SB Nation’s Women’s College Hockey Division I Poll: Chaotically Calm

In a week marked by an insane amount of weird games, we have no movement in the poll. We do have a surprise vote getter but otherwise nothing changed. As the season wraps up certain groupings seem pretty locked in but the playoffs will bring some much needed shuffling.

1. Wisconsin (26-4-0), 130 (13) — Last poll: 1

•  Last Week: W 6-1 @ Minnesota-Duluth (2/15), W 3-0 @ Minnesota-Duluth (2/16)

•  Coming Week: v Ohio State (2/22, 2/23)

Wisconsin took care of the Bulldogs and doomed them to a road playoff series. Up next is a Buckeyes team desperate to get some points. The Badgers need 5 points for the WCHA crown.

2. Minnesota (25-4-1), 116 — Last poll: 2

•  Last week: W 3-1 v Minnesota State (2/15), W 3-2 OT v Minnesota State (2/16)

•  Coming Week: @ Bemidji State (2/22, 2/23)

The Gophers got one good win and then escaped with their lives on Senior Night, a loss would’ve been disastrous on many fronts. They head to Bemidji — a team who is locked in home ice in their playoffs.

3. Northeastern (21-3-4), 101 — Last poll: 3

•  Last week: L 1-4 v Boston College (2/12), W 3-1 @ Providence (2/16), L 2-5 v Providence (2/17)

•  Next week: v Merrimack (2/22), @ Merrimack (2/23)

The sky might very well be falling on Huntington Avenue right now.  The Huskies looked bad in the Beanpot consolation on Tuesday night before traveling to Providence on Saturday and taking the Hockey East crown outright. Sunday — with a chance to lock up an NCAA game at home on the line —  they looked off again and lost.  The Huskies will host a hungry Merrimack team on Senior night before heading up to North Andover for another home and home series.

4. Clarkson (23-6-1), 86 — Last poll: 4

•  Last week: L 2-3 OT @ Dartmouth (2/15), W 3-2 OT @ Harvard (2/16)

•  Next week: v Princeton (2/22), v Quinnipiac (2/23)

This weekend could not have been closer for the Golden Knights.  There were two overtime  games decided with less then 10 seconds remaining in each, one a bitter loss the other a relieving win.  Their next game against Princeton has huge implications for every team still in contention for the NCAA tournament. They wrap up the season against Quinnipiac the following day.

5. Princeton (17-3-5), 67 — Last poll: 5

•  Last week: W 4-1 v Union (2/15), L 1-2 v RPI (2/16)

•  This week: @ Clarkson (2/22), @ St. Lawrence (2/23)

After taking care of lowly Union, the Tigers ran into one of the best goalies to ever play Division I in Lovisa Selander at RPI. This weekend, they travel to Clarkson for a game that would be hard to overstate the importance of as well as St. Lawrence which could be a trap game.

6. Cornell (16-3-6), 65 — Last poll: 6

•  Last week:  W 4-1 v Brown (2/15), W 4-0 v Yale (2/16)

•  This week: @ Rensselaer (2/22), @ Union (2/23)

Cornell has quietly put themselves in great position while the rest of the ECAC went into full scale meltdown. They need help from Clarkson but have a pair of easy games to set themselves up for the top seed.

7. Boston College (20-10-0), 59 — Last poll: 7

•  Last week: W 4-1 v Northeastern (2/12), W 2-1 v Maine (2/15) , W 5-2 v Maine (2/16)

•  Next week: @ New Hampshire (2/23)

In an unpredictable week, the Eagles stayed true to course sweeping all three games. They got help and now can get themselves into hosting position for the NCAAs, assuming they continue to take care of business.

8. Boston University (16-6-7), 38 — Last poll: 9

•  Last week: W 3-2 @ Harvard (2/12), T 3-3 OT v New Hampshire (2/16), W 2-1 @ New Hampshire (2/17)

•  Next week: @ Connecticut (2/22), v Providence (2/23)

The Boston University Terriers are Beanpot Champions, their first as a varsity program. They once won in 1981 as a club team, now they are tied with Brown at one among varsity teams, making them this week’s “Belles of the Ball”. The Terriers played in a trap game and got caught as they tied UNH before escaping with a win the next day.  Up next will be two teams with seeding on the line.

9. Colgate (17-8-5), 27 — Last poll: 10

•  Last week: W 6-3 v Yale (2/15), W 4-0 v Brown (2/16)

•  Next week: @ Union (2/22), @ Rennselaer (2/23)

The Raiders won convincingly twice but some ballots had them losing ground on idle Ohio State. They can’t win the ECAC but will be at home for the quarterfinals.

10. Ohio State (17-11-0), 21 — Last poll: 8

•  Last week: No Games

•  Next week: @ Wisconsin (2/22, 2/23)

The Buckeyes got a week off and now get to travel to Wisconsin where some insurance points would be welcome as they hold off Bemidji State

Also Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth 2, Providence 2, Dartmouth 1