University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Climbs to Sixth in National Hockey Poll
10/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
With its series sweep of St. Cloud State last weekend, the Minnesota men’s hockey team has risen to sixth in this week’s USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine national poll. The Gophers are also ranked seventh in the U.S. College Hockey Online/CBS College Sports poll.
The Gophers were ranked ninth in both preseason polls and moved up by virtue of their 3-2 and 2-1 victories last weekend. Nine of Minnesota’s last 10 games have been decided by one goal with the Gophers winning six of those games.
The top three teams in this week’s USA Today/USA Hockey poll are all on the Gophers’ schedule in the next two months. Colorado College is ranked No. 1 with Denver ranked second and New Hampshire ranked third. Boston College is ranked third and New Hampshire is fourth in the USCHO/CBS College Sports poll. Michigan is fifth in both polls and also on the Gophers’ upcoming schedule in November.
Minnesota continues a season-opening six-game stretch against Western Collegiate Hockey Association opponents with a two-game series at Wisconsin this weekend. The Badgers are 0-4 and are not ranked in either poll. All four of Wisconsin’s losses are to teams in the top four of the polls with losses to Boston College and New Hampshire and two to Denver.
