak (6-0-3) snapped
Saturday, but venue and strength of schedule should be
considered. The losses that book-ended that streak were
at Miami and at BU. |
| 6-2-3 (4-1-2
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Boston University, 5-2;
L at Boston University, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Brown, vs.
Merrimack |
| 8. |
 Miami |
— |
Last weekend, the RedHawks swept Bowling Green, coached
by former Miami assistant Chris Bergeron. This weekend,
the RedHawks play Western Michigan, coached by former
Miami assistant Jeff Blashill. |
| 8-3-3 (6-2-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Bowling Green, 4-3; W at Bowling
Green, 3-0. THIS WEEK: at Western Michigan, at Western
Michigan |
| 9. |
 Michigan |
— |
Fifteen Wolverines registered at least one point in
Friday’s 7-2 drubbing of Lake Superior State in
Ann Arbor. That included goaltender Shawn Hunwick, who
assisted on A.J. Treais’s first-period goal to earn
his first career point. |
| 8-3-3 (7-2-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Lake Superior State, 7-2; W vs.
Lake Superior State, 3-2. THIS WEEK: at Wisconsin, at
Minnesota (College Hockey Showcase) |
| 10. |
 Union |
— |
Union is currently in its final exam period for first-term
classes. It also has a department on campus dedicated
to ethics
in the classroom. Keep that in mind, Union students,
before you get any crazy ideas. |
| 7-2-3 (2-1-1
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 11. |
 Notre
Dame |
— |
Not only did the Fighting Irish successfully kill all
but one of Michigan State’s 10 power-play opportunities
in the series sweep of the Spartans, but they also scored
three short-handed goals. |
| 9-3-1 (7-2-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Michigan State, 6-2; W vs. Michigan
State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at North Dakota, at North Dakota |
| 12. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
Paul Carey scored the game-winning goal in each of BC's
victories over Maine this weekend, and had three goals
over the two games – his second, third and fourth
goals this season. |
| 8-4-0 (6-3-0
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Maine, 4-0; W vs. Maine,
4-1. THIS WEEK: at Merrimack, vs. Vermont |
| 13. |
 Denver |
1 |
The Pioneers head into this weekend’s
Denver Cup having won six of their last seven; DU has
outscored its opponents in those six wins by a 23-7 margin.
The Pioneers are also in the midst of a seven-game home
unbeaten streak. |
| 8-4-2 (7-2-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Bemidji State, 3-1; W vs. Bemidji
State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Lake Superior State, vs. Air
Force (Denver Cup) |
| 14. |
 Alaska |
2 |
The Nanooks are 1-3-1 in their last five games after
starting the year with a 6-2-1 mark. Over those last five
games, Alaska has scored a total of seven goals. |
| 7-5-2 (4-4-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: T vs. Northern Michigan, 1-1 ot; L vs.
Northern Michigan, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Ohio State, at Ohio
State (Nationwide Arena) |
| 15. |
 Wisconsin |
— |
Wisconsin defeated St. Cloud State 4-3 in overtime in
the WCHA Final Five third-place game on St. Patrick's
Day 2007. They are winless in 25 overtime games since
then over the last four seasons, with eight losses and
17 ties after the third period. |
| 6-6-2 (3-5-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Minnesota Duluth, 6-5 ot; L vs.
Minnesota Duluth, 3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan, vs.
Michigan State (College Hockey Showcase) |
| 16. |
 Rensselaer |
1 |
The RPI Holiday Tournament is the longest-running in-season
tournament in college hockey. This year's invited guests
are UConn, Bowling Green and Alabama-Huntsville. |
| 5-3-3 (2-2-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Connecticut;
vs. Alabama-Huntsville or Bowling Green (RPI Holiday Tournament) |
| 17. |
 Merrimack
|
NR |
Look out Luongo. That goaltending prospect from Hockey
East that you've been hearing about? No, not Cory Schneider.
Vancouver draft-pick Joe Cannata has a .925 save percentage
and 2.19 goals-against average in 10 starts this year. |
| 4-2-4 (3-2-3
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at UMass Lowell, 4-3; W vs.
UMass Lowell, 3-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston College, at New
Hampshire |
| 18. |
 Minnesota |
NR |
The Gophers are on a 5-1-1 streak in their last seven
games after a three-game losing streak. They've allowed
one goal against in three of those five games, all started
by Kent Patterson, who is 6-0-1 on the year. |
| 7-4-1 (5-4-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Michigan Tech, 6-4; W at Michigan
Tech, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan State, vs. Michigan
(College Hockey Showcase) |
| 19. |
 Ferris
State |
NR |
The Bulldogs play three straight games against Michigan
State. Tuesday night the teams meet in East Lansing, followed
by a home-and-home series Dec. 3-4. |
| 6-5-3 (3-4-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Western Michigan, 3-1; T vs. Western
Michigan, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Michigan State |
| 20. |
 Western
Michigan |
4 |
Take the under when the Broncos play. In a dozen games
this year, Western Michigan has scored more than three
goals only once, and allowed more than three goals only
once. |
| 6-3-3 (2-2-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Ferris State, 3-1; T at Ferris State,
2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Miami, vs. Miami |