November 13, 2011
INCH Power Rankings

The top-seven teams in last week's Inside College Hockey Power Rankings combined to lose eight games this past week, which encouraged us to make a significant number of adjustments at the top of the rankings. The shifting landscape wasn't restricted to the top of the chart, as three new teams appear 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.	Merrimack	3	The nation's only unbeaten, and that's unlikely to change any time soon. The Warriors' only remaining game in November is a home meeting with winless Alabama-Huntsville.
8-0-1 (6-0-1 Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W at Boston University, 3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: Off
2.	Minnesota	1	Saturday’s 4-1 win at Wisconsin was the 300th victory for coach Don Lucia behind the Minnesota bench, and also prevented the Gophers from being swept in Madison for the first time since Nov. 12-13, 1999.
10-2-0 (7-1-0 WCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Wisconsin, 3-1; W at Wisconsin. 4-1. THIS WEEK: at St. Cloud State, vs. St. Cloud State
3.	Boston College	1	A battered blueline looked fatigued in Sunday's loss to BU, but that wasn't the only story. The offense couldn't generate much either in the Eagles' first shutout at the hands of the Terriers since 1983.
9-3-0 (7-2-0 Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 2-1; L vs. Boston University, 5-0. THIS WEEK: at Notre Dame
4.	Colorado College	1	Goaltender Joe Howe has allowed 11 goals in his last two starts, including five in a little more than 30 minutes of work in the Tigers’ 5-4 loss at Denver Saturday.
5-2-0 (3-2-0 WCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Denver, 5-4. THIS WEEK: vs. Wisconsin, vs. Wisconsin
5.	Yale	3	Yale senior forward Dan Otto battled injuries through his first three years on campus and finally cracked the lineup this year. He scored his first two career goals in Saturday's 4-0 win at Union.
4-1-1 (3-1-0 ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Rensselaer, 2-0; W at Union, 4-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Connecticut
6.	Ferris State	3	Three is a magic number: The Bulldogs enter the week ranked third nationally in scoring defense (1.58 goals per game), penalty killing (91.9 percent), and, ahem, penalty minutes (19.4 PIMs per game).
9-2-1 (5-2-1 CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Lake Superior State, 5-1; T vs. Lake Superior State, 1-1 ot. THIS WEEK: at Alaska, at Alaska
7.	Notre Dame	3	How do the Irish top Friday’s rally from a 4-0 deficit to beat Alaska, 5-4, on a Stephen Johns goal with 48 seconds left in regulation? By topping Alaska Saturday on a Billy Maday goal with 42 seconds left in OT.
7-2-2 (5-1-2 CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska, 5-4; W vs. Alaska, 3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Western Michigan, vs. Boston College
8.	Michigan	3	The sample size is small, but the loss and tie at Miami this past weekend dropped the Wolverines’ road record to 0-2-2. They’ll have to wait for an early December trip to Alaska for their next crack at a road win.
7-3-2 (3-3-2 CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Miami, 2-1; T at Miami, 3-3 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio State, vs. Ohio State
9.	Western Michigan	2	After losing just one of six contests where the Broncos’ power play was held scoreless before this weekend, the unit’s struggles caught up to them when a 1-for-7 performance helped Michigan State sweep Western in Kalamazoo.
6-3-3 (4-3-1 CCHA) LAST WEEK: L vs. Michigan State, 3-2; L vs. Michigan State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Notre Dame
10.	Minnesota Duluth	6	Senior center Jack Connolly had two goals and two assists in the Bulldogs’ sweep of visiting Alaska Anchorage, extending his point streak to 10 games. He’s scored six goals and added nine assists during that span.
7-3-2 (5-2-1 WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska Anchorage, 5-0; W vs. Alaska Anchorage, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota State, vs. Minnesota State
11.	Denver	2	Sophomore forward Beau Bennett, back in the lineup for the Pioneers after missing four games with a wrist injury, scored 9:02 into the first period to give DU a 1-0 lead en route to a 5-4 win over Colorado College.
4-3-2 (3-2-2 WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Colorado College, 5-4. THIS WEEK: vs. Nebraska-Omaha, vs. Nebraska-Omaha
12.	Union	6	After posting a 16-3-2 record on home ice last year, Union is just 1-2-2 at Messa Rink this year, with that lone victory coming against American International.
5-3-3 (2-2-0 ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: L vs. Brown, 2-1; L vs. Yale, 4-0. THIS WEEK: at Rensselaer
13.	Ohio State	5	It’s officially time to take notice of the Buckeyes as a serious player in the CCHA race this year. Since losing at Michigan State Oct. 20, Ohio State has run up a seven-game unbeaten streak that has seen them outscore opponents 27-6 in that stretch.
8-3-1 (5-2-1 CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Northern Michigan, 4-1; W vs. Northern Michigan, 4-1. THIS WEEK: at Michigan, at Michigan
14.	Lake Superior State	2	The Lakers bounced back from a disappointing 5-1 loss at Ferris State with a shootout victory in Big Rapids on Saturday night, earning a bonus point that keeps them tied with Notre Dame and Ohio State atop the CCHA standings.
8-3-1 (5-2-1 CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Ferris State, 5-1; T at Ferris State, 1-1 ot. THIS WEEK: at Canisius, at Canisius
15.	Colgate	1	The Raiders held a 2-1 lead at Harvard before a major penalty and game disqualification against Nick Prockow. The Crimson scored twice on that five-minute power play to take the lead late in the second period.
6-4-1 (2-2-0 ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Dartmouth, 4-0; L at Harvard, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Quinnipiac, vs. Princeton
16.	Michigan Tech	1	There’s a downside to playing eight of your first 10 games at home. For the Huskies, it’s playing nine of your next 11 away from Houghton starting with this weekend’s trip to Anchorage.
6-3-1 (4-3-1 WCHA) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage, at Alaska Anchorage
17.	Providence	NR	The Friars, like Michigan Tech, are taking advantage of a home-friendly early-season schedule. Providence is 6-1-1 at home, and hosts Northeastern this weekend.
6-3-1 (4-2-0 Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 3-0; W vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Northeastern
18.	Cornell	NR	Big Red defenseman Nick D'Agostino scored two goals in each of Cornell's victories on the road this weekend, and leads the team with eight points through the first five games.
3-2-0 (3-1-0 ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Harvard, 4-2; W at Dartmouth, 3-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Princeton, vs. Quinnipiac
19.	Dartmouth	8	Dartmouth dropped back-to-back games on the same weekend for the first time since finishing fourth in its own holiday tournament, two years ago.
3-3-0 (2-2-0 ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: L vs. Colgate, 4-0; L vs. Cornell, 3-2. THIS WEEK: at St. Lawrence, at Clarkson
20.	Boston University	NR	Sunday's shutout of Boston College may be another head scratcher for those trying to figure this team out -- but if the Terriers figure out how to play that way consistently, look out.
4-4-1 (3-3-1 Hockey East) LAST WEEK: L vs. Merrimack, 3-2 ot; W at Boston College, 5-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont, vs. New Hampshire

Dropped out: Quinnipiac, Clarkson, Northern Michigan

Bubble-licious: Clarkson, UMass-Lowell, Nebraska-Omaha, New Hampshire, Quinnipiac