April 13, 2009
INCH Power Rankings

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The final edition of the INCH Power Rankings features Boston University at the top, of course, and also provides recognition to 19 other clubs that had seasons worthy of recognition. We'll take a look back at where we had them slotted in our INCH Power Rankings Preseason Great 58, and talk about what went right for all of the teams in this, the season-ending edition of the 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

Preseason
Great 58

What Went Right
1. Boston University
6
The school's fifth national championship, its second Hobey Baker winner and 35 wins in 45 games made this one of the most remarkable seasons in Boston University history. A number of young stalwarts could return next year.
35-6-4 (18-5-4 Hockey East, 1st)
2. Miami
14
Most will remember a stunning collapse in the national championship game; it’s important to note that this young team arrived a year ahead of schedule. The RedHawks had four freshman defenders and a rookie goalie, yet still came within a minute of the title.
23-13-5 (17-7-4 CCHA, T-2nd)
3. Vermont
28
Catamount fans won't forget the school's second trip to the Frozen Four or the magic of Hobey Baker finalist Viktor Stalberg, who scored 24 goals and 46 points on the year. Plus, they can say they're the only team that can say they beat the national champs twice.
22-12-5 (15-8-4 Hockey East, T-3rd)
4. Notre Dame
3

Up until an upset of monumental proportions in the first round of the NCAA tournament, virtually everything went right. Soon, we’ll learn whether the Irish rebuild or reload. Yeah, we think it’ll be the latter, too.

31-6-3 (21-4-3 CCHA, 1st)
5. Michigan
2
Early-season injuries to defensemen Mark Mitera and Steve Kampfer could’ve been a major setback; thanks to the emergence of Louie Caporusso, Bryan Hogan, and others, the Wolverines didn’t miss a beat.
29-12-0 (20-8-0 CCHA, 2nd)
6. Denver
5
Marc Cheverie proved to be a top-notch goalie and freshmen Joe Colborne and Patrick Wiercioch look like future stars. With highly touted Drew Shore and William Wrenn in the fold next season, the Pios look like the team to beat in the WCHA.
23-12-5 (16-8-4 WCHA, 2nd)
7. Minnesota Duluth
30
Becoming the first team in WCHA history to capture the league playoff title by winning three games at the Final Five was quite an achievement. Goaltender Alex Stalock had a banner season after a couple inconsistent years.
22-13-8 (10-11-7 WCHA, 7th)
8. New Hampshire
7
The Wildcats tied for third in the Hockey East regular season and got an early exit in the playoffs, but that'll all be forgotten when fans recall the heroics of Thomas Fortney and Peter LeBlanc in the NCAA Tournament win over North Dakota.
20-13-5 (15-8-4 Hockey East, T-3rd)
9. Bemidji State
36
Is there any doubt? Shocking Notre Dame and Cornell in the NCAA Midwest Regional and advancing to the Frozen Four instantly became one of the most improbably occurrences in college hockey history.
20-16-1 (12-5-1 CHA, 1st)
10. Yale
27
Simply put, the best season in school history saw Yale win both the ECAC Hockey regular season and playoff titles and make just its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament. A banner season for the Bulldogs.
24-8-2 (15-5-2 ECAC Hockey, 1st)
11. Cornell
17
The Big Red returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years and were 20 minutes away from a return to the Frozen Four. The team's excellent defensive performance was back and the emergence of standout prospect Riley Nash provided several highlights.
22-10-4 (13-6-3 ECAC Hockey, 2nd)
12. North Dakota
18
For the first time in his head coaching career, Dave Hakstol didn’t take the Sioux to the Frozen Four. But this season was likely his best performance, as he guided a young NoDak team to the MacNaughton Cup.
24-15-4 (17-7-4 WCHA, 1st)
13. Northeastern
19
The Huskies led Hockey East for most of the season and were a relevant force in college hockey for the first time in years. Goaltender Brad Thiessen was a Hobey Hat Trick finalist.
25-12-4 (18-6-3 Hockey East, 2nd)
14. Air Force
20
In each of the Falcons’ two previous NCAA tournament appearances, the Falcons had a top seed on the ropes but failed to advance. This year, Jacques Lamoureux and Co. broke through with a thrilling victory over Michigan and nearly dumped Vermont for a Frozen Four berth.
28-11-2 (20-6-2 Atlantic Hockey, T-1st)
15. Princeton
9
The Tigers might have been better than they were a year ago, and set another record for wins in a season for the school, but finished without any trophies and a first-round NCAA Tournament exit. Maybe they'll follow Miami '09 and Boston College '08 and do great things the year after they were supposed to.
22-12-1 (14-8-0 ECAC Hockey, 3rd)
16. Ohio State
26
Sure, the Buckeyes were dismantled by BU in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But the fact that they made the tournament with a roster that boasted 21 freshmen and sophomores is indeed impressive.
23-15-4 (13-11-4 CCHA, 5th)
17. St. Lawrence
42
A senior-laden team finished in the top four of the ECAC Hockey standings and made it back to Albany. Wins over UNH, Yale, Vermont, Cornell and Princeton were especially noteworthy.
21-12-5 (11-7-4 ECAC Hockey, 4th)
18. UMass Lowell
25
UMass Lowell lost a one-goal game to the eventual national champions in the Hockey East finals, and River Hawk fans will forever claim they were robbed by the officials. Those thoughts won't change the result, but will make the 2008-09 a fond memory.
20-16-2 (14-11-2 Hockey East, 5th)
19. Wisconsin
13
Badger fans are likely disappointed their team failed to qualify for the national tournament. Remember, however, that Bucky started the season with a seven-game winless streak but battled back to earn a home-ice berth for the first round of the league playoffs.
20-16-4 (14-11-3 WCHA, T-3rd)
20. Boston College
1
The overall season was probably a disappointment but another late-season run was a boost of excitement that saw the Eagles return to the Hockey East championship weekend in downtown Boston.
18-14-5 (11-11-5 Hockey East, 6th)

Bubble-licious: Minnesota, Northern Michigan, Alaska