SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division 1 Poll: More of the Same

Again this week, teams seem to be finding their grooves and settling in for the long season.  Very little in the way of shockers happened and there were none for the top 10. However, this week did introduce a tight cluster at the 5-7 spots. This weekend should resolve some of that as two of those closely-ranked teams in Quinnipiac and St. Lawrence play each other — it should be a great game to follow.

1.     Wisconsin (9-0-1), (15) 150 — Last Week: 1

•  Last Week: W 3-0 @ Minnesota State (10/28), W 3-1 @ Minnesota State (10/29)

•  Coming week: v Bemidji State (11/5, 11/6)

The Badgers again took care of business on the road against the Mavericks.  This weekend they get to return home and play a Bemidji State team that is reeling after getting swept in a home-and-home with North Dakota.  The Badgers need to make sure not to take the Beavers lightly.

2.     Minnesota (9-1-0), (0) 135 — Last Week: 2

•  Last Week: W 5-2 v St. Cloud State (10/27), W 3-0 v St. Cloud State (10/28)

•  Coming week: v Minnesota State (11/4, 11/5)

The Gophers also took care of business against a scrappy St. Cloud team and are rewarded by a visit from the Minnesota State team that just got beaten by Wisconsin.  Also of note: after Wisconsin became the first unanimous top pick last week, a distinction they held onto this week, the Gophers became a unanimous number two, showing the clear separation from the rest of the field.

3.   Minnesota-Duluth (6-2-2), 115 — Last Week: 3

•  Last Week: W 6-0 @ Ohio State (10/28), W 3-2 @ Ohio State (10/29)

•  Coming week: No Games

Duluth blew the doors off of Ohio State in the first game before the Buckeyes made a late surge in game two to make it interesting.  This allowed them to start gaining ground in the poll again this week, garnering all but four third place votes.  They will get to enjoy a bye week before traveling to North Dakota and hosting Wisconsin.

4.     Boston College (6-2-2), 86 — Last Week: 4

•  Last Week: W 3-0 @ UConn (10/28), W 5-1 v UConn (10/29)

•  Coming week: v Boston University (11/4), @ Boston University (11/5)

The Eagles passed their first Four Nations test by easily dispatching UConn.  They now draw a BU team that is reeling from consecutive losses to Northeastern, including a 6-2 blowout on the road and then a penalty-filled 4-3 loss at home.  Without Megan Keller, this will be a tough pair of games. But a sweep would resolidify Boston College as a top five team this season after that questionable loss to Maine.

5.     Quinnipiac (5-2-1), 76 — Last Week: 6

•  Last Week: W 4-1 @Yale (10/28), W 8-0 @ Brown (10/29)

•  Coming week: v Clarkson (11/4), v St. Lawrence (11/5)

The Bobcats recovered from a disappointing BC weekend nicely.  Two dominant road victories were just what the doctor ordered.  Now they get to come home for a tough pair against a surging St. Lawrence and a rematch of the NCAAs and ECAC championship with Clarkson. Winning both would allow Quinnipiac to get back some votes they have lost.

6.     Colgate (7-0-1), 72 — Last Week: 5

•  Last Week: W 2-0 @ Union (10/28), W 4-1 @ RPI (10/29)

•  Coming week: v Cornell (11/1), @ RIT (11/4), v RIT (11/5)

The Raiders beat the teams they should beat last weekend on the road in ECAC play. They will take a weekend off from conference play for a home-and-home with a reeling RIT team.

7.     St. Lawrence (7-0-1), 71 — Last week: 7

•  Last Week: W 2-0 v Dartmouth (10/28), W 4-0 v Harvard (10/29)

•  Coming Week: @ Princeton (11/4), @ Quinnipiac (11/5)

After a pair of very good wins, the Saints stayed still in the polls but continued to slowly gain votes. This weekend they face two top ten teams that could elevate St. Lawrence to home ice position.

8.     Clarkson (6-3-1), 59 — Last Week: 8

•  Last Week: W 4-0 v Harvard (10/28), W 6-1 v Dartmouth (10/29)

•  Coming week: @ Quinnipiac (11/4), @ Princeton (11/5)

The Golden Knights seem to have stabilized after their rocky start to the season.  The two ECAC wins will do a lot for them going forward as they look to have a long postseason run once again.

9.   North Dakota (6-3-1), 28 — Last Week: ARV

•  Last Week: W 5-2 v Bemidji State (10/28), W 2-0 @ Bemidji State (10/29)

•  Coming week: No Games

North Dakota solidified their position in the top 10 after dispatching Bemidji State in a home-and-home this past weekend, earning themselves the title of Belles of the Ball for the week.  This should finally end the debate about which of the two rival teams deserve a spot in the top ten.  North Dakota will enjoy a weekend off before hosting Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota in successive weekends.

10.     Princeton (3-0-1), 27 — Last Week: 9

•  Last Week: W 4-0 @ Brown (10/28), T 1-1 OT @ Yale (10/29)

•  Coming week: v St. Lawrence (11/4), v Clarkson (11/5)

The Tigers opened up their ECAC slate with a nice win at Brown.  They then stopped off in New Haven on their way home and were handed a tie by a Yale team they were expected to beat.  The road is not about to get any easier as St. Lawrence and Clarkson come to town this weekend.  St. Lawrence has been the hottest team all season and Clarkson has become a perennial ECAC power.

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Also Receiving Votes: Bemidji State 4 , Cornell 1, Northeastern 1

Dropped out: Ohio State, Merrimack, Boston University