Bulldogs remain atop the INCH Power Rankings,
but this is the group from New Haven, Conn. replacing the
bunch from Duluth, Minn. Yale improved to 10-1-0 on the year
and supplanted Minnesota Duluth as the No. 1 team in the INCH
Power Rankings.
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. |
 Yale |
 1 |
Senior goalie Ryan Rondeau earned his first career shutout
Sunday in a blanking of Union. Rondeau improved to 9-0-0
this season. |
| 10-1-0 (6-0-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W vs. Rensselaer, 4-2; W vs. Union,
5-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont |
| 2. |
 Minnesota
Duluth |
 1 |
After the emotion of closing the DECC, the Bulldogs
head to Mariucci, where they've won three of their last
four, including the 2009 playoff miracle over Princeton. |
| 12-2-2 (9-2-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Denver, 5-4 ot; W vs. Denver, 2-1.
THIS WEEK: at Minnesota, at Minnesota |
| 3. |
 Maine |
2 |
Five different players scored and freshman goalie Martin
Ouellette earned his first career shutout in Saturday's
win over Providence. |
| 7-3-4 (5-2-2
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T at Providence, 3-3 ot; W at
Providence, 5-0. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire, vs. Massachusetts |
| 4. |
 North
Dakota |
2 |
The fashion police were on alert after the Sioux wore
black (while their opponents wore red) at home. North
Dakota improved to 22-1-2 since 2007 in the ultimate dark
sweaters. |
| 11-5-2 (9-3-0
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. St. Cloud State, 3-1; W vs. St.
Cloud State, 6-2. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota State, at Minnesota
State |
| 5. |
 New
Hampshire |
2 |
UNH has won three straight games and allowed just two
goals in those games. It's the second such streak for
the Wildcats this season, following 2-1, 2-1 and 3-0 wins
over BC, Lowell and UMass in early November. |
| 9-2-4 (7-1-2
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at UMass Lowell, 3-0; W vs.
Vermont, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Maine |
| 6. |
 Boston
College |
7 |
Three goals for Cam Atkinson over the weekend allowed
him to surpass the 50-goal mark for his career. He has
51 goals and 93 points in 94 career games. |
| 11-5-0 (9-4-0
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at Boston University, 9-5; W
vs. Boston University, 5-2. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 7. |
 Nebraska-Omaha |
4 |
The Mavericks' first-ever trip to Bemidji State was
one to forget. Perhaps more concerning is the two goals,
total, UNO has scored in its last three games. |
| 9-4-1 (6-3-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Bemidji State, 3-0; L at Bemidji
State, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan Tech, vs. Michigan
Tech |
| 8. |
 Boston
University |
4 |
We kind of felt a downward trend around the BU program
for the last couple of weeks, and BC comprehensively confirmed
that with a sweep of the Terriers this weekend. |
| 7-3-5 (5-3-4
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Boston College, 9-5; L at
Boston College, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Northeastern, at Rensselaer |
| 9. |
 Union |
1 |
Union's next six games include two against teams from
Atlantic Hockey (AIC, Army), two from the CCHA (series
at Western Michigan) and two from the WCHA (Minnesota
and Bemidji State). |
| 8-3-3 (3-2-1
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Brown, 4-3; L at Yale, 5-0.
THIS WEEK: vs. American International, vs. Army |
| 10. |
 Miami |
1 |
Miami doesn't play again until they meet Maine in the
first round of the Florida College Classic Dec. 29. |
| 10-5-3 (8-4-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Notre Dame, 5-4; W vs. Notre Dame,
5-2. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 11. |
 Michigan |
1 |
Michigan remained undefeated in Saturday games (7-0-2)
this year by scoring twice in the third period to knock
off the Buckeyes on the road. This Saturday won't be like
any of the others, when the Wolverines host Michigan State
at Michigan Stadium. |
| 9-5-4 (8-3-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Ohio State, 3-2 ot; W at Ohio State,
2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan State (Big Chill at the Big
House) |
| 12. |
 Denver |
1 |
Before being blanked in the first 20 minutes on Saturday
at UMD, the Pioneers had recorded at least one goal in
17 consecutive periods. |
| 11-5-2 (8-3-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Minnesota Duluth, 5-4 ot; L at Minnesota
Duluth, 2-1. THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage, at Alaska
Anchorage |
| 13. |
 Notre
Dame |
1 |
Notre Dame trailed 2-0 and 3-1 at Miami
on Friday before rallying for the win. T.J. Tynan scored
the game-winning goal with 2:36 remaining in the third
period. |
| 10-5-2 (8-3-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Miami, 5-4; L at Miami, 5-2. THIS
WEEK: vs. Northern Michigan, vs. Northern Michigan |
| 14. |
 Alaska |
— |
Alaska's upcoming games at Ferris State are the team's
only contests on the docket during the month of December. |
| 8-5-3 (5-4-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Ferris State, at Ferris
State |
| 15. |
 Rensselaer |
1 |
Chase Polacek had four assists in Saturday's 6-2 win
at Brown as the Engineers matched their highest goal-scoring
total of the season in the win. |
| 8-4-3 (3-3-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: L at Yale, 4-2; W at Brown, 6-2.
THIS WEEK: vs. Boston University |
| 16. |
 Wisconsin |
1 |
Leading 2-0 in the third on Saturday, the Badgers survived
a Blais-like move, as Alaska Anchorage pulled its goalie
with nine minutes to play. |
| 8-7-3 (4-6-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Alaska Anchorage, 2-1; W at Alaska
Anchorage, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Bemidji State, vs. Bemidji
State |
| 17. |
 Merrimack
|
— |
Merrimack outshot Harvard 39-15 in Tuesday night's win,
but was outshot by Northeastern in both games over the
weekend. Stephane Da Costa had a goal in all three games. |
| 7-4-4 (5-4-3
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at Harvard, 3-1; W at Northeastern,
2-1; L vs. Northeastern, 2-1. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 18. |
 Ferris
State |
— |
Senior goalie Pat Nagle blanked the Spartans on Saturday,
and has a .933 save percentage and 1.70 goals-against
average this season. |
| 8-6-3 (5-5-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Michigan State, 3-2; W at Michigan
State, 1-0 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Alaska, vs. Alaska |
| 19. |
 Dartmouth |
NR |
Freshman Matt Lindblad, Dartmouth's leading scorer,
has three goals and three assists in the Big Green's current
three-game winning streak. |
| 6-3-1 (5-2-1
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont |
| 20. |
 Robert
Morris |
NR |
Robert Morris has just two wins in its last seven games,
but both were by 5-1 scores, including Saturday's win
over Bentley. This week, they're at Alabama-Huntsville
for a pair of games that will be played in Birmingham,
Ala. |
| 8-4-2 (7-4-2
Atlantic Hockey) LAST WEEK: T vs. Bentley, 2-2 ot; W vs.
Bentley, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Alabama-Huntsville, at Alabama-Huntsville |