The INCH Power Rankings return with moderate
changes since we last published in mid-December. Denver, Rensselaer
and Michigan made big strides forward, while Nebraska-Omaha,
Maine and Union slid down the order.
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. |
 Yale |
— |
Yale's 10-3 win over Holy Cross included hat tricks
from Kenny Agostino and Broc Little. Agostino's third
goal came with 3:32 remaining in the second period. Hope
some fans saved their lids to adorn the ice when Little
polished off his hatty in the third period. |
| 12-1-0 (6-0-0
ECAC Hockey) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Holy Cross, 10-3. THIS
WEEK: at Dartmouth, at Harvard |
| 2. |
 North
Dakota |
 1 |
As if the Sioux needed any more offensive weaponry,
previously slumbering sophomore forward Danny Kristo has
a goal and six assists in his last four games. |
| 14-5-2 (11-3-0
WCHA) RECENT SCORES: W at Minnesota Duluth, 5-0. THIS
WEEK: vs. Robert Morris, vs. Robert Morris |
| 3. |
 New
Hampshire |
 1 |
UNH and St. Lawrence usually play every season. They
didn't meet last year and it was good news for the Wildcats,
who saw the Saints win their third straight in the series
Sunday with a 2-1 overtime victory. |
| 10-3-4 (8-1-2
Hockey East) RECENT SCORES: L vs. St. Lawrence, 2-1 ot.
THIS WEEK: vs. UMass Lowell, at Massachusetts |
| 4. |
 Boston
College |
1 |
Brian Gibbons had a goal and two assists as the Eagles
rallied for a win over Colgate in the opening game, then
scored twice as BC won the title against Mercyhurst at
the Ledyard Bank Classic, hosted by Dartmouth. |
| 13-5-0 (9-4-0
Hockey East) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Colgate, 6-5; W vs.
Mercyhurst, 4-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Providence, at Providence |
| 5. |
 Minnesota
Duluth |
1 |
The Bulldogs, who scored six or more goals four times
in their first 15 games, have scored a total of six goals
in their last four outings. |
| 12-4-3 (9-3-2
WCHA) RECENT SCORES: L vs. North Dakota, 5-0. THIS WEEK:
at Clarkson, at Clarkson, vs. US NTDP U-18s (Ex.) |
| 6. |
 Michigan |
3 |
Great Lakes Invitational MVP Luke Glendenning, who entered
the tourney with two goals in 19 games this season, netted
three goals in the Wolverines’ wins against Michigan
Tech and Colorado College last week. |
| 12-5-4 (9-3-1
CCHA) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Michigan Tech, 4-2; W vs. Colorado
College, 6-5. THIS WEEK: at Michigan State, vs. Michigan
State |
| 7. |
 Denver |
4 |
With leading scorers Drew Shore and Jason Zucker at
the WJC, senior Kyle Ostrow led the Pioneers’ offense
with four points in a win and tie against visiting Northern
Michigan. |
| 13-5-4 (9-3-2
WCHA) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Northern Michigan, 5-2; T vs.
Northern Michigan, 2-2 ot. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 8. |
 Rensselaer |
4 |
RPI's only loss in its last eight games is against No.
1 Yale, and the Engineers have five one-goal wins in that
stretch. |
| 11-4-3 (3-3-0
ECAC Hockey) RECENT SCORES: W at Alabama-Huntsville, 2-1;
W at Alabama-Huntsville, 2-1. THIS WEEK: vs. Clarkson,
vs. St. Lawrence |
| 9. |
 Miami |
1 |
Mixed bag for the RedHawks at the Florida College Classic;
after dominating Maine in a 4-1 opening-round win, goalie
Connor Knapp allowed four goals on 11 shots in a 4-3 title-game
loss to St. Cloud State. |
| 11-6-3 (8-4-2
CCHA) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Maine, 4-1; L vs. St. Cloud
State, 4-3. THIS WEEK: at Ohio State, at Ohio State |
| 10. |
 Maine |
4 |
Sophomore defenseman Matt Mangene scored his first goal
of the year and second of his career in Maine's OT-win
over Cornell in the Florida College Classic third-place
game. |
| 9-5-4 (6-3-2
Hockey East) RECENT SCORES: L vs. Miami, 4-1; W vs. Cornell,
3-2 ot. THIS WEEK: at Merrimack |
| 11. |
 Nebraska-Omaha |
4 |
A bye weekend couldn’t come at a better time for
the Mavericks, who’ve lost three of four and six
of 10 since getting out to an 8-1-1 start. |
| 12-7-1 (9-4-1
WCHA) RECENT SCORES: L at Colorado College, 5-2; W at
Colorado College, 3-0; L at Quinnipiac, 4-3; L at Quinnipiac,
3-2. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 12. |
 Union |
4 |
Union's win over Minnesota was Nate Leaman's 123rd as
head coach. He has the most head coaching wins in program
history. |
| 11-6-3 (3-2-1
ECAC Hockey) RECENT SCORES: L at Western Michigan, 2-1;
L at Western Michigan, 3-1; W at Minnesota, 3-2 ot; L
vs. Bemidji State, 3-1. THIS WEEK: vs. St. Lawrence, vs.
Clarkson |
| 13. |
 Wisconsin |
1 |
With its sweep of UMass, the Badgers improved
to 11-1-0 this season against teams with sub-.500 records.
You math majors out there have already extrapolated Bucky’s
1-6-3 mark against teams better than .500. |
| 12-7-3 (6-6-2
WCHA) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Massachusetts, 5-1; W vs. Massachusetts,
4-2. THIS WEEK: vs. Canisius, vs. Canisius |
| 14. |
 Notre
Dame |
1 |
Four players – Ryan Guentzel, Stephen Johns, Calle
Ridderwall, and T.J. Tynan – had four points in
the Fighting Irish’s 10-3 win against Canisius last
week. |
| 12-7-3 (9-4-1
CCHA) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Canisius, 10-2; L vs. Minnesota
State, 4-3; T vs. Boston University, 3-3 ot. THIS WEEK:
at Northern Michigan, at Northern Michigan |
| 15. |
 Merrimack |
2 |
Merrimack leads all Hockey East teams with just 2.12
goals allowed per game. Their recipe is to maintain an
early lead, as the Warriors have scored just 12 third-period
goals in 17 games this year. |
| 9-4-4 (5-4-3
Hockey East) RECENT SCORES: W at Army, 2-1 ot; W at RIT,
5-3. THIS WEEK: vs. Maine |
| 16. |
 Boston
University |
3 |
Charlie Coyle had five goals and 14 points in 17 games
for the Terriers and leads the United States with six
points in four games at the World Juniors. |
| 8-5-6 (6-3-4
Hockey East) RECENT SCORES: L vs. Brown, 6-1; T vs. Notre
Dame, 3-3 ot. THIS WEEK: at Vermont |
| 17. |
 Alaska
|
1 |
One thing the Nanooks aren’t is streaky: they
haven’t won back-to-back games since Oct. 30 (vs.
Bowling Green) and Nov. 5 (vs. Michigan) but haven’t
lost two in a row since Nov. 6 (vs. Michigan) and Nov.
12 (at Miami). |
| 9-6-3 (6-5-3
CCHA) RECENT SCORES: None. THIS WEEK: vs. Western Michigan,
vs. Western Michigan |
| 18. |
 Robert
Morris |
— |
Robert Morris got in on the hoopla surrounding the NHL's
Winter Classic with an outdoor practice last week. The
Colonials then hosted RIT at the Penguins' CONSOL Energy
Center and drew about 7,000 fans. |
| 12-5-2 (7-5-2
Atlantic Hockey) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Colgate, 3-2 ot;
W vs. Colgate, 3-1; L vs. RIT, 4-3. THIS WEEK: at North
Dakota, at North Dakota |
| 19. |
 Colorado
College |
NR |
In five games without linemate and leading scorer Jaden
Schwartz, who’s playing for Canada at the WJC, senior
forward Stephen Schultz has four goals, five assists,
and a plus-minus rating of +3. |
| 12-9-1 (8-6-0
WCHA) RECENT SCORES: W vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 5-2; L vs.
Nebraska-Omaha, 3-0; W vs. Michigan State, 5-4; L vs.
Michigan, 6-5. THIS WEEK: Off |
| 20. |
 Clarkson |
|
When the season began, many identified this week as
one of the most difficult and important on the Golden
Knights' slate. They host Minnesota Duluth Monday and
Tuesday before visiting RPI and Union Friday and Saturday. |
| 10-5-2 (4-2-1
ECAC Hockey) RECENT SCORES: None. THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota
Duluth, vs. Minnesota Duluth, at Rensselaer, at Union |