Week 3 hockey power rankings
Inside College Hockey's top-ranked team suffered its first loss of the year, but it wasn't enough to knock these birds from their perch, since other contenders also suffered losses. Denver moved higher with an impressive sweep of Minnesota.
Here's how the Inside College Hockey editors and staff rank the nation's top teams:
1. MIAMI
This week marks the start of an important stretch for the RedHawks. Eight of the team's next 10 games are on the road, including trips to Michigan and North Dakota and a date with Bemidji State in Grand Forks, N.D., in a 2009 Frozen Four semifinal rematch.
| Last week: 1 |
| Record: 4-1-1 (1-1-0 CCHA) |
| Last week: W vs. Michigan State, 2-1; L vs. Michigan State, 3-2 OT |
| This week: at Northern Michigan, at Northern Michigan |
2. NORTH DAKOTA
Fighting Sioux freshman goalie Aaron Dell pulled off a unique feat against Alaska-Anchorage on Friday, shutting out the Seawolves in his first career start and notching an assist to boot.
| Last week: 2 |
| Record: 4-1-1 (2-1-1 WCHA) |
| Last week: W at Alaska-Anchorage, 5-0; L at Alaska-Anchorage, 2-1 |
| This week: Off |
3. DENVER
Fun with round numbers: Saturday's 3-0 win at Minnesota was the 500th of coach George Gwozdecky's career and his 350th behind the DU bench, his home for 15-plus seasons after stints at Wisconsin-River Falls and Miami.
| Last week: 4 |
| Record: 4-2-0 (2-0-0 WCHA) |
| Last week: W at Minnesota, 3-0; W at Minnesota, 3-0 |
| This week: vs. Minnesota State, vs. Minnesota State |
4. BOSTON UNIVERSITY
It's too early to say that this weekend's home-and-home set with UMass Lowell is a crucial Hockey East series, but it will serve as a measuring stick for a BU team plugging some holes and a Lowell club seeking a perch among the league's elite teams.
| Last week: 5 |
| Record: 1-2-0 (0-1-0 Hockey East) |
| Last week: L vs. Notre Dame, 3-0; W vs. Michigan, 3-2 |
| This week: at UMass Lowell, vs. UMass Lowell |
5. MICHIGAN
In its win against Niagara at Yost Ice Arena on Thursday, the Wolverines scored three goals in the game's first 10 minutes and held on for a 3-2 win.
| Last week: 6 |
| Record: 2-2-0 (0-0-0 CCHA) |
| Last week: W vs. Niagara, 3-2; L at Boston University, 3-2 |
| This week: at Lake Superior State, at Lake Superior State |
6. VERMONT
This week's trip to Maine is Vermont's third straight weekend with just one game.
| Last week: 3 |
| Record: 2-2-0 (1-1-0 Hockey East) |
| Last week: L at Merrimack, 5-2 |
| This week: at Maine |
7. CORNELL
Rookie blueliner Nick D'Agostino scored twice in his first game for the Big Red in Friday's 7-0 win over Windsor.
| Last week: 7 |
| Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECAC Hockey) |
| Last week: W vs. Windsor, 7-0 (Ex.); L vs. USNTDP U-18, 3-2 (Ex.) |
| This week: vs. Niagara |
8. PRINCETON
Following up on last week's note regarding the scrimmage against Morrisville: The Tigers won 7-0, outshooting the Mustangs by a 58-15 margin.
| Last week: 8 |
| Record: 0-0-0 (0-0-0 ECAC Hockey) |
| Last week: W vs. Morrisville, 7-0 (Ex.) |
| This week: L vs. Windsor, 5-3 (Ex.). THIS WEEK: vs. Brown, vs. Yale |
9. NOTRE DAME
Boston College handed Notre Dame its third loss of the season Friday. In all three cases, the Irish have been on the short end of a 3-2 score.
| Last week: 5 |
| Record: 3-3-0 (0-0-0 CCHA) |
| Last week: W at Boston University, 3-0; L vs. Boston College, 3-2 |
| This week: vs. Ohio State; vs. Ohio State |
10. NEBRASKA-OMAHA
Nick Fanto, the team's leading scorer with six points in four games, entered his senior season with 30 points in 101 career games.
| Last week: 17 |
| Record: 3-0-1 (0-0-0 CCHA) |
| Last week: Off |
| This week: vs. Bowling Green, vs. Bowling Green |
For the rest of the top 20 for this week's Inside College Hockey Power Rankings, click here.
