November 21, 2010
INCH Power Rankings

Related Links
Last Week's INCH Power Rankings
USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll
USCHO.com/CSTV Poll

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

Dropped out: Robert Morris, Michigan State, Providence

Bubble-licious: Brown, Niagara, Robert Morris