Minnesota used a sweep at the College Hockey Showcase to take a stranglehold on the top spot in the USCHO.com/CSTV Division I men’s poll, released Monday.
The Golden Gophers, who beat Michigan State and Michigan to extend their nation-best unbeaten streak to 14 games, earned all 40 first-place votes to finish No. 1 for the second straight week.
Rocketing all the way up to No. 2 this week was New Hampshire, which ran its own unbeaten skein to eight by topping Boston College Wednesday and Northeastern Saturday. The Wildcats leaped up six spots from last Monday’s rankings.
Finishing third was Maine, which lost to Vermont Saturday and dropped one place in the poll. The Black Bears, who began the season unbeaten in nine games, have lost three straight, the last two by one goal apiece.
Miami was No. 4 after beating St. Lawrence but losing to Clarkson, and Notre Dame came in fifth after a weekend split with Nebraska-Omaha.
Michigan figured in at No. 6 after splitting its Showcase games, edging Wisconsin before falling to Minnesota’s eight-goal explosion Saturday. Next up was seventh-ranked Boston College; the Eagles’ lone game since the last round of poll voting was its loss to UNH on Wednesday.
Denver continued its upward movement by coming in eighth, beating Air Force and Robert Morris over the weekend. Boston University, which beat Harvard Tuesday and Yale Saturday, was No. 9, and St. Cloud State rounded out the top 10 after sweeping Minnesota-Duluth. Both the Pioneers and the Huskies are riding seven-game unbeaten streaks.
North Dakota was No. 11 after splitting with Colorado College, while Michigan State suffered the week’s biggest freefall, dropping to an overall .500 record — and a No. 12 ranking — after losing both of its Showcase contests. The Spartans had been ranked sixth last Monday.
Cornell came in at No. 13, followed by Alaska and then CC.
Yale was No. 16 this week, with Dartmouth, poll returnee Vermont, Massachusetts and Northern Michigan finishing up the top 20. Dropping out of the rankings was Quinnipiac.
