Less than a week after some idiot said Minnesota would probably stay ranked #1 in the polls for the duration of the regular season, the Gophers dropped a pair of games to Minnesota Duluth, opening the door for a new team to take the title of number one in the nation.
As you'll see below, it was a debate between 6-1-1 Boston University and 10-0-0 Michigan Tech for the top spot. All seven of our staff voters had Boston University ranked ahead of Michigan Tech last week, and the Terriers did nothing to hurt their case by beating Maine on the road in their only game of the weekend. But there has to be a tipping point where Michigan Tech's unblemished record becomes too impressive to ignore. They've passed the first quarter mark of the season without losing or drawing a game. There's just five teams in the country that only have one loss; none have played as many games as Michigan Tech, and they all also have at least one tie too. Regardless of ranking, a perfect 10-0-0 record is a pretty incredibly feat.
Rank |
Chris |
Jeff |
Nate |
Matt |
Ryan |
Mary |
Josh |
SBN Rank |
1 | Boston University | Boston University | Michigan Tech | Michigan Tech | Boston University | Boston University | Boston University | Boston University(68) |
2 | Michigan Tech | Michigan Tech | Boston University | Minnesota Duluth | Michigan Tech | Michigan Tech | Michigan Tech | Michigan Tech(65) |
3 | Minnesota Duluth | Minnesota Duluth | North Dakota | Boston University | Minnesota Duluth | Minnesota Duluth | Minnesota | Minnesota Duluth(55) |
4 | Minnesota | Minnesota | Minnesota Duluth | North Dakota | North Dakota | Minnesota | Minnesota Duluth | Minnesota (47) |
5 | North Dakota | North Dakota | Minnesota | Minnesota | Minnesota | North Dakota | North Dakota | North Dakota (45) |
6 | Colgate | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami (34) |
7 | Miami | Quinnipiac | Omaha | Omaha | Omaha | Colgate | UMass Lowell | Minnesota State(19) |
8 | Minnesota State | Minnesota State | UMass Lowell | UMass Lowell | Minnesota State | Minnesota State | Minnesota State | Omaha(15) |
9 | UMass Lowell | UMass Lowell | Minnesota State | Minnesota State | UMass Lowell | UMass Lowell | Colgate | Colgate/UMass Lowell(tie)(14) |
10 | Omaha | Colgate | Quinnipiac | Colgate | Colgate | Omaha | Omaha |
1. Boston University 6-1-1 (68)
The Terriers' top line of freshman Jack Eichel, junior Danny O'Regan and junior Ahti Oksanen each scored a goal as BU came back from an early 1-0 deficit to post a 3-1 win at Maine in its lone game of the week on Friday. Eichel iced the game with an empty-netter while also assisting on O'Regan's shorthanded tally late in the second period, becoming the first Terrier since Shawn McEachern in 1988 to open his collegiate career with an eight-game point streak. BU won only once on the road last season (in its final regular season game at Northeastern), but is now 4-0-0 away from Agganis Arena in 2014-15. The Black Bears make a return trip to Boston this coming Friday before BU makes the quick ride to UConn for a 3:30 p.m. contest the following day.
-Josh Kummins
2. Michigan Tech 10-0-0 (65)
Robert Morris and Harvard dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten on Saturday, leaving 10-0-0 Michigan Tech as the last team standing without a loss on the year. It wasn't the prettiest, or most dominating performance you'll ever see, but Michigan Tech managed to stay perfect with a road sweep at Bemidji State. Still, wins are wins, and collecting ten straight is very impressive, regardless of how a team does it. The Huskies will face one of their toughest challenges of the season next weekend when they host Minnesota State.
-Chris Dilks
3. Minnesota Duluth 8-4-0 (55)Playing Minnesota in a home-and-home series for the first time since 1968, UMD completed its first sweep of the Gophers almost 5 years to the day. Friday night saw the Bulldogs end Minnesota's 17 game home unbeaten streak with a 3-0 win. Minnesota Duluth now holds the last two wins by a visiting team at Mariucci Arena, a place where they feel very comfortable.
On Saturday Minnesota-Duluth won at home 2-1, scoring twice in the first period with goals by Dominic Toninato and Karson Kuhlman and holding off a late Gopher charge. UMD, riding a five game winning streak, next travels to Omaha for a two game series against the Mavericks.
-Nate Wells
4. Minnesota 7-3-0 (47)
A week after sweeping Notre Dame with two fast starts and 9 goals, the Gophers were the ones playing from behind and struggling for offense this weekend in a pair of losses to Minnesota-Duluth. Minnesota was shut out at home for the first time in over 20 months, falling 3-0 to UMD Friday before Leon Bristedt scored the lone Minnesota goal of the weekend in a 2-1 loss Saturday. The Gophers, dealing with several injuries, will get the chance to regroup this weekend. Minnesota plays the US Under-18 in an exhibition Friday before traveling to Boston and facing BC and Northeastern Nov. 28-29-Nate Wells
5. North Dakota 8-2-1 (45)
On Friday night, the North Dakota sputtered to a 3-2 loss at home against Miami. On Saturday, they got a boost when Drake Caggiula scored this pretty goal which held up as the game winner in North Dakota's 4-1 win over Miami.
-Chris Dilks
6. Miami 8-4-0 (34)
The RedHawks managed a pretty good weekend, taking three conference points on the road at North Dakota. Sean Kuraly joined a gaggle of seven skaters with an NCAA-best nine goals on the season, but Kuraly's are notable because six of them have stood up as game-winning goals, including the game-winner on Friday night. They'll host an old CCHA rival next weekend when Western Michigan comes to town for a conference series.
-Chris Dilks
7. MInnesota State 7-3-0 (19)
The Mavericks had this past weekend off, allowing them to get healthy and prepare for their huge road series against undefeated Michigan Tech. While the human polls may not agree yet, the still early-Pairwise ranks Minnesota State second behind only Michigan Tech. Next weekend's match-up should be a fun one.
-Chris Dilks
8. Omaha 6-1-1 (15)
Omaha was idle last weekend. Despite a six-game unbeaten streak, many have questioned how legit the Mavericks were due to a relatively weak schedule since splitting on the opening weekend of the season with Minnesota State. This upcoming weekend should answer any questions when red-hot Minnesota Duluth comes to town for a two-game conference series.
-Chris Dilks
T-9. Colgate 8-3-1 (14)
The Raiders took 3 points in ECAC this weekend with a 5-2 win Friday over St. Lawrence and coming back from an early deficit to tie Clarkson 2-2. Juniors Kyle Baun and Tyson Spink each scored this weekend and lead Colgate with 6 goals. Next weekend the Raiders host Brown and Yale at Starr Rink.
-Nate Wells
T-9. UMass Lowell 7-2-2 (14)
After a convincing 5-3 win on Friday night, UML came up on the wrong end of a 4-1 decision against Penn State to finish the weekend series at Tsongas Center with a split. Junior Robert Francis continued his excellent start with two goals in the victory, while fellow transfer Kevin Boyle made 34 saves for his highest total in a River Hawk uniform. Lowell's loneSaturday goal came off the stick of sophomore Joe Gambardella with the team trailing 4-0 inside the ten-minute mark of the third period. UML brings its extremely balanced attack (19 different goal scorers, 21 with points) into aThursday/Friday Hockey East set at Notre Dame this week.
-Josh Kummins