SB Nation’s NCAA Poll: Olympic Overhaul

No one really wanted to make a statement that they belong at the top except for one team that has had some falls of late. The coming week will be crucial for determining how the tournament will play out.

1. Ohio State (18-4-0), 65 (2) — Last poll: 2

• Last week: L 0-1 v Minnesota-Duluth (1/21), W 3-1 v Minnesota-Duluth (1/22)
• Coming Week: v Minnesota (1/28, 1/29)/

We have a new number won. It isn’t often that a team can lose and still move up to the top spot but the Buckeyes were able to split against Duluth and take advantage. Their hold will be immediately put to the test as Minnesota comes to town.

2. Wisconsin (18-3-3), 62 (4) — Last poll: 1

• Last week: L 1-2 @ Minnesota (1/21), L 3-4 @ Minnesota (1/22)
• Coming Week: @ St. Cloud State (1/28, 1/29)/

When you don’t play many out of conference games and rely on beating the few good teams in your conference losing to one of them hurts more. The Badgers dropped 11 of 12 points against their main rivals and it has them feeling it in a major way. This weekend should be a restorative trip over to St. Cloud for them though.

3. Northeastern (21-2-1), 56 (1) — Last poll: 3

• Last week: W 5-0 @ Boston College (1/18), W 6-3 v Boston University (1/21)
• Coming Week: v Vermont (1/28)/

If you told Husky fans they would win both games by an aggregate of 11-3 and they wouldn’t even need Frankel for all of both games, they would have been ecstatic. The way it played out on Friday was less than ideal for NU though as BU had them on the ropes before the Northeastern offense erupted for five un answered goals. There will be only one game this weekend as the Mueller less Huskies take on the short handed Catamounts in a Beanpot warmup.

4. Minnesota (19-6-1), 54 — Last poll: 5

• Last week: W 2-1 v Wisconsin (1/21), W 4-3 v Wisconsin (1/22)
• Coming Week: @ Ohio State (1/28, 1/29)/

The Gophers needed a statement win after their disastrous loss to Mankato, and they got it. Minnesota swept the Badgers a second time, this time with two regulation wins, and earned themselves the title of ‘Belles of the Ball’ for this week. They now travel to Columbus for a pair that will either allow them to cement their lead atop the tables or send them right back down.

5. Minnesota-Duluth (14-8-0), 35 — Last poll: 8

• Last week: W 1-0 @ Ohio State (1/21), L 1-3 @ Ohio State (1/22)
• Coming Week: v Minnesota State (1/28, 1/29)/

A split against Ohio State lets the Bulldogs breath easier as they were getting little positive attention over the previous weeks. This weekend’s series should help lock up home ice as they play the fifth place Mavericks.

6. Quinnipiac (17-4-3), 34 — Last poll: 4

• Last week: W 5-0 @ Union (1/17), L 2-3 v Harvard (1/22), W 3-1 v Dartmouth (1/23)
• Coming Week: v Colgate (1/28), v Cornell (1/29)/

The Bobcats got their third loss in the last three weekends which has dropped them pretty far in the polls and the PWR. This weekend has two dangerous games that they will need to win.

7. Yale (14-4-1), 24 — Last poll: 10

• Last week: W 6-0 v Sacred Heart (1/18), W 3-0 v Colgate (1/21), W 4-1 v Cornell (1/22)
• Coming Week: v Rensselaer (1/25), @ Brown (1/28), v Brown (1/29)/

Three games three wins. The Bulldogs recovered from their loss to Harvard and got some big ECAC wins including a win over Cornell. They now play three games against weak opponents including a pair against Brown that are must win if they want to remain in the Ivy hunt.

8. Harvard (14-5-0), 20 — Last poll: 9

• Last week: W 8-0 v Dartmouth (1/18), W 1-0 @ Princeton (1/21), W 3-2 @ Quinnipiac (1/22)
• Coming Week: v Clarkson (1/28), v St. Lawrence (1/29)/

The Crimson’s win at Quinnipiac seems to have been held in less regard then Yale’s win over Colgate but their wins over Dartmouth and Princeton have put them to within a game for a share of the Ivy League crown. They have a pair of big t home this weekend as the North Country teams come to Brighton.

T-9. Clarkson (18-3-3), 17 — Last poll: 6

• Last week: L 1-2 OT v Rensselaer (1/21), W 4-0 v Union (1/22)
• Coming Week: @ Cornell (1/25), @ Harvard (1/28), @ Dartmouth (1/29)/

The overtime loss to RPI wiped away all faith people had been putting in the Golden Knights in recent weeks. A win at Harvard could alleviate that slightly though.

T-9. Colgate (18-5-1), 17 — Last poll: 7

• Last week: L 0-3 @ Yale (1/21), W 2-1 @ Brown (1/22)
• Coming Week: @ Quinnipiac (1/28), @ Princeton (1/29)/

It was not a fun weekend for the Raiders. Squeaking by Brown was bad enough but the loss to a good Yale team has done quite the number on our pollsters confidence in Colgate. This weekend brings a very challenging road trip that will either keep them win the conversation or possibly knock them out of the poll.

Also Receiving Votes: Connecticut 1