Once again, there are only minor adjustments
in this week's INCH Power Rankings. And once again, it's due
to the fact that the nation's top teams took care of business
over the holiday weekend.
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 |
— |
But what about the damage deposit? After this weekend’s
series against Denver, the Bulldogs turn in the keys for
the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, their home
since 1966. |
| 11-1-2 (8-1-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Denver, vs. Denver |
| 2. |
 Yale |
 1 |
Yale posted a five-spot against Sacred Heart, the seventh
time in nine games this year that the Bulldogs have scored
five goals or more. |
| 8-1-0 (4-0-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W vs. Sacred Heart, 5-1. THIS
WEEK: vs. Rensselaer, vs. Union |
| 3. |
 Nebraska-Omaha |
1 |
This weekend marks the start of a 10-game stretch for
the Mavericks against opponents with a combined record
of 19-27-5. |
| 9-2-1 (6-1-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Bemidji State, at
Bemidji State |
| 4. |
 Boston
University |
 2 |
The Terriers' drop this week isn't a reflection on the
tie against Brown, but a reflection on a series of them
- four draws in the last six games with a win and a loss.
We expect more out of a top-five team. |
| 7-1-5 (5-1-4
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T vs. Brown, 4-4 ot. THIS WEEK:
vs. Boston College, at Boston College |
| 5. |
 Maine |
— |
Maine is 5-1-1 in its last seven games against Providence,
the team they'll take on this weekend. |
| 6-3-3 (4-2-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Providence,
at Providence |
| 6. |
 North
Dakota |
— |
After a win and tie against Notre Dame at Engelstad
Arena, the Sioux are still looking for their first home
sweep of the season. With 10 of their next 15 at home,
they’ll have plenty of opportunities. |
| 9-5-2 (7-3-0
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Notre Dame, 6-3; T vs. Notre Dame,
2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Cloud State, vs. St. Cloud
State |
| 7. |
 New
Hampshire |
— |
When does a tie feel like a win? When you score two
goals in the final two minutes to salvage a 5-5 draw on
home ice against Brown. |
| 7-2-4 (5-1-2
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T vs. Brown, 5-5 ot; W vs. Merrimack,
2-1. THIS WEEK: at UMass Lowell, vs. Vermont |
| 8. |
 Union |
2 |
Union returns to action after two weeks away with important
league games at Brown and Yale. All three of those teams,
and RPI, have played just four league games so far. |
| 7-2-3 (2-1-1
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Brown, at Yale |
| 9. |
 Miami |
1 |
Friday’s loss at Western Michigan was the RedHawks’
third in league play this season. Miami only lost two
conference games in 2009-10 and in four of the previous
five seasons didn’t register CCHA loss no. 3 until
after Jan. 1. |
| 9-4-3 (7-3-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Western Michigan, 5-2; W at Western
Michigan, 5-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Notre Dame, vs. Notre Dame |
| 10. |
 Michigan |
1 |
Wanna know what a Big Ten hockey league would look like?
The Wolverines will—they just played Wisconsin and
Minnesota, go to Ohio State this weekend, and have at
least three games (and possibly four) with Michigan State
between Dec. 11 and Jan. 8. |
| 8-4-4 (7-2-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: T at Wisconsin, 4-4 ot; L at Minnesota,
3-1. THIS WEEK: at Ohio State, at Ohio State |
| 11. |
 Denver |
1 |
This weekend’s matchup between the Pioneers and
UMD pits the country’s two hottest teams against
one another—DU has won six in a row, while the Bulldogs
have won five straight. |
| 10-4-2 (7-2-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Lake Superior State, 6-3; W vs.
Air Force, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth, at Minnesota
Duluth |
| 12. |
 Notre
Dame |
1 |
Sophomore defenseman Sam Calabrese scored his first
career goal with 3:02 left in regulation Saturday as the
Irish salvaged a 2-2 tie at North Dakota and avoided consecutive
losses for the first time this season. |
| 9-4-2 (7-2-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at North Dakota, 6-3; T at North Dakota,
2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Miami, at Miami |
| 13. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
Six different players scored for the Eagles
in Sunday's win over Vermont, and the Eagles won their
fourth game of the year by shutout. |
| 9-5-0 (7-4-0
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L at Merrimack, 5-3; W vs. Vermont,
6-0. THIS WEEK: at Boston University, vs. Boston University |
| 14. |
 Alaska |
— |
The Nanooks are in the midst of a stretch in which they
play eight of 10 on the road; they got that run off to
a good start this past weekend by beating and tying Ohio
State in Columbus. |
| 8-5-3 (5-4-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: T at Ohio State, 3-3 ot; W at Ohio State,
5-2. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 15. |
 Wisconsin |
— |
On the same night the Badger footballers earned a share
of the Big Ten title with Ohio State and Michigan State,
Bucky’s icers snapped a six-game winless streak
by doing something they couldn’t do with the pigskin:
Beat the Spartans. |
| 7-6-3 (3-5-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: T vs. Michigan, 4-4 ot; W vs. Michigan
State, 4-1. THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage, at Alaska
Anchorage |
| 16. |
 Rensselaer |
— |
Defenseman-turned-forward Bryan Brutlag was named MVP
of the RPI Holiday Tournament after scoring the game-winning
goal in overtime of the championship game victory against
Bowling Green. It was RPI's first title in their own tournament
since 2001. |
| 7-3-3 (2-2-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W vs. Connecticut, 6-5; W vs.
Bowling Green, 3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Yale, at Brown |
| 17. |
 Merrimack
|
— |
Jesse Todd, Joe Cucci and Stephane Da Costa had multi-point
nights in a win over BC. Not surprisingly, they're the
team's top three scorers on the season. |
| 5-3-4 (4-3-3
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Boston College, 5-3; L vs.
New Hampshire, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Harvard, at Northeastern,
vs. Northeastern |
| 18. |
 Ferris
State |
1 |
In only one of the Bulldogs’ 15 games to date
have both teams scored three or more goals. That was on
Oct. 23 in Big Rapids, when Ferris dropped a 5-3 decision
to Ohio State. |
| 7-5-3 (4-4-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Michigan State, 3-0. THIS WEEK:
vs. Michigan State, at Michigan State |
| 19. |
 Minnesota |
1 |
Shortly after killing a five-minute major penalty, the
Gophers scored to take a 2-0 lead over Michigan. They
went on to a 3-1 win, their third victory this year over
a nationally-ranked team. |
| 8-5-1 (5-4-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Michigan State, 5-2; W vs. Michigan,
3-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota State, at Minnesota State |
| 20. |
 Western
Michigan |
— |
Mmm-mmm good: Senior forward Max Campbell was soup-er
for the Broncos this past weekend, scoring a goal and
adding four assists in his team’s split with visiting
Miami. |
| 7-4-3 (3-3-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Miami, 5-2; L vs. Miami, 5-1. THIS
WEEK: at Northern Michigan, at Northern Michigan |