October 15 , 2006
INCH Power Rankings

It's early in the season and easy to cast one's eyes on the teams that started out quickly. Those who didn't can recall the fabled tortoise, who persevered and eventually won the race. Be positive if your team isn't ranked this week, as the season can be a hare-racing experience.

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.	Boston College	–	Whatever regimen right wing Andrew Orpik followed over the summer, we recommend it. He's gone from the fourth line last spring to the first, skating alongside Brian Boyle.
1-0-0 (1-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 5-2; W vs. US Under-18s, 5-4 ot (Ex.). THIS WEEK: vs. Notre Dame, vs. Bowling Green.
2.	North Dakota	–	No wonder the Sioux keep recruiting siblings: Travis Zajac's little bro, Darcy, has three goals in four games including Friday's OT winner at Wisconsin.
3-1-0 (1-1-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Wisconsin, 3-2 ot; L at Wisconsin, 1-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Maine, vs. Maine.
3.	Maine	7	After this weekend's trip to North Dakota, the Black Bears will have played more games against WCHA teams than eight of the 10 teams in the conference.
3-0-0 (0-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Bemidji State, 7-1; W vs. Bemidji State, 6-3. THIS WEEK: at North Dakota, at North Dakota.
4.	Wisconsin	3	Injuries to Ross Carlson (knee), Jack Skille (elbow) and Kyle Klubertanz (thigh) forced Mike Eaves to dress seven freshmen in Saturday's win against North Dakota.
2-1-1 (1-1-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. North Dakota, 3-2 ot; W vs. North Dakota, 1-0. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota Duluth, vs. Minnesota Duluth.
5.	Minnesota	2	Welcome back, Tyler Hirsch: The Gophers' leading scorer two years ago had three assists against Wayne State in his first action in just under a year.
2-1-0 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Wayne State, 7-1; W vs. Wayne State, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Ohio State, at Ohio State.
6.	Michigan State	2	More than 100 former players were honored at the Spartans' alumni weekend, including members of the 1966 and '86 national championship teams on their 40th and 20th anniversaries.
1-1-0 (1-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Western Michigan, 4-1; L vs. Western Michigan, 3-2. THIS WEEK: vs. US Under-18s (Ex.).
7.	Boston University	2	Chris Higgins, who scored three of his eight goals last year in the NCAAs, picked up where he left off, with 2-1—3 in the opener.
0-0-1 (0-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: T at Rensselaer, 4-4. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell.
8.	Michigan	2	Big weekend on deck in A-Squared as the hockey team hosts Miami in the opening CCHA series for both teams and the skunk-helmeted gridders face Iowa.
2-0-0 (0-0-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 8-1; W vs. Connecticut, 7-5. THIS WEEK: vs. Miami, vs. Miami.
9.	Miami	1	The RedHawks have dropped 19 in a row to Michigan at Yost — last win was on Nov. 19, 1994 — and are 2-40-1 all-time in the brick barn on State Street.
3-1-0 (0-0-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Canisius, 5-1; W vs. Canisius, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Michigan, at Michigan.
10.	Dartmouth	1	There's a lecture on campus Monday titled, "Books on Ice." We were hoping that Bob Gaudet was going to be the guest lecturer.
0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Did not play. THIS WEEK: Off.
11.	Vermont	8	A good sign, at least for two more weekends: Vermont is 8-0-1 in October the last two years.
2-0-1 (0-0-1 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: T vs. Northeastern, 2-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan Tech, vs. Michigan Tech.
12.	Clarkson	4	A win and a tie in New England states would be great to replicate in two weeks when the Golden Knights open league play at Harvard and Dartmouth.
3-0-1 (0-0-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W at Providence, 6-1; T at Massachusetts, 3-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Lake Superior State, vs. Lake Superior State.
13.	Denver	4	Peter Mannino, the 2005 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player, has a 4.17 GAA and a .850 save pct. in his first two appearances this season.
2-2-0 (1-1-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at St. Cloud State, 4-3 ot; L at St. Cloud State, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Rensselaer, vs. Rensselaer.
14.	St. Cloud State	1	Alum Bret Hedican probably thinks the Huskies should be ranked higher than Miami after he beat up current teammate and former Redskin Kevyn Adams in practice.
1-1-0 (1-1-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Denver, 4-3 ot; W vs. Denver, 5-2. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota State, vs. Minnesota State.
15.	New Hampshire	1	This weekend marks the first meeting of UNH and CC since the 2001 Badger Showdown (a 6-2 Wildcat win).
0-0-0 (0-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. US Under 18s, 7-1 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: at Colorado College, at Colorado College.
16.	Harvard	1	No need to rush hockey season when your 5-0 football team meets 5-0 Princeton on Saturday.
0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: Did not play. THIS WEEK: Off.
17.	Alaska	15	Based on early returns (2-3--5 in 2 GP), Dion Knelsen should have plenty to celebrate when he turns 18 -- although that's not until Jan. 4.
2-0-0 (0-0-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Air Force, 3-0; W vs. Air Force, 8-4. THIS WEEK: vs. Alaska Anchorage, vs. Alaska Anchorage.
18.	Colorado College	8	Drew O'Connell, an Anchorage native, got the shutout in Saturday's 5-0 win over Merrimack at the Nye Frontier Classic.
3-0-1 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: T vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 2-2; W vs. Merrimack, 5-0. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire, vs. New Hampshire.
19.	Nebraska-Omaha	4	Subscribe to the "he'll miss Bill Thomas" theory if you must, but Scott Parse picked up three points and tourney MVP honors last weekend in Anchorage.
0-0-2 (0-0-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Manitoba, 8-0 (Ex.); T vs. Colorado College, 2-2; T at Alaska Anchorage, 2-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Niagara, vs. UMass Lowell or Northern Michigan.
20.	Minnesota Duluth	4	Could things be coming together for the Bulldogs? We'll know after consecutive weekends against Wisconsin, Denver, and Minnesota.
1-0-1 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: T vs. UMass Lowell, 3-3; W vs. UMass Lowell, 7-3. THIS WEEK: at Wisconsin, at Wisconsin.

Dropped out: Providence, Colgate, Northern Michigan

Bubble-licious: Colgate, Providence, Union