October 22, 2006
INCH Power Rankings

Related Links
Last week's rankings
USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll
USCHO.com/CSTV Poll

Four new teams appear in the INCH Power Rankings this week, as a volatile top-20 rewards the movers and shakers. We'll see if the market conditions continue to be favorable to the WCHA, as eight teams from the association are ranked.

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. Maine
2
With the WCHA title locked up, the Black Bears are shifting their focus on winning Hockey East next.
5-0-0 (0-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at North Dakota, 6-2; W at North Dakota, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Massachusetts.
2. Wisconsin
2
Just like in April, the Bagders welcome BC to Dairyland. Only this time without Earl, Pavelski, Gilbert and Burish. But we hear there's still a pretty good goalie in the home team's crease.
3-1-2 (2-1-1 WCHA). LAST WEEK: T vs. Minnesota Duluth, 2-2 ot; W vs. Minnesota Duluth, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Boston College, vs. Boston College.
3. Minnesota
2
A mere 13 goals (eight of them on the power play) was all it took for the Gophers to forget their unsuccessful Frozen Four trip to Columbus two years ago.
4-1-0 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Ohio State, 7-2; W at Ohio State, 6-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Colorado College, vs. Colorado College.
4. Boston University
3
Pete MacArthur has four goals and two assists in two games over the weekend for Hockey East's first-place squad.
2-0-1 (2-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W vs. Northeastern, 4-3; W vs. Merrimack, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell.
5. Boston College
4
Chew on this. BC lost to Notre Dame in hockey and beat Florida State in football in the same weekend.
2-1-0 (1-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: L vs. Notre Dame, 7-1; W vs. Bowling Green, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Wisconsin, at Wisconsin.
6. Michigan State
Next time the Spartans trail by six goals heading into the third period, Rick Comley can harken back to a football game in Evanston, Ill. Chances are he won't want to bring up any of MSU's games against the Under-18 Team.
1-1-0 (1-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. U.S. Under-18 Team, 5-4 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: vs. St. Lawrence, vs. Sacred Heart.
7. Michigan
1

When the Wolves score 6, 7 or 8 goals, they're 3-0-0. When they score 1 -- well, you can probably guess.

3-1-0 (1-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. Miami, 6-3; L vs. Miami, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Northeastern, vs. Northeastern.
8. Miami
1
It had been 4,353 days since Miami's last win at Yost. At that time, Rico Blasi had just graduated from Miami and was an assistant coach for the Wexford Raiders of the Ontario Provincial Junior League.
4-2-0 (1-1-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: L at Michigan, 6-3; W at Michigan, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Bowling Green, vs. Bowling Green.
9. North Dakota
7
After looking Hobey-ready three weeks ago, Jonathan Toews has been held without a point since Oct. 7 — and missed Saturday night's game with an injury.
3-3-0 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Maine, 6-2; L vs. Maine, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota State, at Minnesota State.
10. Dartmouth
Turn the red light on, eh? Dartmouth scored 15 times against two Canadian colleges.
0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. PEI, 8-1 (Ex.); W vs. Trois-Rivieres, 7-4 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: vs. Harvard.
11. New Hampshire
4
Don't sleep on the Wildcats, who had a promising weekend at Colorado College. Trevor Smith had 3-2—5 in the series.
2-0-0 (0-0-0 Hockey East). LAST WEEK: W at Colorado College, 4-3; W at Colorado College, 7-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Massachusetts, vs. Yale.
12. Clarkson
Special weekend: Clarkson allowed five PPGs in its only loss of the season, then turned things around with four PPGs of their own on Saturday.
4-1-1 (0-0-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: L vs. Lake Superior State, 5-1; W vs. Lake Superior State, 7-1. THIS WEEK: vs. U.S. Under-18 Team (Ex.).
13. Notre Dame
NR
Irish earned a trip to Florida with two routs in Hockey East country. Enjoy the sun and what should be two more easy wins.
3-1-0 (0-0-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Boston College, 7-1; W at Providence, 6-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Merrimack, at UMass Lowell.
14. Harvard
2
Harvard had a tougher time with PEI than Dartmouth did, but comparing a common opponent isn't necessary since the Crimson and Big Green meet on Friday.
0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECACHL). LAST WEEK: W vs. PEI, 4-3 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: at Dartmouth.
15. Denver
2
A split with Rensselaer drops the Pioneers to 1-2-0 against the ECACHL in Magness the last two years.
3-3-0 (1-1-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. Rensselaer, 2-1; W vs. Rensselaer, 5-1. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota Duluth, at Minnesota Duluth.
16. St. Cloud State
2
Bobby Goepfert has an uncharacteristic .881 save percentage, but Jase Weslosky — who won Friday with 28 saves — appears to be a capable alternative.
2-2-0 (2-2-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Minnesota State, 4-2; L vs. Minnesota State, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at North Dakota, at North Dakota.
17. Michigan Tech
NR
Sophomore goalie Rob Nolan's first collegiate win was a long time coming (he was 0-11-2 as a rookie), but his 28 saves helped the Huskies sweep in Vermont, for their best start in a decade.
3-1-0 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Vermont, 4-3 ot; W at Vermont, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Alaska Anchorage, vs. Alaska Anchorage.
18. Northern Michigan
NR
Bill Zaniboni leads the nation in minutes (364) and they've been quality: .940 save percentage and a 1.81 goals-against average.
3-2-1 (0-0-0 CCHA). LAST WEEK: W vs. UMass Lowell, 2-1; W vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 5-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Ohio State, vs. Ohio State.
19. Alaska Anchorage
NR
Big dog on campus? Jay Beagle had four goals last season and three last weekend. That made for the Seawolves first undefeated weekend in Fairbanks since 1987.
2-0-2 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: W at Alaska, 6-5 ot; T at Alaska, 1-1 ot. THIS WEEK: at Michigan Tech, at Michigan Tech.
20. Colorado College
2
The Tigers were 3-0-1 entering this weekend, but were quickly reminded that those wins came against teams that are a combined 3-11-1.
3-2-1 (0-0-0 WCHA). LAST WEEK: L vs. New Hampshire, 4-3; L vs. New Hampshire, 7-2. THIS WEEK: at Minnesota, at Minnesota.

Dropped out: Vermont, Alaska, Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota Duluth

Bubble-licious: Vermont, Alaska, Colgate