This week’s INCH Power Rankings are a
lot like the San Andreas Fault. On the surface, things appear
calm – Notre Dame and Boston University are the top
two teams. Beneath that upper crust, however, seismic changes
took place.
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. |
 Notre
Dame |
— |
Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the
shots you don’t take.” Jordan Pearce says,
“We don’t lose 100% of the games in which
the other team doesn’t score.” |
| 18-3-2 (12-2-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Alaska, 2-0; W vs. Alaska, 3-0.
THIS WEEK: at Lake Superior State, at Lake Superior State |
| 2. |
 Boston
University |
— |
BU is 7-0-1 overall and 3-0-1 in Hockey East play since
dropping a pair of games against Vermont in November,
and haven't allowed more than two goals in any game during
the current eight-game unbeaten run. |
| 14-4-1 (7-4-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Maine, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs.
Providence, at Merrimack, vs. Boston College |
| 3. |
 Cornell
|
 1 |
Two tight wins over Niagara meant that Cornell finished
its non-league schedule with a 5-1-1 record. Brothers
Patrick and Michael Kennedy both scored a goal in both
wins. |
| 11-1-3 (6-0-2
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W vs. Niagara, 3-0; W vs. Niagara,
2-1. THIS WEEK: at Union, at Rensselaer |
| 4. |
 Denver |
1 |
The Pioneers bounced back from a disappointing Denver
Cup weekend with two wins against Michigan Tech. Next
up is a bye week, followed by a five-week stretch in
which they play seven of nine on the road.
|
| 15-6-2 (11-4-1
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Michigan Tech, 4-3 ot; W vs. Michigan
Tech, 3-1. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 5. |
 Northeastern |
1 |
Three of Ryan Ginand's team-leading 11 goals have been
game-winners. Only three players in the country have more. |
| 14-4-2 (10-2-1
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: W vs. Merrimack, 2-1; W at Merrimack,
2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Vermont, vs. Vermont |
| 6. |
 Vermont |
2 |
The Catamounts have the nation's fourth best power play,
and are converting at a 21.8 percent clip. They've scored
at least one power-play goal in five straight games and
have a 3-1-1 record in that stretch. |
| 12-4-3 (7-3-2
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T vs. Boston College, 3-3 ot;
W vs. Boston College, 4-2. THIS WEEK: at Northeastern,
at Northeastern |
| 7. |
 Michigan |
4 |
We’re not structural engineers, but since Yost
Arena is still standing after the Wolverines bombed Miami
twice under its roof this past weekend, we think it’s
safe. |
| 15-7-0 (9-5-0
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Miami, 5-1; W vs. Miami, 4-0. THIS
WEEK: vs. Bowling Green, at Bowling Green |
| 8. |
 Minnesota |
 5 |
Assuming the Gophers a) brought 22 players to North
Dakota and b) bought a box of envelopes at the dollar
store, it would’ve only cost them $10.24 to mail
it in for the series against the Fighting Sioux. But they
chose to do so in person. |
| 10-5-5 (7-4-3
WCHA) LAST WEEK: L at North Dakota, 6-3; L at North Dakota,
6-1. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Cloud State, at St. Cloud State |
| 9. |
 Princeton |
2 |
The Tigers head into their annual break for academic
concentration on a three-game losing streak. Let's hope
their exams, papers and projects go a lot better than
last weekend's losses against Union and RPI. |
| 13-5-0 (8-4-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: L vs. Union, 3-2; L vs. Rensselaer,
5-1. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 10. |
 Boston
College |
— |
There's no need for BC fans to panic about
their team's current fifth-place standing. Finishing fourth
last year worked out just fine in the long run. |
| 9-6-3 (5-5-3
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T at Vermont, 3-3 ot; L at Vermont,
4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell, at Boston University |
| 11. |
 Miami |
2 |
The RedHawks have dropped four in a row; it’s
the team’s longest skid since losing seven straight
from Oct. 21-Nov. 19, 2004. |
| 12-7-3 (10-4-2
CCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Michigan, 5-1; L at Michigan, 4-0.
THIS WEEK: vs. Michigan State, vs. Michigan State |
| 12. |
 Ohio
State |
1 |
A drive for five? If you count their pre-season exhibition
match against York, the Buckeyes have had games this season
in which they’ve scored 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9,
and 10 goals. |
| 15-6-1 (8-5-1
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Bowling Green, 8-5; W at Bowling
Green, 4-3 ot. THIS WEEK: at Ferris State, at Ferris State |
| 13. |
 Colorado
College |
1 |
By beating Minnesota State at World Arena to open their
series with the Mavericks, the Tigers ended a Friday winless
streak that had reached eight games (0-4-4). |
| 12-7-5 (8-6-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota State, 5-2; L vs. Minnesota
State, 3-1. THIS WEEK: at Wisconsin, at Wisconsin |
| 14. |
 Air
Force |
1 |
When a team is coming off a bye week, sometimes you
have to resort to saying stuff like – the Falcons’
roster includes players from 11 states. Now drop that
little factoid on your friends, neighbors, and co-workers
throughout the week. |
| 15-4-1 (12-1-1
Atlantic Hockey) LAST WEEK: Off. THIS WEEK: vs. Canisius,
vs. Canisius |
| 15. |
 New
Hampshire |
1 |
The Wildcats are gaining experience in the close games,
as seven of their last eight Hockey East games have ended
in ties or with a one-goal margin. The other was a 2-0
win over UMass Lowell in which UNH scored an empty-netter. |
| 10-6-4 (7-4-3
Hockey East) LAST WEEK: T at Massachusetts, 2-2 ot; W
vs. Massachusetts, 3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: vs. Dartmouth (at
Manchester) |
| 16. |
 Dartmouth |
2 |
The Big Green seek to retain the trophy at this weekend's
annual Battle of the RiverStone game against UNH in Manchester, and probably wish they could summon
Mike Devine one more time. He had 54 saves in last year's
5-3 upset win by Dartmouth. |
| 10-6-0 (7-4-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: L vs. Yale, 2-1; W vs. Brown,
5-1. THIS WEEK: vs. New Hampshire (at Manchester) |
| 17. |
 Wisconsin |
1 |
In the Badgers’ last nine games, freshman Derek
Stepan, the team’s second-leading scorer behind
junior defenseman Jamie McBain, has scored three goals
and added nine assists. |
| 12-9-3 (9-5-2
WCHA) LAST WEEK: W at Alaska Anchorage, 3-2; W at Alaska
Anchorage, 6-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Colorado College, vs. Colorado
College |
| 18. |
 North
Dakota
|
NR |
The Fighting Sioux have scored 64 goals in their 13
wins (an average of 4.92 goals per game) and 16 goals
in its 10 losses (an average of 1.60 goals per game, but
you probably figured that out on your own). |
| 13-10-1
(8-5-1 WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota, 6-3; W vs. Minnesota,
6-1. THIS WEEK: at Michigan Tech, at Michigan Tech |
| 19. |
 Yale
|
NR |
Saturday's win at ancient rival Harvard came with plenty
of surprises. The first was that it was only Yale's third
win in 29 years of visiting Bright Hockey Center. The
second was that backup goalie Billy Blase made 32 saves
in the victory, filling in for Alec Richards (illness). |
| 11-4-0 (6-2-0
ECAC Hockey) LAST WEEK: W at Dartmouth, 2-1; W at Harvard,
6-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Clarkson, vs. St. Lawrence |
| 20. |
 Nebraska-Omaha
|
— |
One thing you can bank on with the Mavericks are meaningful
third periods. Ten of UNO’s 23 games this season
have been decided by one goal – the Mavs are 5-5
in them – while three games have ended in ties. |
| 13-7-3 (8-5-3
CCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Northern Michigan, 4-3; L vs. Northern
Michigan, 3-2. THIS WEEK: at Alaska, at Alaska |