SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division 1 Poll: Sanity Strikes Back

Sanity gripped the land this week as teams that were expected to win did win. A few games were closer then expected, but the favorites held serve and the polls reflect this fact.

1.     Wisconsin (7-0-1), (17) 179 — Last Week: 1

•  Last Week: W 2-0 @ North Dakota (10/22), W 5-2 @ North Dakota (10/23)

•  Coming week: @ Minnesota State (10/28, 10/29)

The Badgers took care of business on the road at North Dakota. With Minnesota struggling against a weaker Ohio State team, Wisconsin solidified its top ranking, this week becoming the first unanimous number-one pick in this poll’s short history. The upcoming week, while on the road, should see Wisconsin earn a pair of easy wins in conference play.

2.     Minnesota (7-1-0), 152 — Last Week: 2

•  Last Week: W 3-2 @ Ohio State (10/21), W 2-1 v Ohio State (10/22)

•  Coming week: v St. Cloud State (10/27, 10/28)

Not the dominant weekend the Gophers would’ve liked, but with no other team making a strong case Minnesota held onto the second spot. The coming week brings a St. Cloud State team that has been troublesome but should result in the Gophers adding a pair of conference wins.

3.   Minnesota-Duluth (4-2-2), 122 — Last Week: 3

•  Last Week: W 2-0 v Bemidji State (10/21), T 3-3 OT (1-0 SOW), v Bemidji State (10/22)

•  Coming week: @ Ohio State (10/28, 10/29)

The Bulldogs had what they could handle with a Bemidji State team that came as advertised and were tough opponents. Duluth now travels to Columbus, OH, to take on a Buckeye team that has been dangerous all season.

4.     Boston College (4-2-2), 94 — Last Week: 6

•  Last Week: T 0-0 OT v Quinnipiac (10/21), W 4-1 @ Quinnipiac (10/22)

•  Coming week: @ UConn (10/28), v UConn (10/29)

Last week saw the end of some major streaks, and this week saw some more. The matinee matchup in Chestnut Hill saw the Eagles play in their first 0-0 game since UNH did it to them on February 19, 2011. The last time they were shut out was by UConn’s Elaine Chuli on February 8, 2014. Despite this they were able to go on the road and take a crucial win against Quinnipiac that was exactly what the doctor ordered, earning the Eagles the title of belles of the ball for this past week. This weekend BC will return to Hockey East play with a must win home-and-home against UConn.

5.     Colgate (5-0-1), 82 — Last Week: 5

•  Last Week: W 3-2 @ Syracuse (10/21), T 2-2 OT v Syracuse (10/22)

•  Coming week: @ Union (10/28), @ RPI (10/29)

The Raiders were unable to sweep Syracuse after winning on the road. At home they outshot the Orange by a 3:2 margin but could not put a winner past Abbey Miller. The coming week brings the start of ECAC play and a road trip to two bottom-of-the-conference foes. Anything short of big wins would have to be considered disappointments.

6.     Quinnipiac (5-2-1), 80 — Last Week: 4

•  Last Week: T 0-0 @ Boston College (10/21), L 1-4 v Boston College (10/22)

•  Coming week: @ Yale (10/28), @ Brown (10/29)

The Bobcats continue to struggle on offense. A home-and-home against Boston College saw them score only one goal. The coming weekend brings Quinnipiac to rival Yale and then to a Brown team that had some early issues against Sacred Heart.

7.     Saint Lawrence (5-0-1), 72 — Last week: 7

•  Last Week: W 3-1 v Vermont (10/21), W 2-1 @ Vermont (10/22)

•  Coming Week: v Dartmouth (10/28), v Harvard (10/29)

A grueling weekend of traveling led to a pair of wins for the Saints. They were able to take care of business against a Catamounts team that is known to be able to steal a game on occasion. Saint Lawrence opens ECAC play at home, with a tough game against a Dartmouth team whose goalie is a threat to take the game on her shoulders, before playing host to a Harvard team that had a rough preseason.

8.     Clarkson (4-3-1), 62 — Last Week: 8

•  Last Week: W 3-1 @ New Hampshire (10/22), W 3-1 @ New Hampshire (10/23)

•  Coming week: v Harvard (10/28), v Dartmouth (10/29)

Clarkson traveled back to Durham, where they lost an OT thriller to Boston College in the NCAA semifinals, to exorcise some demons. They were able to do so with a pair of two-goal wins over a New Hampshire team that is still figuring itself out. The wins finally returned the Golden Knights to above .500. Being travel partners with Saint Lawrence, they have the mirror schedule of the Saints — first hosting Harvard before the Big Green come to town the next afternoon.

9.     Princeton (2-0-0), 42 — Last Week: 10

•  Last Week: W 4-2 @ Providence (10/22), W 7-3 @ Providence (10/23)

•  Coming week: @ Brown (10/28), @ Yale (10/29)

Tiger fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Princeton finally returned to action, which stopped the sliding among pollsters. Princeton traveled to PC and took the Friars to the woodshed, including a five-goal third period in the Sunday game. As Quinnipiac’s travel partner, they play the reverse schedule of the Bobcats — first traveling back to Providence to take on Brown before stopping over in Connecticut to play Yale.

10.   Bemidji State (4-3-1), 25 — Last Week: ARV

•  Last Week: L 1-2 @ Minnesota-Duluth (10/21), T 3-3 (SOL 0-1) @ Minnesota-Duluth (10/22)

•  Coming week: @ North Dakota (10/28, 10/29)

Surprisingly, the Beavers gained votes despite losing both games this past weekend. While Duluth is a good team, the team Bemidji passed (North Dakota) had a tougher opponent in Wisconsin and dropped. The coming week will do a lot to sort out the bottom portion of this poll as Bemidji travels to North Dakota for a pair.

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Also Receiving Votes: North Dakota 17, Northeastern 12, Cornell 2, Ohio State 1, Merrimack 1, Boston University 1

Dropped out: Maine, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris